The Most Beautiful Temples in Beijing
Beijing has a repertoire of beautiful temples. Due to its special identity as a former imperial city, the temples in Beijing more or less bear some ties with the imperial families. It is no exaggeration to say that temples are an indispensable piece of the jigsaw of Beijing history. Here’s a list of the most beautiful temples in Beijing for you to start with.
1. Yonghegong Lama Temple
Buddhist Temple, Monastery
In Beijing, Yonghegong Lama Temple is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful temples.It was originally built for the Yongzheng Emperor in Qing Dynasty while still a prince. After Yongzheng acended to the throne, his former estate was transformed into a Tibetan Buddhist Temple. That’s why the architecture in the temple looks so grand, even luxurious — and incompatible with its identity. The temple covers an area of one hundred acres and has over one thousand halls and monk’s cells. While appreciating the valuable thangkas and statues of Buddha in Yonghegong, you may still bump into some monks living there.
12 Yonghegong Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, +8610 84191919
Yonghegong Lama Temple | © Toffee Tang / Flickr | © Toffee Tang / Flickr
2. White Cloud Taoist Temple (Bai Yun Guan)
Monastery
3. Dongyue Temple
Architectural Landmark, Shinto Shrine
Dongyue Temple probably has more gods than any other temple in Beijing. It serves over 3,000 Chinese gods, from the most prestigious Jade Emperor, the emperor in heaven, and Dongyue, the god for the Tai Mountain (also known as Dongyue, the East Mountain of the Five Mountains in China) to inferior gods like the god of builders and contractors, Lu Ban. Dongyue Temple is also known for the more than one hundred stone tablets in its yards, especially the Zhang Gong Tablet by Zhao Mengfu, one of the four famous calligraphy masters in Chinese history.
5. Green Cloud Temple (Bi Yun Temple)
Buddhist Temple
6. Fayuan Temple
Buddhist Temple
7. Wanshou Temple
Buddhist Temple
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