Unique Taiyuan Chunyang Palace

Chunyang Palace in Taiyuan was first built in the Tang dynasty to commemorate Lü Dongbin (also known as Chunyangzi), the founder of the Quanzhen School of Taoism. Lü Dongbin is one of the Eight Immortals of Taoism and is revered as "Lü Zu," holding a high status in Taoist beliefs. During the Yuan dynasty, Song Defang, a Taoist priest of the Quanzhen School, presided over the renovation of Chunyang Palace, making it one of the important venues for the Quanzhen School in the north. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Chunyang Palace underwent several renovations and expansions, gradually forming a large architectural complex. The Jiugong Bagua Courtyard of Chunyang Palace is very distinctive. The courtyard is square in layout, with eight sides, built according to the Taoist Bagua directions of "Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui." All eight sides are brick-vaulted caves, and with the addition of a "three-room, two-story pavilion" in the middle, it forms the Jiugong, with corridors connecting the pavilions. Maybe it's because I haven't seen much, but I've never seen anything like this before, and I instantly felt like I was in a paradise. It's worth a visit!