
Mt.Qian is one of the famous mountains in northeast China. It is 20 kilometers away from Anshan, Liaoning province. Mt.Qian is one of the first national parks set up by the government, both for its natural scenery and historic religious sites. During the May 1st holiday each year there is a run up the steps of one of the mountains. There is even a special category for foreigners who want to compete!
Daoism spread to Mt. Qian during the early Qing. From 1662-1723, Guo Shouzhen, the eighth patriarch of the Dragon Gate Sect at Tiesha Mountain, Benxi county in Liaoning province sent his disciple Liu Tailin, Wang Taixiang to Mt. Qian. They cultivated themselves in Arhat Cave. In 1667, Liu Tailin built Wuliang Temple at northeast Qianshan. Daoism began to flourish there. There were nine temples and twelve monasteries. The Wuliang Temple and Five Dragon Temple remain today.
The Wuliang Temple: originally called girderless temple. It is in the Northern Valley at Mt. Qian. The Western Pavilion, Jade Emperor Pavilion, Old Sovereign Hall, Three Officials Hall and Merciful Cloud Hall are its main buildings. The Western Pavilion is the most beautiful building. The Cihang Hall in it enshrines Cihang Daoist Perfected, Eye Mother and Child-giving Mother. All the priests gather at the main hall to chant scriptures. The Jade Pavilion is the highest and oldest building. It doesn't have even a piece of wood besides bricks. So people call it girderless temple. Its name changed to Wuliang Temple after some time had elapsed. The statue of the Jade Emperor is enshrined inside. The Old Sovereign Hall was built beside a big rock closing the Jade Emperor Hall. It enshrines the Three Purities. The Three Officials Hall--the largest hall in Wuliang Temple is below the Old Sovereign Hall. It enshrines deities of Heaven, Earth and Water. Other Daoist scenic spots include One Platform and Three Pagodas. One Platform is the Immortal Gathering Platform; Three Pagodas are Eight Immortal Pagoda, Founder Pagoda and Master Ge Pagoda.
Five Dragon Temple: located at the central part of Mt. Qian. It was built in 1738 and rebuilt several times later. There are Old Sovereign Hall, Three Officials Hall, Perfect Warrior Hall, Cihang Hall and Lingguan Hall. Beside it, there are Sleeping Cattle Stone and Crescent Well.
Ancient people signed with feeling that: One stone and one brook are all transformations, thousand splendor and thousand peaks carved by whom? Mt. Qian is a truly miraculous mountain.
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