明道观

Mingdao temple
Initially built in 1714 (53th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty), Mingdao temple is a Taoist temple.
700m above sea level, Mingdao temple is the highest among all the existing palaces, temples and nunneries in Laoshan Mountain. Although topographically high, the temple site is surrounded by multiple peaks, forming a micro environment which is very tranquil. The entire Taoist temple was once a square courtyard, 30m from east to west, 25m from south to north, including a main hall of 3 rooms, a left side hall of 6 rooms and a right side hall of 3 rooms; in the north of yard, there is an ancient stone table.
Outside the temple, there are 3 ginkgo trees, all of which are over 20m high (the tallest one is nearly 30m), in diameter at breast height around 1m and over 1,000 years old. As analyzed by experts, these ancient trees are estimated to have been planted in the late Tang dynasty, perhaps having something to do with Sun Tan's imperial duty to gather herbs and make pills of immortality here. But whether they were planted by Sun Tan in person is unknown.
As the Toponymic Annals of Laoshan Mountain put it, in 743 (the 2nd year of the Tianbao reign of the Tang dynasty), a building once existed here—estimated to be a thatched cottage occupied by Sun Tan when he was in Laoshan Mountain gathering herbs and making pills of immortality.
To the east of the gully at the southwest of Mingdao temple, there is a huge rock, on whose surface 8 big characters and an image of Guanyin are engraved. 30m westward from here, there is another rock, on the surface of which an inscription of about 60 characters is engraved, stating the story of Sun Tan's coming to Laoshan Mountain to gather herbs; due to long weathering and erosion, not all the characters of the stone inscription can be clearly identified. These stone inscriptions, engraved later by Sun Tan's disciples, are evidence that since over 1,200 years ago, there were alchemists living here in Laoshan Mountain, gathering herbs and making pills of immortality.
The existing Taoist temple was built by Song Tiancheng, disciple of Tian White Cloud; Tian was a Taoist priest occupying the White Cloud Cave in the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty. On right hand side of the main gate, there are 3 Chinese characters Ming Dao Guan (Mingdao temple) which can be traced back to 1910 (the 2nd year of the Xuantong reign of the Qing dynasty). When Mingdao temple was first built, it belonged to the Qingjing (purity and tranquility) school founded by Sun Bu’er, occupant of White Cloud Cave; however, since the middle of the Qianlong reign, it was occupied by the Jinshan Quanzhen School.
The Qingjing Quanzhen school was initiated by Sun Bu’er, one of the Seven Disciples of the Quanzhen School, known as Qingjing Sanren (Vagabond of purity and tranquility), and also Sun Xiangu (Immortal Woman Sun). She was personally entitled by Kublai Khan.
In the Zhaofeng ridge behind Mingdao temple, there are two natural caves, one of which is called Tianran Cave (natural cave), former Taoist practice centre; the other one is called Sanzhen Cave, a burial ground for three Taoist priests in the early history of Mingdao temple, also called Sanxian (three immortals) Cave.