One of the birthplaces of Taoism, Mount Qingcheng comprises 36 peaks and is a spiritually significant natural landmark in China. The Heritage-listed mountain features in Taoist mythology and offers a wealth of natural beauty to complement its ancient palaces and temples.
The front part of Mount Qingcheng offers scenic hiking trails and numerous historic sites and relics, including Jianfu Palace, which dates back to the Tang dynasty and features pavilions with intricate statues. From the palace, continue west to Tianishi Cave, where a Sui dynasty statue of Zhang Tianshi is worshipped.
From here you can reach the Qing dynasty-era Zushi Palace and the Shangqing Palace, which is from the Jin dynasty. The latter reveals traditional statues and views of the verdant forests around Mount Qingcheng. While visiting the mountain, don’t miss exploring the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which houses these adorable animals until they’re ready to return to the wild.
Getting there
Mount Qingcheng is about 90 kilometres from Chengdu, where you can catch a bullet train from Chengdu Railway Station to Qingchengshan Railway Station then take the number 101 bus to the mountain. From Dujiangyan, which is 18 kilometres away, you can simply catch the number 101 bus from the Dujiangyan Scenic Area.