華(hua)清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)是唐(tang)(tang)代(dai)封建(jian)帝(di)王游(you)幸的(de)別宮(gong)(gong)。背(bei)山(shan)(shan)面渭,倚驪(li)峰山(shan)(shan)勢而筑,規模(mo)宏(hong)大,建(jian)筑壯麗,樓臺館殿(dian),遍布驪(li)山(shan)(shan)上下。唐(tang)(tang)詩人白居易《驪(li)宮(gong)(gong)高(gao)(gao)(gao)》詩曰:“高(gao)(gao)(gao)高(gao)(gao)(gao)驪(li)山(shan)(shan)上有宮(gong)(gong),朱樓紫殿(dian)三(san)(san)四重(zhong)”。清(qing)(qing)人錢維(wei)喬《華(hua)清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)》詩道:“華(hua)清(qing)(qing)之宮(gong)(gong)驪(li)山(shan)(shan)足,玉(yu)殿(dian)千(qian)重(zhong)相連屬”。驪(li)山(shan)(shan)景色宜人,溫(wen)(wen)泉蕩邪(xie)去疾。傳說遠在(zai)三(san)(san)千(qian)年前(qian)的(de)西(xi)周時(shi)期(qi),就已(yi)成(cheng)為(wei)(wei)周天(tian)子的(de)游(you)幸之地。那時(shi)的(de)溫(wen)(wen)泉名“星辰湯”。《三(san)(san)秦記(ji)》載:“始(shi)皇(huang)初,砌石(shi)起宇,名驪(li)山(shan)(shan)湯,漢武加(jia)修飾焉(yan)”。北(bei)周武帝(di)天(tian)和四年(569),令(ling)大冢宰宇文(wen)護造皇(huang)湯石(shi)井。隋(sui)文(wen)帝(di)開(kai)皇(huang)三(san)(san)年(583)列(lie)植松柏千(qian)株,修屋建(jian)宇。至唐(tang)(tang)代(dai)逐步形成(cheng)規模(mo)。唐(tang)(tang)太宗貞觀十八年(644),詔左衛大將(jiang)軍姜行(xing)本,將(jiang)作(zuo)大匠閻(yan)立德(de)建(jian)宮(gong)(gong)室樓閣(ge),賜名“湯泉宮(gong)(gong)”。《冊府元龜》載:“貞觀二(er)十二(er)年(648)正(zheng)月戊戌,帝(di)如溫(wen)(wen)湯。癸卯,御(yu)制碑以(yi)示群(qun)臣(chen)”。唐(tang)(tang)高(gao)(gao)(gao)宗咸亨二(er)年(671)改名溫(wen)(wen)泉宮(gong)(gong)。唐(tang)(tang)玄宗天(tian)寶六載(747),更溫(wen)(wen)泉宮(gong)(gong)為(wei)(wei)華(hua)清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong),“環宮(gong)(gong)所置百司區署,詔琯(guan)總經度驪(li)山(shan)(shan),疏(shu)巖剔藪,為(wei)(wei)天(tian)子游(you)覽(lan)”(《唐(tang)(tang)書·房琯(guan)傳》)。華(hua)清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)因在(zai)驪(li)山(shan)(shan),又叫驪(li)山(shan)(shan)宮(gong)(gong),亦(yi)稱驪(li)宮(gong)(gong)。白居易《驪(li)宮(gong)(gong)高(gao)(gao)(gao)》詩:“驪(li)宮(gong)(gong)高(gao)(gao)(gao)兮入(ru)云”。驪(li)山(shan)(shan)似錦若繡(xiu),一(yi)名繡(xiu)嶺,宮(gong)(gong)因山(shan)(shan)名,亦(yi)名繡(xiu)嶺宮(gong)(gong)。唐(tang)(tang)代(dai)詩人崔(cui)涂、李商(shang)隱、崔(cui)道融(rong)詠華(hua)清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong),皆以(yi)“繡(xiu)嶺宮(gong)(gong)”為(wei)(wei)詩名。
華(hua)(hua)清宮(gong)(gong)(gong)始(shi)建于唐(tang)(tang)初(chu),鼎盛于唐(tang)(tang)玄(xuan)宗執政(zheng)(zheng)以(yi)(yi)后(hou)(hou)(hou)。唐(tang)(tang)玄(xuan)宗悉心(xin)經營建起如此(ci)宏大的(de)(de)離宮(gong)(gong)(gong),他幾(ji)乎(hu)每年(nian)十月都要到此(ci)游幸。歲(sui)盡始(shi)還長(chang)安(an)。故有(you)“十月一日天子來,青繩御路無塵埃(ai)”之名(ming)句。據清乾隆本《臨潼縣(xian)志(zhi)》載:從開元二年(nian)(714)到天寶十四年(nian)(755)的(de)(de)40年(nian)間(jian),先(xian)后(hou)(hou)(hou)出游華(hua)(hua)清宮(gong)(gong)(gong)36次,有(you)時一年(nian)兩(liang)去,其微行(xing)間(jian)出無法計算。游幸規模甚大,“千乘萬旗被原野,云霞草木相輝(hui)光”。“八十一車千萬騎,朝有(you)宴飲暮有(you)賜”。等于把(ba)長(chang)安(an)的(de)(de)政(zheng)(zheng)府(fu)機關搬到驪山,竟(jing)然以(yi)(yi)華(hua)(hua)清宮(gong)(gong)(gong)為(wei)中心(xin),形成了一個新的(de)(de)城市。安(an)史(shi)亂后(hou)(hou)(hou),政(zheng)(zheng)局突變,唐(tang)(tang)玄(xuan)宗終(zhong)于從皇帝(di)的(de)(de)寶座上跌(die)落了下來。華(hua)(hua)清宮(gong)(gong)(gong)的(de)(de)游幸迅速衰落,唐(tang)(tang)朝以(yi)(yi)后(hou)(hou)(hou)各代皇帝(di)已很少(shao)出游華(hua)(hua)清宮(gong)(gong)(gong)。
后(hou)(hou)晉高祖(zu)(zu)天福年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)間,把(ba)破(po)壞的華(hua)(hua)清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)“改曰靈泉(quan)觀”,賜(si)予道士。宋(song)時(shi),“湯所(suo)(suo)館殿,鞠為(wei)茂草”,建筑物已十分(fen)破(po)爛。宋(song)人只能根據(ju)華(hua)(hua)清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)的遺跡,“刊故宮(gong)(gong)(gong)圖于石”,讓后(hou)(hou)人知道唐代華(hua)(hua)清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)的全(quan)盛而已。至元世祖(zu)(zu)中統二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1261)以(yi)前(qian),有(you)(you)趙志古等人,組織(zhi)民間力(li)量(liang),曾以(yi)15年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)的時(shi)間整修(xiu)華(hua)(hua)清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong),曾建起三清(qing)(qing)殿等八座大殿,朝元、沖(chong)明(ming)二閣和(he)九龍、芙蓉等湯池(chi)(據(ju)乾(qian)隆本《臨潼縣志》)。以(yi)后(hou)(hou)又逐(zhu)漸蕭(xiao)條。清(qing)(qing)圣祖(zu)(zu)康熙四十二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1702)冬十一(yi)月西巡時(shi)也重修(xiu)過華(hua)(hua)清(qing)(qing)池(chi)(原華(hua)(hua)清(qing)(qing)宮(gong)(gong)(gong)),他(ta)曾“駐(zhu)蹕溫泉(quan)”。民國時(shi)期(qi),也有(you)(you)過幾次整修(xiu),可是(shi)華(hua)(hua)清(qing)(qing)池(chi)及(ji)驪山所(suo)(suo)存古建,大約就是(shi)清(qing)(qing)初重建后(hou)(hou)所(suo)(suo)保留下的格(ge)局,到解放前(qian)已是(shi)湯池(chi)寥落,宮(gong)(gong)(gong)殿蕭(xiao)疏,一(yi)片破(po)敗景(jing)象。
解放后人民政府(fu)自(zi)1959年起(qi)進(jin)行(xing)了(le)大規(gui)模的(de)擴建(jian),辟湯(tang)池,修(xiu)殿宇,建(jian)賓館(guan),開(kai)花園,使古老的(de)華清宮煥發(fa)了(le)青春,成為人民群(qun)眾游樂(le)之(zhi)處。
2018年4月13日,2018中(zhong)國西北旅游(you)營(ying)銷(xiao)大會暨旅游(you)裝備展上,入(ru)圍“神奇西北100景(jing)”排名第二。