Ba Xian An (Temple of the Eight Immortals)

Frommer's Review

Tucked away in a narrow alley the tour buses can't reach is the most charming temple in Xi'an. As with the Great Mosque, the walk into it is half the adventure, with a flea market out front in some of the temple's old buildings. This becomes a huge antiques market on Wednesday and Sunday mornings. Inside the temple, monks, their hair tied up in traditional Daoist fashion, play chess and are always keen for a chat. The folk legend of the Eight Immortals (Ba Xian) is said to have originated here during the late Tang dynasty. The temple was expanded during the Qing dynasty and was a favorite haunt of the Cixi dowager empress during the time she spent in Xi'an after her escape from Beijing following the Boxer Rebellion. As you look at the temple murals, note the influence of Confucianism on its supposed alter-ego, Daoism: The eight Immortals have a strict hierarchy, with Lu Dongbin in front on his tiger, the rotund Tieguai Li waddling along with his crook to his side, and the one woman, He Xiangu, near the back, carrying a lotus flower.

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