Xuanmiao Temple

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Xuanmiao Temple (Chinese: 玄妙观; Pinyin: Xuánmiào Guàn) is a prominent Taoist temple with a long history, located at the center of old Suzhou City. The street along east-west direction in front of the temple is called Guanqian Street (观前街), a famed business pedestrian street in Suzhou. A lane called Gong Xiang (宫巷) along north-south direction leads directly to the gate.

Xuanmiao Temple was founded in Xianning 2rd year (AD 276), Western Jin Dynasty, and was initially named "Zhen Qing Dao Yuan"(真庆道院). It was destroyed by wars in Southern Song Dynasty. It was rebuilt in Chunxi's years (1174-1189), and was renamed Xuanmiao Guan in 1264. In Qing Dynasty, due to the taboo against using the emperor Kangxi's name, Xuanye(玄烨), the temple was renamed Yuanmiao Guan(元妙观).