Qingyang Palace (Green Sheep Palace), known as the “Number One Daoist Temple in Sichuan,” is the largest and oldest Daoist temple in Chengdu. It is said to have been established during the Zhou Dynasty. Today, Qingyang Palace features magnificent architecture and attracts a large number of visitors throughout the year, maintaining a continuous flow of worshippers. The palace houses many exquisite cultural relics, with notable attractions including the Hunyuan Hall, Bagua Pavilion, and Doumu Hall.
According to legend, the origins of Qingyang Palace date back to the Zhou Dynasty, initially named “Qingyang Si.” Historical evidence indicates that it was renamed “Qingyang Guan” during the Three Kingdoms period. In the Tang Dynasty, it was called “Xuanzhong Guan,” and later, during the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang, it was upgraded from a “guan” (temple) to a “gong” (palace). In the Five Dynasties period, it reverted to the name “Qingyang Guan,” and during the Song Dynasty, it was finally renamed “Qingyang Palace,” a name it has retained to this day.
Historically, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang sought refuge in this temple during the An-Shi Rebellion. The famous poet Du Fu, who fled to Sichuan, wrote a poem inspired by the scenery he witnessed. Similarly, Emperor Xizong of Tang took refuge here during the Huang Chao Rebellion. Unfortunately, much of the palace was destroyed by fire during the Ming Dynasty. The structures seen today are primarily restorations from the early years of the Kangxi Emperor in the Qing Dynasty.
Travel Information about Qingyang Palace
Ticket and Opening Hours
Ticket Price: 10 RMB
Opening Hours: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Best Time to Visit
The traditional temple fair and flower festival at Qingyang Palace occurs on the 15th day of the second lunar month each year. During this time, the palace is filled with fragrant incense and the sound of bells, attracting a large crowd of visitors. Outside the palace, various exquisite flowers compete for attention, creating a vibrant and aromatic atmosphere.
Access to the Scenic Area
Location: No. 9, Section 2, West First Ring Road, Qingyang District, Chengdu
Public Transport: Take Metro Line 5 to Qingyang Palace Station to reach the site easily.
Attraction Ratings
- Cultural Experience: ★★★★
- Leisure: ★★★★
- Unique Features: ★★★
- Scenic Beauty: ★★★
- Romantic Atmosphere: ★★
- Adventure: ★
Highlights of Qingyang Palace
Mountain Gate
The original main gate of Qingyang Palace was built during the Ming Dynasty. On the left side, there are statues of the Land God and the Azure Dragon, along with the Emperor’s Nine-Dragon Stele, erected in the winter of the tenth year of the Zhengde period (1515). On the right side stands a statue of the White Tiger, accompanied by the Seven Stars Post, inscribed with Taoist secret scriptures in cloud seal script, reflecting the arrangement of the Northern Dipper (the Big Dipper). Other notable features include the Dragon and Phoenix Posts, large stone lions, and the Dragon King Well.
The newly constructed main gate is grand and majestic, featuring overlapping eaves. Decorated with intricate carvings of auspicious dragon and tiger motifs on the eave pillars, the designs are elegant and detailed. At the top of the hall, two dragons are depicted playfully seizing a spiritual pearl.
A gold-plated horizontal plaque reading “青羊宫 Qingyang Palace” hangs prominently above the main gate. This plaque is the calligraphy of An Hongde, the magistrate of Huayang County in Chengdu during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, characterized by powerful and vigorous brush strokes.
Bagua Pavilion
The Bagua Pavilion is located behind the Hunyuan Hall. Its compact and elegant design consists of three layers, built atop a raised platform. The pavilion’s base is square, while the body is circular, symbolizing the ancient concept of a round sky and square earth. Constructed entirely from wood and stone, the pavilion features interlocking joints without any wedges or nails. The roof is adorned with yellow, green, and purple glazed tiles, and each eave is intricately carved with representations of various animals such as lions, elephants, tigers, and leopards. Inside the pavilion stands a unique glazed gourd-shaped treasure tripod, measuring approximately 3.6 meters in height. Its graceful design makes it a striking feature of the pavilion.
On either side of the main entrance to the Bagua Pavilion, there are 16 stone columns, each carved from massive rocks. These columns stand about 4.8 meters tall and have a diameter of approximately 50 centimeters. Among them, the eight outer columns are embellished with exquisite bas-relief carvings of dragons embracing the pillars, creating a magnificent and lifelike display that is a rare gem of stone sculpture art in China.
Sanqing Hall
The Sanqing Hall is the main hall of Qingyang Palace and features a square architectural design. The hall’s base measures 40 meters in length, and the outer columns are adorned with exquisite wooden carvings, depicting artistic scenes such as the Six Harmonies Children and lions playing with balls.
Inside, the hall houses three statues of deities: the golden-leaf clay sculptures of Yuan Shi Tian Zun (The Primordial Supreme Being), Ling Bao Tian Zun (The Supreme Treasure), and Dao De Tian Zun (also known as Laozi, the Founder of Daoism). Additionally, there are 12 statues of Taoist deities, including Guang Cheng Zi, Chi Jing Zi, and Huang Long Zhen Ren, positioned around the main deities.
Notably, the Sanqing Hall contains a total of 36 large pillars, with 8 wooden pillars representing the Eight Great Heavenly Kings of Daoism and 28 stone pillars symbolizing the 28 lunar mansions in the sky. The grandeur and solemnity of these pillars are quite rare across the country.
Bronze Green Sheep
In front of the Sanqing Hall stand two bronze green sheep, which are symbols of Qingyang Palace. The unique unicorn sheep on the left is particularly distinctive, featuring characteristics from the twelve Chinese zodiac animals, including a sheep’s beard, cow’s body, chicken’s eyes, mouse’s ears, dragon’s horns, monkey’s head, rabbit’s back, snake’s tail, pig’s hindquarters, dog’s belly, tiger’s claws, and horse’s mouth. This one-of-a-kind statue is the only one of its kind in the country.
According to local legend, touching the area of the statue that corresponds to your discomfort can help alleviate ailments, making “touching the green sheep” an essential activity for visitors exploring Qingyang Palace.
Three Platforms
The Three Platforms in the rear garden of Qingyang Palace consist of three distinct areas with significant cultural and historical symbolism.
- Jiangsheng Platform (降生台): Located to the east, this platform originally featured a statue of a white-haired infant, symbolizing the birth of Laozi, the founder of Daoism.
- Shuofa Platform (说法台): To the west lies the Shuofa Platform, where a statue depicts Laozi delivering teachings to Guan Ling and Yin Xi, highlighting his role as a philosopher and teacher.
- Zijin Platform (紫金台): The central platform, also known as the Tang Wang Hall, showcases statues of Emperor Li Yuan (the founding emperor of the Tang dynasty) and his wife, along with their son, Li Shimin.
The arrangement of the Three Platforms follows a symmetrical layout along the central axis, with the Tang Wang Hall positioned at the top center, flanked by the other two platforms on either side. This triangular configuration echoes the alignment of the “Three Star” constellation in the heavens and serves as a striking conclusion to the entire architectural ensemble of Qingyang Palace.
Erxian Monastery
Erxian Monastery (二仙庵) is located to the east of Qingyang Palace, within the current Cultural Park. Founded during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, Erxian An is a renowned Daoist monastery of the Quanzhen (Complete Truth) School, specifically the Biyong (Green Cave) sect of the Longmen (Dragon Gate) lineage. It is the only Quanzhen monastery in southwestern China that meets the criteria for transmitting Daoist teachings.
Visitor Guide for Qingyang Palace
Shopping Options
On the east side of the Cultural Park where Qingyang Palace is located lies Qintai Road (琴台路), a famous ancient-style commercial pedestrian street in Chengdu. Qintai Road is also well-known as a jewelry street, where visitors can browse and select a variety of jewelry pieces to take home. This vibrant street features several renowned jewelry brands, including Qibao Building (七宝楼), Tianhe Silver Building (天和银楼), and Feitian Jewelry (飞天珠宝), making it a perfect destination for shopping enthusiasts.
Food Options
Chengdu is famous for its delicious cuisine, and there are many culinary delights worth trying near Qingyang Palace.
Qintai Langqiao (琴台廊桥): This restaurant specializes in Sichuan cuisine, offering a tranquil and elegant environment that attracts many diners. Highly recommended dishes include Kung Pao Chicken (宫保鸡丁) and Long Chao Shou (龙抄手), a type of dumpling.
Zhong Taipo Laoma Tihua (钟太婆老妈蹄花): A well-known restaurant famous for its pork trotter soup (老妈蹄花), which is cooked to a creamy white color with tender meat and a rich flavor. They also serve delicious Zhong water dumplings (钟水饺) and authentic Sichuan dishes.
Additionally, near the Bagua Pavilion (八卦亭), there is a health-conscious vegetarian restaurant that offers mock meat dishes that taste remarkably similar to real meat. The flavors are authentic, making it a delightful option for both vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.
What to do
Sculptures: The sculptures along Qintai Road are definitely worth seeing. A large sculpture titled “Phoenix Seeks the Phoenix” (凤求凰) is prominently located at the southern entrance of Qintai Road and serves as its theme sculpture. Additionally, the “Bronze Chariot and Horse” (铜车马) and “Dragon Heart Lantern” (龙心灯) are also visually impressive.
Shu Feng Ya Yun Theater (蜀风雅韵): Situated in the heart of Qintai Road, this is Chengdu’s most prestigious Sichuan opera theater. The venue, originally a civil defense project from the 1960s, has been renovated and features traditional Han architectural style. Visitors can enjoy various traditional performances, including Sichuan opera excerpts, rolling lights, face-changing, puppetry, and shadow plays.
Tea Performance: In front of the tea restaurants along the pedestrian street, exciting tea performances often take place. Watch as a long-nosed copper teapot, measuring nearly a meter, gracefully flies through the air. The performer expertly balances the pot overhead, around the waist, and behind the back, before perfectly pouring hot tea into cups. The dynamic movements are powerful and captivating, showcasing the skill of the tea art.