Louguantai
楼观台
The Taoist ancestral site where Laozi taught the Dao De Jing. The ancient Louguan and Shuojing Platform sit at the foot of the Zhongnan Mountains in Zhouzhi, and the setting is serene.
Louguantai is on the northern slope of the Zhongnan Mountains in Zhouzhi County. Legend says that Yin Xi, the governor of Hangu Pass during the Zhou dynasty, built a grass-thatched tower here and invited Laozi to teach the Dao De Jing. It is known as the “First Blessed Land Under Heaven” and is the ancestral site of Taoism. The scenic area includes the Shuojing Platform (the core historic site, with a Tang stele and ancient ginkgo trees), the Laozi Shrine, an alchemy furnace, a newly built Taoist culture exhibition area and the ruins of the Zongsheng Palace. Admission is about 60 yuan, subject to on-site prices. It is about 70 km from downtown, roughly 1.5 hours by car. You can also visit Zhouzhi Water Street or Xianyou Temple on the way.
Opening hours
About 08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Chongyang Palace
- Mawei Post Village
- Zhuque National Forest Park
- Taiping National Forest Park
- Maoling Mausoleum
- Caotang Temple
- Qianling Mausoleum
- Kunming Pool & Qixi Park