Baxian An, the Temple of the Eight Immortals, is the principal Taoist temple in Xi'an and one of the few religious sites in the city that is still used heavily by worshippers rather than mainly by visitors. It stands in the eastern part of the old city, near the outside of the east wall, and the surrounding lanes have long been a market for antiques, jades, bronzes, calligraphy and the assorted small objects sold as collector's pieces - which makes the temple and the market around it a single outing.
The temple
The complex is a sequence of courtyards along a central axis, entered through an archway and a gate hall, and arranged on a rising line so that each courtyard sits slightly higher than the one before. The halls are dedicated to the eight immortals - the legendary Taoist figures of Chinese folklore, each with their own attributes and stories - and to the Taoist pantheon more generally, and there is a hall of the three pure ones and a hall for the celestial worthy Doumu. The architecture is late Qing and relatively plain, with grey brick, timber frames, painted beams and stone steles in the courtyards. What makes it worth the detour is that it is genuinely active: incense, divination, worshippers moving between halls, and the sound of chanting on festival days.
The market around it
Outside the temple walls, the streets have carried on a trade in old things for a century or more. The stalls and small shops sell jades real and imitation, bronze vessels, coins, porcelain, scrolls, inkstones, old books and household antiques from the surrounding countryside. Much of it is modern reproduction and priced accordingly, but the atmosphere is that of a market rather than a curated shop, and even a visitor with no interest in buying will find half an hour here worthwhile. Serious dealers keep premises inside rather than on the street.
Practical notes
The temple is open daily, charges a small admission, and is a short ride from the old city centre; the market streets around it are liveliest on weekend mornings, and Sunday is the main trading day. Dress modestly and behave quietly inside the halls, and ask before photographing worshippers or altars - some halls prohibit photography altogether. The temple is busiest on the birthdays of the immortals and at Lunar New Year, when the crowds and the incense become overwhelming, which is either the reason to go or the reason to avoid it, depending on your preference.
