The White Cloud Temple, Baiyun Guan, sits just outside the old western city wall near the Beijing Capital Museum. It is the seat of the Chinese Taoist Association and the principal temple of the Quanzhen, or Complete Reality, school of Taoism, which is the largest Taoist order in the country. Unlike the imperial temples that dominate Beijing's sightseeing lists, this is a living institution with resident monks and a continuous daily round of ritual.
History and layout
A temple has stood here since the eighth century, but most of what you see was rebuilt in the fifteenth century and again after fires, giving it a Ming and Qing appearance. The complex is built along a central axis of halls, beginning with the altar of the Jade Emperor and continuing through halls dedicated to the Three Pure Ones and other Taoist deities. Behind the main halls is a garden with a pagoda and a hall of ordination, and the side courtyards contain the monks' quarters, a vegetarian kitchen and an active scriptural library.
What to look for
Taoist temples have a different atmosphere from Buddhist ones, and Baiyun Guan shows it. Watch for the eight immortals and the various star deities, the bronze animals visitors touch for luck, and the coin-throwing at the bridge in front of the ordination hall - the tradition is to hit the small bell hanging beneath it. The temple's most famous resident is a stone monkey sculpture in the courtyard, which people queue to stroke. Ink rubbings, talismans, calendars and Taoist texts are sold from counters inside.
The Lunar New Year fair
For roughly the first two weeks of the Lunar New Year, the streets around the temple fill with a temple fair that draws enormous crowds. Stalls sell snacks, toys, lanterns and paper offerings, and there are performances of folk dance, drumming and acrobatics. It is one of the biggest and oldest fairs in Beijing and worth planning around if you are in the city in January or February, though it is crowded and pickpocketing does occur.
Practical notes
The temple is about a ten minute walk east of the Capital Museum and a similar distance from Muxidi station on Line 1. It is normally open daily with a modest entry fee, and it is busiest in the mornings and on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, when worshippers come to burn incense. Dress respectfully and ask before photographing anyone at prayer.
