Mt. Laoshan

With its religious position in China natural spot, Mt. Laoshan is located by the seaside of East China Sea along the coastline, about 40 kilometers from downtown Qingdao. It is called the No.1 religious mountain because Mt. Laoshan is one of the "Cradles of Taoism". At the peak of Taoism, there were nine palaces, eight Taoist temples, and 72 nunneries that housed nearly 1,000 Taoist priests and nuns on the mountain. At present, the Taiqing Palace is the largest and oldest among the preserved Taoist establishments.


The entire mountain covers 446 square kilometers and has 218 places of interest, big and small. It is a famous Taoist mountain boasting both mountainous and coastal scenery. The highest peak of Mt. Laoshan is the 1,133-meter Jufeng, the highest one along the 18,000-kilometer coast of China and the second highest mountain in Shandong province. In ancient times, the emperors of Qin and Han dynasties climbed the mountain to seek immortals. Emperor Tang Minghuang also sent people to make pills of immortality here.

The natural scenery also makes Mt. Laoshan as a perfect place for sightseeing, holidays, recreation, recuperation as well as cultural and patriotism activities. Towering cliff, deep abyss and rocks of untold shapes are so common in Laoshan that they can be seen everywhere. To top all this, the internationally - marketed Tsingtao beer is brewed using the water at Laoshan.

Mt. Laoshan is known for its oddly shaped rocks, ancient trees, and crystal-clear springs. Among the most famous springs are the Tianyi Spring on the mountaintop, the Shenshui (Immortal Water) Spring in the Taiqing Palace, and the Shengshuiyang (Ocean of Holy Water) Spring in the Shangqing Palace. People say the mineral water produced here can cure chronic diseases.

 

Main Sites to See in Mt. Laoshan

One of China's most celebrated scenic areas, Laoshan presents a panorama of mountains, cliffs, waterfalls and temples, showing visitors not only the breath-taking natural view but also unique religious culture of this place. The mountain is divided into a few scenic areas for it is quite large. There are some site you must visit when you ge there, including Taiqing (太清景区), Chessboard Stone (棋盘石景区), Yangkou (仰口景区), Jufeng(巨峰景区), Beijiushui (北九水景区), and Hualou (华楼景区).

Taiqing Palace

Taiqing Palace is the oldest and largest temple in Loashan Mountain. With a history over 2,100 years, Taiqing Palace boasts Sanguan Hall, Sanqing Hall, Sanhuang Hall, ancient trees and pavilions.

There are three main areas of Taiqing Palace: Bashui River, Taiqing Palace and the area on the sea. You need to climb the mountain to get to the Mingxia Cave from Bashui River. During the way, you will pass the Longtan Waterfall and Shangqing Palace. The whole trip of mountain climbing is about 1-1.5 hours. If you do not want to climb mountain, you can take the cable way and walk to the Mingxia Cave. The Taiqing Palace is located by the sea, which is easy to arrive. The duration of visiting the Taiqing Palace will be about 20 minutes.

Jufeng Peak
Jufeng Peak is the main and highest peak in Mount Laoshan area. Sea cloud & sunrise are two wonders on the peak.

With an altitude of 1132.7 meters, Jufeng Peak at Laoshan Mountain, which is the highest peak in the coastline of China. The coastline of China is 18,000 kilometers. At the roads to Jufeng Peak, you can have a panoramic view of the sea and the surrounding landscapes.

From the Tourist Center, you can take the shuttle bus to the entrance, which is also the starting place of the cableway. You can choose to climb the mountain or taking the cableway from the entrance. The ropeway takes about 20 minutes and mountain climbing is about 1 hour. If you want to visit all of the sites of the Jufeng Peak area, it will take much time. And please notice the operation time of the ropeway if you want to take the cableway down.

Temple of Great Purity
It is also known as the Upper Temple, located on the southeastern slope of Mount Laoshan above the Temple of Supreme Purity. As one of the oldest extant structures on Mount Laoshan, it was originally established during the Song Dynasty and then rebuilt during the Yuan Dynasty, during the years 1297 to 1307. It is Like the Temple of Supreme Purity, the Temple of Great Purity features a spring, "Shengshuiyang (Ocean of Holy Water) Spring".

Longtan Waterfall
The Longtan Waterfall has a height of about 20 meters and is located to the south of the Temple of Great Purity. If you come in summer, you will catch a grand sight.

Except for the above sites, Yakou Temple, Temple of Supreme Peace, Temple of Supreme Peace, Huayan Temple, are also must see attractions in the mountain area. 

 

How to Get to Loashan Mountain

By subway: You can take the Qingdao Subway Line 4 and get off at the Dahedong Station(大河东站), then walk about 300 meters to get to the Laoshan Mountain Scenic Area.