Steeped in profound Taoist culture, Shangqing Ancient Town derives its name from Taoism. Shangqing refers to the fairyland where Lingbao Tianzun, one of the three highest deities in Taoism, resides. Founded in the eighth year of the Wude reign of the Tang Dynasty, the town has a history of over 1,300 years.

Nestled among mountains and built along the river, it boasts beautiful scenery, rich culture and numerous historical figures. Master Ma Zu Da Yi, an eminent Tang monk, built Yingtian Temple and developed a major school of Chan Buddhism. Lu Xiangshan, a great Neo-Confucian scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty, founded Xiangshan Academy, one of the four renowned academies of that era. Xia Yan, prime minister of the Ming Dynasty, was from Guizhou Village across the river. For dozens of generations, Heavenly Masters and their descendants lived here and presided over Taoist affairs across China.

Numerous historical sites remain well-preserved, including Changqing Lane, Marquis Liu Ancestral Temple, Heavenly Master Mansion, Upper Qing Palace, Eastern Yue Palace, Tianyuande Traditional Pharmacy and the Catholic Church. Residential houses, shops, stilt houses along the river and ancient docks retain the architectural styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties, breathing with a strong historical ambiance. Dining and sipping tea in a riverside stilt house, visitors can fully experience the serene mood depicted in Meng Haoran’s poem: "I open the window facing the farmland; over wine, we chat of crops and mulberry."