鹿(lu)邑(yi)太(tai)(tai)(tai)清(qing)宮(gong)遺址屬(shu)全國(guo)重點文物保護單位,位于鹿(lu)邑(yi)縣(xian)城(cheng)東(dong)5公(gong)里(li)(li),是我國(guo)古代思想家(jia)(jia)(jia)、道家(jia)(jia)(jia)派創始人(ren)老子(zi)的誕生地,舊名厲(li)鄉(xiang)曲仁(ren)里(li)(li)。老子(zi),姓李(li)名耳,字伯陽(yang),謚號聃。生于春(chun)秋末(mo)年(nian)楚國(guo)苦縣(xian)厲(li)鄉(xiang)曲仁(ren)里(li)(li),即(ji)今鹿(lu)邑(yi)縣(xian)太(tai)(tai)(tai)清(qing)宮(gong)鄉(xiang)。太(tai)(tai)(tai)清(qing),道家(jia)(jia)(jia)渭(wei)天(tian)道,亦(yi)謂天(tian)空,傳為神仙居住,道教常(chang)用以名其宮(gong)觀。老子(zi)故里(li)(li)的紀(ji)念(nian)性建筑(zhu),初為老子(zi)廟,建于東(dong)漢桓帝廷熹八年(nian)(165年(nian)),后改(gai)(gai)為老子(zi)祠。唐朝創始人(ren)李(li)淵(yuan)追認老子(zi)為始祖,以老子(zi)廟為太(tai)(tai)(tai)廟,起(qi)建宮(gong)闕殿宇,唐開元三十年(nian)(725年(nian)),玄(xuan)宋李(li)隆(long)基正式改(gai)(gai)“紫極宮(gong)”為太(tai)(tai)(tai)清(qing)宮(gong)至今。
東漢延熹(xi)(xi)八年(公元165年)創(chuang)建,始名老(lao)(lao)(lao)子(zi)廟。據《鹿邑縣志》載漢延熹(xi)(xi)八年(165年)漢桓帝劉志先后派管霸(ba)、左悺來(lai)苦縣督蓋老(lao)(lao)(lao)子(zi)祠,并命陳相(xiang)邊韶撰文鐫立“老(lao)(lao)(lao)子(zi)祠碑記”一通。
唐高(gao)祖(zu)武德(de)三年(620年),李淵為(wei)(wei)(wei)了(le)便于(yu)對天(tian)下的統治,抬高(gao)家庭(ting)地位,認(ren)老子為(wei)(wei)(wei)祖(zu)宗(zong),就聽從吉(ji)善(shan)行的建議以此廟(miao)為(wei)(wei)(wei)家廟(miao),大(da)興(xing)土(tu)木,建宮闕殿宇,猶如(ru)帝者居。
唐(tang)高宗乾封元年(nian)(公元666年(nian)),唐(tang)高宗李治追封老(lao)子(zi)為(wei)“太上玄元皇帝(di)”,并(bing)增建“紫極(ji)宮”、“太清樓(lou)”,改(gai)廟(miao)名為(wei)“玄元廟(miao)”。
武周光宅元年(684年),改“先天太后(hou)廟”為“洞霄宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)”(后(hou)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)修葺增(zeng)建(jian)(jian),大改其觀)。又冊封老子母(mu)為“先天太后(hou)”,在漢李母(mu)廟的(de)基礎(chu)上,擴建(jian)(jian)成洞霄宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong),位置在太清宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)北一里(li)。至(zhi)玄宗(zong)李隆基時,太清宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)又有(you)增(zeng)建(jian)(jian),規(gui)模達(da)到鼎盛,占地八頃七(qi)十二畝(mu),周圍四十里(li),宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)內建(jian)(jian)筑(zhu)排(pai)列有(you)序,瓊(qiong)樓(lou)玉宇,金(jin)碧輝煌。太清宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)稱前(qian)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong),洞霄宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)稱后(hou)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)。前(qian)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)祀(si)老子,后(hou)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)祀(si)李母(mu)。兩宮(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)中(zhong)隔(ge)一河,河上有(you)橋。河名“金(jin)水”,橋稱“會仙(xian)”。
唐開元年間,玄宗皇(huang)帝又親(qin)朝太(tai)清宮,為(wei)老子上尊(zun)號(hao)“大圣祖高上金闕天皇(huang)大帝”,改廟名為(wei)太(tai)清宮,又親(qin)手為(wei)五千言《道德經》作注,刻石(shi)立于太(tai)清宮。該碑至(zhi)今猶存(cun),和(he)太(tai)清宮及其所余(yu)歷代碑刻一起,于八六年列為(wei)河(he)南省重點文(wen)物(wu)保護單(dan)位(wei)。
唐天寶(bao)二年(743年)改“紫極宮”為太(tai)清宮。今前宮仍存太(tai)極殿,后(hou)宮仍存圣母殿等清代建筑。
唐末黃巢起義,太(tai)清宮毀于(yu)兵(bing)事。宋(song)真(zhen)宗年間重建(jian),又恢復(fu)了唐時規模。真(zhen)宗所立“先天太(tai)后之(zhi)贊”碑(bei),通高八(ba)米,寬二米,二龍幡(fan)伏(fu)于(yu)碑(bei)首(shou),神龜支(zhi)撐碑(bei)下,為(wei)真(zhen)宗御制御書(shu)并篆刻(ke)的(de)“三御碑(bei)”,至今仍屹(yi)立于(yu)太(tai)清農(nong)場東南角。
宋朝以后屢(lv)修屢(lv)廢,金元明清各代都有重修碑記。
元代中統年(nian)間,皇(huang)帝又頒發了(le)圣旨和執照,對太清宮予以保護,碑刻今存(cun)(cun)。至清代重修時,規模尚十(shi)分可觀,然與唐宋(song)盛時相比,僅存(cun)(cun)“十(shi)一(yi)于千(qian)百(bai)也(ye)”。而現在與清時相比,又是僅存(cun)(cun)“十(shi)一(yi)于千(qian)百(bai)也(ye)”。
太清宮現存(cun)主體建筑太極(ji)殿五間,鐵柱一根,古柏三株(zhu),碑刻九件(jian),望月(yue)井一眼。洞霄(xiao)宮僅存(cun)清代建筑三圣母(mu)殿五間,娃娃殿三間,宋碑一通。
太清(qing)宮(gong)前后兩(liang)宮(gong)相(xiang)距一(yi)里,中間有(you)(you)(you)一(yi)條東西(xi)流(liu)向的(de)清(qing)靜河,取老子“清(qing)靜無為(wei)”之意,河上(shang)有(you)(you)(you)會仙橋,將前后兩(liang)宮(gong)聯為(wei)一(yi)體。兩(liang)宮(gong)占地872畝,各種(zhong)建筑600余(yu)間,殿(dian)(dian)閣(ge)棋布,雄偉(wei)壯觀,極盛一(yi)時。“前宮(gong)”以太極殿(dian)(dian)為(wei)中心,東有(you)(you)(you)老子牧牛場遺址,西(xi)有(you)(you)(you)隱陽山遺址,中有(you)(you)(you)九步井(jing),至今仍存。大殿(dian)(dian)內供有(you)(you)(you)老子塑像,殿(dian)(dian)側立有(you)(you)(you)高約(yue)1.5米,直徑(jing)約(yue)25公分(fen)的(de)鐵柱一(yi)根,人(ren)稱“趕山鞭 ”,實為(wei)老子“柱下史(shi)”職務的(de)象征。
在太(tai)清(qing)(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)以北的(de)(de)(de)洞霄宮(gong)(gong)(gong)遺址(zhi)發掘出(chu)(chu)唐宋(song)(song)等(deng)(deng)時(shi)期的(de)(de)(de)建(jian)筑基址(zhi)。唐宋(song)(song)時(shi)期的(de)(de)(de)太(tai)清(qing)(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)建(jian)筑基址(zhi),范圍的(de)(de)(de)1.5平方公(gong)里。太(tai)清(qing)(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)是唐宋(song)(song)時(shi)期祭祀老子(zi)的(de)(de)(de)地方,分前后(hou)兩宮(gong)(gong)(gong)。在后(hou)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)出(chu)(chu)土(tu)了宋(song)(song)金(jin)(jin)時(shi)期的(de)(de)(de)回廊(lang)、中門、西(xi)配殿、后(hou)寢殿等(deng)(deng)重要基址(zhi)和大批建(jian)筑構件(jian)。現存唐宋(song)(song)金(jin)(jin)元碑刻20多通,有“唐開(kai)元神武皇帝道德經清(qing)(qing)(qing)高碑”,宋(song)(song)真宗三御碑“先天太(tai)后(hou)之贊”,元“圣旨碑”、“執照碑”。明清(qing)(qing)(qing)建(jian)筑有太(tai)清(qing)(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)、老君(jun)臺等(deng)(deng)。
2001年(nian),鹿邑(yi)太清宮遺址被國務院列為(wei)第(di)五批全國重(zhong)點文物保護單位。
2007年,老子故里旅游區(qu)被評定為(wei)國家AAAA級景區(qu)。