Following Laozi Through Luoyang: Museum, Pass and Mountain

Laozi, or Li Er, the Old Master, survives more through tradition than through firm biography, and that tradition keeps returning him to Luoyang. In the Spring and Autumn period the city was Luoyi, capital of the Zhou kings, and it was here, according to the standard account, that Laozi kept the royal archives, a post often compared to that of a national librarian. Confucius is said to have travelled to Luoyi to question him on ritual. Later, heading west, Laozi paused at Hangu Pass long enough to leave behind the five thousand characters that became the Daodejing. Organised Daoism would eventually honour him as Taishang Laojun, one of its highest deities.

For a visitor, the legacy is scattered but workable: a small museum in the old town, the pass associated with the Daodejing, a monument to the meeting of the two sages, and Laojun Mountain, the most substantial of the four and the only one that asks for a full day or more.

Laozi in the old town

Housed in what was once the Zushi Temple, at the northern end of Beida Street, the Laozi Memorial Hall is described as the country's only museum devoted specifically to Laozi and the thought attached to him. It is publicly run and free to enter. The displays are modest in scale but focused: the text of the Daodejing, its transmission and commentary, and the long process by which a philosopher became a deity of organised religion. An hour is enough. Small civic museums keep their own hours, so confirm the current opening days before setting out; several city buses run along Beida Street.

Hangu Pass and the meeting of the two sages

Hangu Pass lies in Xin'an County, a short distance from the county town, and is identified in tradition as the place where the Daodejing was written down at the request of the gatekeeper Yin Xi. The site linked to Confucius's visit sits within the reconstructed Luoyi Old City in Luoyang's old town. Both have passed through periods of restoration and closure, so confirm access before making a special trip. A visit can be folded into a day in the city rather than treated as a separate excursion.

Laojun Mountain

Laojun Mountain, roughly 2,000 metres in the Funiu range south of the city, takes its name from Laozi in his deified form. Forested slopes, long flights of steps and temples set against rock make it the most physical stop on the circuit, and the weather turns quickly. Most visitors give it a full day; many stay overnight to be on the summit at sunrise.

Weather and what to pack

Late spring and autumn are the most comfortable windows. Azaleas flower on the upper slopes in May and June; from October into November the air clears and the panoramas open up. Midsummer brings the rainy season, which makes the stairs slippery and the views unreliable, so build some flexibility into your plans if you travel then.

At 2,000 metres, under dense forest cover, temperatures run several degrees below Luoyang's even in summer. Pack an extra layer, and a warm one if you intend to be on the summit for sunrise. Footwear matters more than anything else on the steps.

Rooms on the mountain

The mountain has a cluster of simple farmhouse inns and one hotel of modest standard, with restaurant service for guests. Capacity is finite, and weekends and public holidays fill early, so arrange a room before you travel rather than on arrival. Meals are plain and local.

Eating in Luoyang

Away from the mountain you will be based in the city, where the tourist infrastructure is well developed and accommodation is easy to find. Luoyang's water banquet is the formal local specialty, a sequence of soups and stews served in courses. Day to day the city runs on noodles and broth, and the local soup culture is worth taking seriously. Breakfast is a good place to start.

Before you go

Opening arrangements, tickets and access to sites under restoration change without much notice. Confirm current details with an official source, such as the site's own channels or the local tourism office, shortly before you travel.