Baopu Taoist Temple
Taoism is a native religion of China dating back to the second century AD. Lao-tzu, who founded the early Qin Taoist school, is worshiped as the father of Taoism, and his main work, The Book of the Way of Power forms the basis of the religion. Located in leafy woods, on a hill overlooking the northern lakeshore, this splendid Taoist temple is peaceful, colourful and charming. The only Taoist temple in Zhejiang province, it features incense smoke drifting around the courtyards and ornate carved wooden facades, while its upturned grey slate roofs echo a China rapidly receding into history. That final point is a fitting metaphor for Ge Hong, the famous Chinese alchemist who resided here while he looked for immortality. He never found it, of course, though he lives on through a statue found inside the temple.
