Eight Immortals Temple

The Eight Immortals Temple is located on the way to Qiongtai in Wudang, facing Zao Men Peak and connected to Laojun Rock on the left. The terrain is deep and secluded, with accumulated gas and wind, making it warm in winter and cool in summer. It is said that it got its name because the Eight Immortals including Lu Dongbin once visited here. According to records, a temple was built here in the Yuan Dynasty. In the tenth year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty, 18 rooms including the Xuan Emperor Hall, the mountain gate, 廊庑, the abbot, the dining hall and the warehouse were constructed. In the Qing Dynasty, it was rebuilt again. The first hall (pronounced chong) of the Eight Immortals Temple is the Dragon and Tiger Hall. Beyond the Dragon and Tiger Hall is a courtyard, with side rooms on both sides and the main hall in the middle. The main hall originally housed the statues of Zhenwu and the Eight Immortals. Due to the passage of time, these statues have now disappeared without a trace. The Eight Immortals Temple, the God of Wealth Temple, the Guandi Temple, the Mount Tai Temple and other buildings on Wudang Mountain form the inclusive and overall characteristics of the imperial temples and shrines on Wudang Mountain. During the Ming Dynasty, while the imperial family was establishing the Zhenwu Taoist Temple on Wudang Mountain, they also built temples for the deities who had a significant influence in Taoism and among the common people in history, thus fulfilling the various prayers and wishes of the believers. In this sense, the ancient architectural complex of Wudang Mountain has greater research value in terms of Taoist culture.