It was built to commemorate Lao Zi (600-470 BC), a great thinker, educator and founder of Taoism in the Spring and Autumn Period (772-481 BC). The Taoist temple, tranquil and picturesque, is surrounded by the Woshui River on three sides and screened by Longshan Mountain in the north.

According to historical records, the Tianjing Taoist Temple reached its heyday in the Van and Ming dynasties, when the architectural compound was composed of the Laojun Hall in the center, the Tianqi Temple and Wenli Hall in the east, the Liuxing Park, Shengmu Hall and Nine Dragon Well in the south, the Taixiao Palace and Yuhuang Hall in the west, and the Sanqing Hall in the north.

All combine to make it the largest Taoist temple m China. Now the temple consists of the Laojun Hall, Tianqi Temple, Nine Dragon Well and Tomb of Lao Zi's Mother. The main hall houses three gigantic bronze statues of Lao Zi, Yin Xi and Emperor Donghua with a statue Lao Zi statue in the middle. The statue of Laozi is 5.5 meters high and 6,000 kg in weight, the largest one of its kind in China so far.

Source: Anhui Tour Guide