MONASTERY OF THE EIGHT IMMORTALS

This temple is the largest taoist site of Xi'an. He is dedicated, as his name suggests, to the eight immortal of Chinese legend: Han Zhongli (汉钟离), Zhang Guolao (张果老), Han Xiangzi (韩湘子), Li Tieguai (李铁拐), Cao Guojiu (曹国舅), Lü Dongbin (吕洞宾), Lan Caihe (蓝采和) and He Xiangu (何仙姑).

The temple entered the history of the country when the Empress regent Cixi fled there in 1900, after the capture of Beijing by foreign forces. Thanks to the temple that greeted him, Cixi paid a significant amount to allow the renovation of the site, which she renamed "Ba Xian year Palace".

The monastery dates from the Song Dynasty (960-1279), but has been repeatedly renovated and enlarged under the following dynasties. Most of the current structures date back to the Qing. The temple is very large, divided into several successive courses, and remains a place of worship very frequented.