Moved Wall by Wall: Seeing Yongle Palace's Yuan Murals in Ruicheng

Yongle Palace (永乐宫) in Ruicheng is worth the trip if you care about painting: its halls hold the largest surviving cycle of Yuan-dynasty Daoist murals, cut from the walls and moved here when the Sanmenxia reservoir flooded the original site. Allow two hours, go slowly in dim light, and confirm it is open before you travel.

Why were the murals moved?

The temple was built in the Yuan dynasty at Yongle town near the Yellow River, as a shrine to Lü Dongbin (吕洞宾), one of the Eight Immortals. In the 1950s the Sanmenxia dam project put that site inside the reservoir zone. The halls were taken down and rebuilt on the northern edge of Ruicheng county town, and the painted walls were sawn into numbered sections, moved, and fixed back in place. If you look closely, you can still find the seams.

That story is part of the visit. You are looking at original fourteenth-century paint on walls that travelled about 20 km.

Which hall matters most?

Sanqing Hall (三清殿). This is the main event. The Chaoyuan Tu (朝元图), the procession of deities paying homage to the Daoist supreme gods, wraps the interior walls. Hundreds of figures, the largest several metres tall, stand in rows of robes, crowns and tablets. Stand back first to take in the rhythm of the procession. Then step close to the faces, which are all different. Visitors often single out the west wall.

Chunyang Hall (纯阳殿). Here the life of Lü Dongbin is painted as a long strip of episodes, almost a comic. It is full of Yuan street life: inns, markets, boats and kitchens. It is the best hall for anyone who finds rows of gods heavy going.

Chongyang Hall (重阳殿). A similar biography of Wang Chongyang (王重阳), founder of the Quanzhen school. It is less crowded and worth ten minutes.

The halls are dark, guards patrol, and photography inside has commonly been restricted. Bring time rather than a camera plan. A paid human guide is available at the gate if you want the figures explained.

How do you get there?

Ruicheng is south of Yuncheng across the Zhongtiao mountains, close to the Yellow River. Expect roughly 1 to 1.5 hours by car. A taxi or private driver for the day is the realistic choice for most visitors. Long-distance buses run from Yuncheng to Ruicheng county town, and the palace is on Yongle North Road at the town's northern edge. A weekend tourist shuttle, the "城景通" service, has run a Yuncheng–Ruicheng line in past seasons. Check its mini-program for current dates rather than relying on it.

Tickets, hours and booking

Checked October 2026 (Asia/Shanghai). The palace's own notices and its WeChat account “芮城县永乐宫景区” win over third-party listings, including this one.

Tickets. Listings show 60 yuan in peak season and 50 yuan off-season. Concessions are half price for ages 6–18 and students, and free for those 60 and over or under 6, with ID. Guided tours have been priced per group (80 yuan for under 16 people in a 2022 adjustment).

Hours. 8:00–18:00 from 1 April to 31 October and 9:00–17:00 from 1 November to 31 March, with entry stopping 30 minutes before closing. One major listing says the palace is closed all day on Mondays; others do not. Treat Monday as a risk and phone first.

Phone. 0359-3011491.

Is it worth it if you have seen Datong's temples?

Yes, and for a different reason. Huayan and Shanhua temples in Datong are about Liao-Jin timber and sculpture. Yongle is about paint on a scale you rarely see anywhere in China. If you only have time for one major site in Yuncheng, read the comparison in the Guandi Temple piece. The three-day plan gives Ruicheng its own morning.

Cover photo: Windmemories / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)