Qingchengshan Mountain (Qingchengshan) is one of the ancient
cradles of Daoism. The mountain has numerous Daoist temples
and sites along the paths to its peak. The area is green all
year round and
is known for its secluded tranquility.
Jianfu Temple
(Jianfu Gong) sits at the base of the mountain and is a large,
well-preserved Daoist temple from the Tang Dynasty. About
halfway up the mountain sits Tianshi Cave (Tianshi Dong) the
temple and school of Zhang Daolin, a famous Daoist master
who taught here and contributed greatly to spreading Daoism
in China. The present Tianshi Cave buildings were built at
the end of the Qing Dynasty. Lastly, near the peak sits Shangqing
Temple, which was originally established in the Jin Dynasty,
while the current temple buildings are Qing Dynasty constructions.
How to get Qingchengshan
mountain :
The mountain is 65km west of Chengdu, and is a good option
for a long day trip from the city. Buses leave Chengdu from
the north bus station every half-hour until 5pm daily. Buses
also leave from the Ximen bus station every morning from 7am
to 10am. The fares for the bus should be around RMB10. You
can also catch an RMB3 minibus to Qingchengshan from Dujiangyan.
Where to stay: Although Qingchengshan can be a day trip from
Chengdu, it is also relaxing to climb part of the way, stay
along the mountain trail at Jianfu Temple, Tianshi Cave, or
Shangqing Temple, and then climb to the peak in the morning
and enjoy the sunrise. Most accommodation should cost around
RMB15 or RMB30 for an attached bath room. You may be politely
shepherded toward RMB100 doubles, which may better suit your
sensibilities if you are not on a backpacker's budget.
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