[2025 Jingzhou Attraction] Travel Guide for Xuanmiao Taoist Temple (Updated Jun)

Xuanyao Temple in Jingzhou is a must-visit destination during the Dragon Boat Festival. Located near the Xiaobei Gate of Jingzhou Ancient City, it boasts Yuan Dynasty stone inscriptions that are considered treasures of calligraphy, making it a hotspot for history enthusiasts. Originally built during the Tang Dynasty's Kaiyuan era, the temple features ancient structures like the Ancestral Master Hall, exuding a rich historical charm. During the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival, visitors can participate in Jingzhou's first Jingchu Seasonal Garden Party, jointly organized by the Jianghan Style Parent-Child Club and the Fairy Tale Three Kingdoms. The event offers a variety of activities, including token sign-ins, garden tours, Dragon Boat Festival rituals, performances of the Twenty Flower Fairy Dance, exploring the Jingchu National Trend Market, engaging in intangible cultural heritage crafts, and watching shadow puppet shows. Additionally, the temple houses attractions like the Three Heaven Gates and the Purple Emperor Hall, where visitors can enjoy panoramic views from elevated platforms. Nearby, Changsheng Street, a Ming and Qing Dynasty-style ancient street, provides a perfect spot to relax and savor local delicacies. Moreover, the temple's northwest and north gates are often open, allowing free entry, making it a very accessible destination.

⛰[Attraction Guide] 📍Address: No. 25, Changsheng Street, Jingzhou District, Jingzhou City, Hubei Province 🚗Transportation: 5 km southeast of Jingzhou City, about 12 minutes by car. 🕙Opening hours: 8:30–17:30 💰Ticket price: 35 CNY/adult 🌟Highlights: Xuanmiao Temple was originally built in the Tang Dynasty and later destroyed by war. The existing buildings were rebuilt in the twelfth year of the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1584 AD). It is one of the three Taoist temples in Jingzhou, along with Kaiyuan Temple and Taihui Temple, and is known as the Ninth Immortal of Taoism, hence the name "Nine Immortals Palace." Inside Xuanmiao Temple, there are attractions such as the Stele Forest, Jade Emperor Pavilion, Three Heavenly Gates, and Purple Emperor Hall, all of which have high cultural and historical value. Xuanmiao Temple is a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit. 📌Tips: Find a parking spot in advance.

　　Xuanmiao Temple is located in the middle of Jingbei Road in Jingzhou City and was built in the Tang Dynasty. The Xuanmiao Temple we see today is a building preserved from the Yuan Dynasty. In the Yuan Dynasty, Emperor Shun of Yuan conferred the title of "Wine Immortal" on Tang Dongyun, the Taoist priest in charge of the temple, and Xuanmiao Temple was renamed "Jiulao Xiandu Palace" at that time. Xuanmiao Temple was originally made up of a mountain gate and six halls and pavilions, but it was rebuilt in the 12th year of the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, leaving only the Jade Emperor Pavilion, the Santian Gate, and the Zihuang Hall. The Jade Emperor Pavilion has three layers of flying eaves, and each layer of eaves is decorated with exquisite and beautiful dougong. The three layers of eaves are large to small, resembling a three-story pagoda.

Jingzhou Xuanmiao Temple was built in the Tang Dynasty and is a famous Taoist temple in Chinese history. In the Yuan Dynasty, it was also known as the "Nine Old Immortals." Today, it has become a park-like amusement place, and the thousand-year-old Taoist tradition is gone, which is a pity. The existing buildings are very exquisite, consisting of the mountain gate, the Four Saints Hall, the Sanqing Hall, the Jade Emperor Pavilion, the Xuanwu Pavilion, the Holy Mother Hall, and the Zitong Hall. The "Nine Old Immortals Palace Record" stele erected in the third year of the Yuan Dynasty in front of the Jade Emperor Pavilion is a very precious historical relic.

The Xuanmiao Temple in Jingzhou is located on Jingbei Road in the ancient city of Jingzhou. It was originally built during the Tang Dynasty but was later destroyed in wars. The existing buildings were rebuilt in the 12th year of the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1584 AD). The remaining three structures are the Jade Emperor Pavilion at the front, the Three Heavens Gate in the middle, and the Xuanwu Pavilion (also known as the Zihuang Hall) on the elevated platform at the back, all rebuilt in the 12th year of the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1584 AD). According to the 'Jiulao Xiandu Palace Stele' inside the temple (this stele is the earliest stele visible in the Jianghan Plain, with the inscription written by the famous Yuan Dynasty scholar Ouyang Yuan and the calligraphy by the renowned Yuan Dynasty calligrapher Wei Su), it is said that this place is dedicated to the ninth immortal, Tang Dongyun. So, why was Tang Dongyun conferred as the ninth immortal? Tang Dongyun (Daoist name Xuanjing Zhenren) was born into an official family in the Song Dynasty in Jiangling. At the age of 15, despite his father's opposition, he entered the Xuanmiao Temple and became a Daoist novice, dedicating himself to rigorous cultivation and self-discipline. After learning Daoism, Tang Dongyun devoted himself to seeking alms, traveling thousands of miles to collect donations, which he used to renovate the Xuanmiao Temple. His compassionate spirit was recognized by Emperor Shundi of the Yuan Dynasty, who conferred him the title of the ninth immortal. According to local chronicles, the name Xuanmiao Temple originates from the characteristics of the word 'Dao' in the Dao De Jing: 'The gateway to all mysteries.' The architectural prototype of the Xuanmiao Temple we see today was preserved from the Yuan Dynasty. After Tang Dongyun was conferred as the 'ninth immortal,' the Xuanmiao Temple was renamed 'Jiulao Xiandu Palace' at that time, and later it was renamed back to 'Xuanmiao Temple.'

The temple was first built during the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty. It has experienced ups and downs and has been renamed many times. It was named "Tianqing Temple" in the Song Dynasty, "Jiulao Xiandu Palace" in the Yuan Dynasty, and "Yuanmiao Temple" in the Qing Dynasty. The main building "Yuhuang Pavilion" has three layers of eaves, and the roof supports a bronze lotus seat, covered with yellow and green glazed tiles, shining with gold. A few meters behind the pavilion are "Sanchongtian" and "Xuanwu Pavilion", with double eaves and curved roofs, exquisite and exquisite, staggered with Yuhuang Pavilion, magnificent and beautiful. On the left side of Xuanmiao Temple is the "Xiangdong Garden" garden, with small bridges, pavilions, painted boats, long corridors, and pavilions. It is very exquisite and regular. There are not many tourists in the scenic area, and it is even a little deserted, but the birds are singing and the flowers are fragrant, quiet and peaceful. Walking in it makes people feel refreshed and distracting thoughts dissipated. Take a bus to "Tianqiao Station" in Jingzhou City, turn right to "Yongjun Road" more than 100 meters ahead, and walk about ten minutes to it. The ticket is 20 yuan.