Qingchengshan-Dujiangyan National Park

Mount Qingcheng (Chinese: 青城山; pinyin: Qīngchéng Shān) is a sacred Taoist mountain in Dujiangyan, Sichuan, China. It is one of the important historical and religious sites associated with the development of Taoism in China, and is also known for its quiet, forested landscape.

Mount Qingcheng is one of the birthplaces of Taoism in China and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System. “Mount Qingcheng was the birthplace of Taoism, which is celebrated in a series of ancient temples."

Numerous Taoist temples and historic sites are located along the mountain paths, particularly in the front mountain area. The combination of religious heritage, historic buildings and natural scenery makes Mount Qingcheng an important destination in Sichuan.

Mount Qingcheng is generally divided into a front mountain and a back mountain. The front mountain is more closely associated with Taoist temples and historical sites and attracts more visitors. The back mountain is generally quieter, with hiking routes through forested areas.

The mountain can be visited throughout the year, although visitor numbers can become much higher during major Chinese holidays. The area is also known for its mild climate and lush vegetation.

Mount Qingcheng is a forested mountain area with numerous peaks, valleys and winding paths. The mountain is known for its dense greenery, quiet surroundings and misty scenery. Many parts of the mountain are covered by evergreen trees, bamboo and other vegetation, giving it a cool and shaded environment.

The scenic area is traditionally divided into Front Mountain and Back Mountain. Front Mountain has more temples, historic sites and developed paths, while Back Mountain is more heavily forested and has longer hiking routes. The landscape changes from developed temple areas to quieter forest trails as visitors move deeper into the mountain.

Influenced more by the surrounding mountains than the Sichuan Basin, the area is subject to frequent rain and fog. Bring rain-gear! Wear layers.

• By bus: 1-1½ hours by bus from Chadianzi Bus Station in Chengdu. The bus drops you off at the front gate, which is not the start of the trails.
• By train: An express train service runs from Chengdu's North Train Station to Qingchengshan station, taking about 45 minutes. However, it only runs a handful of times per day. A taxi from this train station to the Qingchengshan parking lot will cost around ¥20. You can also take a train to Dujiangyan, which runs about once an hour, and take the local 101 bus from there. Buy train tickets the day before you depart, as they often sell out ahead of time, even on weekdays. Costs around ¥20.

The entrance fee is ¥90 (2018).

In addition, the cable car up is ¥35 one way or ¥60 round trip. There is a boat one can take to cross a lake for ¥5.

Most visitors travelling to Qingcheng Mountain take the inter‑city high‑speed rail from Chengdu Xipu Station. Once you arrive at Qingchengshan railway station, further transport is required to reach the Front Mountain and Back Mountain scenic entrances, which sit some distance away.

Taxis are readily available outside the railway station offering direct rides to either mountain entrance. Shared minivans also operate shuttle services connecting the station with Front Mountain and Back Mountain, a practical option for small‑sized travelling groups. Private car rental is another choice for independent travellers wanting full flexibility over their schedule and route.

Domestic Chinese‑language self‑service travel platforms are widely used by Chinese independent tourists who wish to avoid packaged tour groups. On these platforms, visitors can book attraction tickets, arrange pick‑up transfers, rent vehicles and secure local tour guides as well as nearby countryside homestays. However, these Chinese‑language booking services are difficult for foreign visitors to locate via international search engines. Searching only with pinyin rarely delivers relevant results, as most core content lives behind domestic‑focused web and mobile ecosystems. Only a small handful of local travel agencies accept English‑language email enquiries, and response times may be slow.

Local hotels and homestays in the Qingcheng Mountain area can provide practical on‑the‑ground travel advice. Keep in mind that few local staff speak foreign languages other than Mandarin Chinese.

Qingcheng Mountain is split into two distinct sightseeing zones, creating two entirely different viewing experiences for visitors. The Front Mountain focuses on well‑preserved cultural architecture, while the Back Mountain features pure natural scenery, allowing travellers to choose their sightseeing style according to their preference.

Front Mountain serves as the core cultural sightseeing area of Qingcheng Mountain. It features a dense layout of ancient Taoist temple buildings integrated perfectly within the lush mountain woodland. The layered arrangement of traditional halls, courtyards and pavilions constitutes the main visual highlight of the scenic zone, presenting a serene and classical Taoist mountain landscape.

In contrast, Back Mountain delivers a primitive and tranquil natural sightseeing experience. With minimal artificial construction, the area is dominated by continuous forested slopes, quiet valleys and winding mountain streams. Visitors can enjoy an undisturbed natural atmosphere that differs greatly from the cultural‑focused Front Mountain. Note that several hillside trails on Back Mountain remain closed due to historical earthquake landslide damage, restricting close‑range sightseeing in certain sections.

• 30.89781103.593941 Insect Museum of West China (华希昆虫博物馆), No. 1 Qingchengshan Avenue (青城山大道1号) (The museum is a 5-minute walk from the Qingchengshan Visitor Center), ☏ +86 28 87288991, insect@126.com. Tue-Sun 09:00-12:00, 13:30-16:30, closed on Mondays. Said to be the largest insect museum in Asia. Free.  (updated Jul 2018)
• 30.9047103.52012 Jianfu Palace (建福宫), inside the Front Mountain scenic area of Qingcheng Mountain. Hours follow the Front Mountain scenic area schedule. This is the first major Taoist architectural complex visitors encounter upon entering the mountain. Featuring traditional courtyard layouts and ancient wooden structures, it presents a quiet and refined ancient temple atmosphere at the start of the scenic route. Access is covered by the Front Mountain admission ticket.  (updated Sep 2026)
• 30.9002103.51743 Tianshi Cave (天师洞), Inside Front Mountain scenic area of Qingcheng Mountain. Tianshi Cave is the core Taoist site on Qingcheng Mountain. Founded over two thousand years ago, it preserves ancient Taoist halls, old cypress trees and religious relics. It is regarded as the birthplace of Chinese Taoism. Included within main‑scenery entrance ticket.  (updated Sep 2026)
• 30.8926103.51214 Shangqing Palace (上清宫), Peak area of Front Mountain, Qingcheng Mountain scenic spot. Subject to the opening time of Qingcheng Mountain scenic area. Shangqing Palace sits near the mountain summit of Qingcheng Mountain. This ancient Taoist monastery offers mountain‑top views over surrounding hills, with many steles and Taoist cultural remains inside. Covered by the main mountain admission ticket.  (updated Sep 2026)

There are shrines for many Daoist masters and Chinese Medicine doctors including Lao Zi and Sun Simiao. If you are expecting a spiritual experience do not come on a Chinese holiday or the only quiet time you will have to enjoy it will be if you are lucky enough to find a bed in the monastery and wake up at sunrise before the tours get there.

You can stay at many of the monasteries on the mountain. Some of them have been upgraded to 3-star status and accommodation can be in bunk style for around ¥40 to twin private rooms at ¥180. During the Chinese holidays you may not find a bed or might be stuck with one of the higher priced choices.

• Pick up the bus back to Chengdu a little bit downhill of the tourist center in parking lot. "Chengdu" will probably not be written in pinyin so you will have to ask the driver. The Chengdu bus is usually closest to the top of the parking lot though and does not leave until it is full. Cost back is ¥20 and may not bring you to the bus station you want to be at in Chengdu.
• Take the 101 bus to Dujiangyan, which has several attractions of its own.