Page 289 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

T H E ENCYC LOP EDIA OF TAO ISM A-L

and then reporting back to the celestial deities. The text also states that spirit
officials (lingguan 'l9l!. B) living in palaces within the natural world check that
there have been no mistakes in their reports (CT 189, LIb).

MARUYAMA Hiroshi
m Liu Zhiwan 1983-84, 667-70

?::i chanhui;jiao; zhai

Chaotian gong

Palace in Homage to Heaven (Beijing)

The Chaotian gong of Beijing was a famous Taoist temple that no longer
exists today. It was located in the western district, north of Inner Fucheng
Gate Avenue (Fucheng mennei dajie 1j'!.Jjj(; F~ i*J"* 1tJ), south of West Ping'anti
Avenue (Xi Ping' anti dajie g!Pfgc £"*1tJ), east of the Fusui m~ neighbor-
hood and west of the Lion Palace (Shizi fu 5~ T Jtn The surrounding walls
reached a length of severalli.
Originally, during the Yuan dynasty, the temple was the palace of the Celestial
Master (*tianshi). In 1432, the Xuande Emperor (r. 1426- 35) decreed to rebuild
it on the model the identically named temple in Nanjing. Reconstruction was
completed in the following year. In 1480 the temple was renovated once again.
Within the Chaotian gong were contained the Pavilion of the Three Clarities
(Sanqing dian = ~g~) where ceremonies were offered to the Taoist trinity
(see *sanqing), and the Pavilion of Pervading Light (Tongming dian ~ ~~ )
where ceremonies were offered to the Jade Sovereign (*Yuhuang). Several ad-
ditional pavilions were dedicated to other divinities. In 1626, the entire Chaotian
gong was destroyed in a great fire. In more than three hundred years since
that day, it has not been possible to rebuild its structures. Today, housing has
been constructed over the foundations of the former temple.
CHEN Yaoting

ID Qing Xitai 1994, 4: 237-38
?::i TEMPLES AND SHRINES