[2025 Suzhou Attraction] Travel Guide for Xuanmiao Temple (Updated May)

This is a beautifully renovated taoist temple in the middle of Guanqian shopping street also partly renovated. Recommend go visit it.

Xuanmiao Temple, located at No. 94 Guanqian Street in Gusu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, was originally established in the second year of the Xianning era during the Western Jin Dynasty (276 AD). Initially named "Zhenqing Taoist Institute," it underwent several name changes, including "Kaiyuan Palace" and "Tianqing Temple." In the first year of the Yuanzhen era during the Yuan Dynasty (1295 AD), an imperial decree renamed all Tianqing Temples in Jiangnan to "Xuanmiao Temple," giving it its current name. During the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, the name was changed to "Yuanmiao Temple" or "Yuanmiao Temple" to avoid taboo. It is often referred to as "the oldest Taoist temple in Jiangnan." Upon entering Xuanmiao Temple, the grand mountain gate immediately catches the eye, adorned with an imperial plaque inscribed by Emperor Kangxi reading "Yuanmiao Temple." Proceeding further, visitors arrive at the main hall, the Sanqing Hall. Reconstructed during the Southern Song Dynasty, the hall spans nine bays in width and six bays in depth, standing approximately 30 meters tall with a total area of 1,125 square meters. Featuring a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof, the structure is majestic and imposing, making it the largest surviving wooden building from the Song Dynasty in the Jiangnan region. Inside the hall, three towering statues of the Sanqing (Upper Purity, Jade Purity, and Supreme Purity) are enshrined on a Sumeru pedestal, with the central figure being the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, flanked by the Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Venerable and the Moral Heavenly Venerable. These statues, collectively known as the Sanqing, are grand and solemn, representing the finest examples of Song Dynasty Taoist sculptures. Among the Sanqing, the Moral Heavenly Venerable, also known as the Supreme Lord Lao, is traditionally believed to be Laozi (Li Er). Beneath his statue lies a stone carving of Laozi, originally painted by Tang Dynasty artist Wu Daozi, inscribed by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, and calligraphed by Yan Zhenqing. The carving was later reproduced by Song Dynasty master engraver Zhang Yundi, earning the title of "Four Masterpieces" and is one of only two surviving Laozi stone carvings in China. On the west wall of the Sanqing Hall, there are 60 large hexagonal stone pillars, each engraved with images of a Heavenly Venerable, totaling 360 figures to represent the days of the year—a truly awe-inspiring sight. Additionally, the temple houses numerous ancient steles from various dynasties, chronicling the long history of Xuanmiao Temple. Beyond exploring the ancient architecture and artifacts, the area surrounding Xuanmiao Temple is bustling with activity. Guanqian Street is one of the most vibrant commercial streets in downtown Suzhou, offering a variety of local delicacies. Highlights include the juicy "Mute Fried Dumplings," the sweet and crispy "Squirrel Fish" from Songhelou, the sticky and refreshing "Mint Cake" from Huangtianyuan, as well as the popular "Qiujuan Wontons" and "Zhu Xinnian Glutinous Rice Balls." Here, visitors can immerse themselves in ancient Taoist culture while savoring the unique flavors of Suzhou, making for an unforgettable experience.

#chinatrip 📍Xuan Miao Temple, Su Zhou, China Visited this temple that is located at Guan Qian Street. It is easy to be spotted while strolling on Guan Qian Shopping Street. Upon arriving at the temple, there is a huge wooden structured gate which was built in the Tang Dynasty. The temple is a Taoist temple with dated history. The compound is huge and the main hall, Pure Trinity Hall (三清殿) is located at the back of the hall. The overall ambiance was peaceful and zen, with a couple of tourists and locals sending prayers during our visit. It is well preserved, stunning and pretty impressive to see such historical building.

Suzhou Xuanmiao Temple is located in Gusu District, Suzhou City. It is a Taoist temple with a long history. It was built in the second year of Xianning in the Western Jin Dynasty (276 AD). It is the largest existing Taoist temple in the Jiangnan region and an important cultural heritage of Suzhou City. The Sanqing Hall of Suzhou Xuanmiao Temple is located on Guanqian Street in Suzhou. It is the best-preserved and largest official building of the Southern Song Dynasty in my country (the other non-official buildings include Jiangyou Yunyan Temple). The existing main building was built in the sixth year of Chunxi in the Southern Song Dynasty (1179), and was later rebuilt through successive generations. Some of the stone pillars on the secondary steps are from the Qing Dynasty. Fortunately, the Song Dynasty pavement and inner pillars have been preserved. The main hall is in palace style, with dense columns and column capitals. The secondary step beam frame is similar to that of the second gate of Huqiu. The most eye-catching feature is that the capitals of the inner groove columns and the inter-interval work use an upward slanted upper angling on the inner side above the second jump, and the three inter-interval work in a series between the front and rear inner groove columns all have upper angling on both sides, which is the earliest existing example of upper angling used in large carpentry. In addition, there are statues of the Three Pure Ones from the Song Dynasty in the hall, and relief stone railings from the Five Dynasties in front of the hall. Just above the mountain gate is an inscription written by Zhao Mengfu himself: Xuanmiao Temple. The word "wonderful" is very wonderful. You can write this wonderful character yourself and compare the strength, angle and the feeling of the strokes. Do you have this kind of momentum that combines both hardness and softness? There are other calligraphy works by Zhao Mengfu preserved in the temple. This stele is the one inscribed with "Record of the Reconstruction of the Three Gates of Xuanmiao Temple" written by Zhao Mengfu. The original is in the Tokyo National Museum, Japan. I went to the Tokyo National Museum twice in different seasons and never saw this original. It seems that it is rarely exhibited. The main hall of Xuanmiao Temple, Sanqing Hall, has a double-eaved hip roof, is nine bays wide and six bays deep. It is the largest and best-preserved Song Dynasty wooden structure in Jiangnan. Although the oldest surviving building is from the Southern Song Dynasty, the history of Xuanmiao Temple can be traced back to the second year of Xianning in the Western Jin Dynasty (276), and it is actually a thousand-year-old Taoist activity center of Wu culture. The stone pillars supporting the hall are not round, but angular. The name of a Heavenly Venerable is engraved on the flat surface of each pillar. The words used are broad and gorgeous, giving the impression that the name of the Heavenly Venerable is used to increase the magical power of the stone pillars, making the foundation of the Sanqing Hall more solid. Finally, let’s take a look at the inscription on the stele without words. It turns out that there was an inscription written by Fang Xiaoru in the early Ming Dynasty. It is said that the calligraphy is as exquisite as iron wire and silver hook, which is extraordinary. Zhu Di, the King of Later Yan, ascended the throne and ordered Fang to draft an imperial edict. Fang would rather die than obey, so his ten clans were implicated and the inscription he wrote was also erased. I didn't expect that there would be such cultural relics in such a small space in front of the Sanqing Temple. It is a kind of fate that they can continue to be displayed together in the current way from the Western Jin Dynasty to the present day. 📍｜Location: Guanqian Street, Gusu District, Suzhou City 🎫｜Ticket: 10 yuan (pass) 🚗｜Transportation: Take Metro Line 1, Qianleqiao Station/get off at Linton Road 🈺｜Opening hours: 8:30 to 17:00/16:30 ⌛｜Play time: 1 to 2 hours 🏠｜Nearby B&Bs: There are many hotels and B&Bs in Guanqian Street, so it is very convenient to stay here and go out for fun ⛩Xuan Miao Temple Recommended❗❗ ✨The architectural style of the Taoist temple is magnificent. The main building, Sanqing Hall, was rebuilt in the sixth year of Chunxi in the Southern Song Dynasty (1179 AD) and is the core part of Xuanmiao Temple. The hall enshrines three deities: Yuqing Yuanshi Tianzun, Shangqing Lingbao Tianzun and Taiqing Daode Tianzun. The statues of the deities are 17 meters high and look solemn and dignified. (You can buy a talisman for 10 yuan) 🎈The ticket includes the main gate, Sanqing Hall, God of Wealth Hall, Taisui Hall, Wenchang Hall, Guanyin Hall, and Shouxing Hall. These buildings have different styles and show the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture. 🙏Walking inside, you can hear the lingering Buddhist chants (you must buy incense and candles with a knife), feel the profoundness of Taoist culture, and appreciate the beauty and exquisite craftsmanship of ancient buildings. 🏖 | Tour routes around the area: Guanqian Street (Xuanmiao Temple) ➡ Pingjiang Road ➡ Lion Grove ➡ Humble Administrator's Garden ➡ Suzhou Museum

Mr. Zheng Zhenduo said that "no one who has been to Suzhou has not passed by this place." From Linton Road or Leqiao, Metro Line 🚇1⃣️ Guanqian Street is named after the Xuanmiao Temple. It is about 800 meters long and has a history of more than 1,700 years. Entering from the Ruyi Gate on the left, it is an old commercial street built in the Qing Dynasty. It is about 800 meters long. There are large shopping malls, century-old old restaurants, and major brand food stores around it... When visiting Guanqian Street, you have to mention Xuanmiao Temple - The story of this Taoist temple is longer than Guanqian Street - 🔎Xuanmiao Temple 1,700 years of history The main hall, Sanqing Hall, is the largest existing large-scale wooden temple building in the Song Dynasty in the Jiangnan area. There are many cultural relics in the temple, and a large number of ancient monuments from various dynasties are preserved. 🎫: 10💰 🔎 Guanqian Reception Hall On the main street, there will be some treasures on display, book drying and other activities No matter when you come to Guanqian, you must go shopping~ 🔎 Guwuxuan Bookstore It is the bookstore I love to go to when I am free recently There are three floors in total, not a traditional bookstore, the first floor is mainly for books, aesthetic space, cafe, small courtyard. The second floor is the study space. You can buy a book and read it here for a day. There will be some intangible cultural heritage experiences in the third floor activity space. They have an activity of exchanging two old books for a cup of coffee, which is very interesting. Children who come to Suzhou recently can bring two leisure books. 🔍Eunuch Lane This eunuch is not that eunuch. This is an official position responsible for supervising weaving. Now this is a food street, and all the restaurants are here~ As the earliest commercial pedestrian street in the country, Guanqian Street has witnessed too many stories of Suzhou City. You can feel the beauty and heritage of Suzhou by strolling here for a whole day.

Xuanmiao Temple's Sanqing Hall is located in the center of Suzhou city, at No. 94 Guanqian Street, Gusu District. It is a second batch national key cultural relics protection unit, dating back to the Song Dynasty, and is classified as an ancient architectural site. Legend has it that Xuanmiao Temple was originally built during the Jin Dynasty, named Zhenqing Daoist Temple, and was renamed Xuanmiao Temple in the Yuan Dynasty. The Sanqing Hall within the temple was built in the sixth year of Chunxi of the Song Dynasty (1179) and is the largest ancient wooden structure in the south of the Yangtze River. The hall is nine bays wide and six bays deep. The use of upward-arching bracket sets in the hall is an important physical example for studying the construction methods of Song Dynasty wooden structures. Inside the Sanqing Hall, there is a brick-made Sumi seat, a stele with a portrait of Laozi praised by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, which is said to be painted by Wu Daozi and inscribed by Yan Zhenqing. The ancient and exquisite stone carved balustrades in front of the hall, and the Sumi seat on the terrace, are all precious relics from the Song Dynasty.

With the arrival of the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, this old street that carries half of Suzhou's history has become unusually active again! - So, follow me on a journey of the fusion of humanities, life and aesthetics~ ⏱September 28~October 6, 2023 📍Guanqian Street, Gusu District, Suzhou City ✅Gusu Moon Poetry Club Digital ancient poetry AI interaction, ancient poetry interactive games and other forms, allowing users to immerse themselves in the beauty of poetry, feel the fun of poetry, understand the long history of Chinese civilization, and perceive the profoundness of Chinese culture. ✅Dream Guanqian Time Gate Modern digital projection technology, combined with Guanqian historical architectural elements, introduces Pingtan or Kunqu performance, retells the story of a thousand-year-old Gusu and a hundred-year-old Guanqian, allowing everyone to immerse themselves in the essence of Gusu culture with visual and auditory accompaniment, and experience Suzhou culture firsthand. PS: There is also a lucky rabbit🐰 Suzhou lantern check-in spot nearby~ ✅'Guanqian Street is bustling, and the mysterious and wonderful view of Bai Xiang' Guanqian Street is commercially prosperous and full of historical sites, attracting domestic and foreign tourists with its rich Taoist cultural connotations and world-famous century-old shops. The cultural heritage of Suzhou is interpreted on this street. ✅Cultural and Creative Interactive Market Date: 9.29-10.5 Time: 8:30~17:00 20~30 stalls include calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting, national style painting, hand-painted bookmarks, silk embroidery, blue print engraving, silk and bamboo musical instruments, stele rubbing, tea ceremony, incense ceremony, various handicrafts and so on There are also poetry lantern riddles, pot throwing and other interactive games~ ✅New Art Square Brand flash market, performance - The beauty of Hanfu drunk for a thousand years, Song Yun Mid-Autumn Garden Party, Hanfu linkage check-in activities and so on~ Take advantage of the double festival, come for a long-awaited carnival...