Travel in Beijing in 144 Hours: Ancient Temples Tour

2019-08-15

If you are tired of the earthly world, a tour to enjoy green pines in temples with quiet and ethereal fragrance of sandalwood may just be what you desire. Such is a wonderful experience to have a taste of vegetarian food, stroll around the temples and feel the rhythm of nature. Therefore, just take a visit to the ancient temples of Beijing to calm your mind.

Recommended route: Zhihua Temple - Dongyue Temple – Guozijian (Imperial Academy) - Beijing Temple of Confucius - Yonghe Temple - Huitong Temple - Temple of Ancient Monarchs - City God Temple of Beijing

Zhihua Temple

Zhihua Temple, located in the Lumicang Hutong, was built in the 9th year (AD 1444) under the reign of Emperor Zhengtong of the Ming Dynasty and got its name granted by Emperor Yingzong. A white marble plaque engraved with “Chici Zhihua Temple” hangs on the front gate. “Chici” means the name of the temple was given by the emperor, and “Zhihua” means to deliver all living creatures from torment by the wisdom of Buddhism.

With a long history of more than 560 years, Zhihua Temple was listed as the first batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. Its four well-preserved halls are the largest palace buildings of timber structure of the Ming Dynasty in Beijing, making itself a pure land of Zen Buddhism. It is a hard-to-find feeling for modern people living in cities to ramble in the courtyards and palaces of the temple, trace its ebb and flow in the history, taste its stunning architecture, worship the exquisite statues, enjoy the murals that still keep colorful, view the whistling swifts flying around the Bell and Drum Towers, and listen the ancient music that can touch the soul.

Ticket: 20 yuan for each adult

Address: No. 5, Lumicang Hutong, Dongcheng District 东城区禄米仓胡同5号

Dongyue Temple

Located to the north of Chaoyangmen Outer Street in Chaoyang District, Beijing Dongyue Temple used to be the largest temple of Zhengyi Taoism in North China. It is large in scale, spectacular in appearance, subtle in decoration, and ingenious in layout, reflecting the spirit, temperament and charm of Chinese traditional culture.

Founded in 1319, the temple is dedicated to the Great Deity of the Eastern Peak (the God of Mount Tai) and hosts the only state-run folk customs museum in Beijing.

Ticket: 10 yuan

Address: No. 141, Chaoyangmen Outer Street 朝阳门外大街141号

Temple of Confucius

Being a part of the Imperial Academy, the Temple of Confucius at Beijing was originally called the Guozijian Confucian Temple or the Temple of Confucius of the Capital City. It was the place where emperors held the national sacrifice ceremony in ancient China. In compliance with the layout principle of “temple on left and academy on right”, it neighbors the Imperial Academy in the west. As officials in Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties used it to pay their respects to Confucius, the Temple of Confucius at Beijing has been praised as the top four largest Temples of Confucius in China with another three in Nanjing, Jilin, and Qufu.

Occupying an area of some 22,000m2, it includes three courtyards aligned along a central axis. From south to north, noteworthy structures include the Xianshi Gate, Dacheng Gate, Dacheng Hall and Chongsheng Shrine. In the east side of the front courtyard, there is a kitchen and pavilions housing tablets, wells and offerings; while in the west side, pavilions for tablets and the hall of fasting stand quietly, with the Chijing Gate that is connected with the Imperial Academy. Inside the courtyard there are 198 stone tablets positioned on either side, and they contain more than 51,624 names of jinshi (advanced scholars) of the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties that hold great historical significance for studying the imperial examination system in ancient China. Outside the Dacheng Gate, there are stone drums made during the reign of Emperor Qianlong and two relevant stone tablets of the Qing Dynasty. The main buildings of the middle courtyard include side rooms in the east and west sides and 13 pavilions of imperial tablets; the back courtyard houses only a Chongsheng Shrine, forming a complete group of ancient buildings in Beijing Temple of Confucius.

Imperial Academy

Built in the Yuan Dynasty (AD1287), the Imperial Academy was extensively renovated and expanded during the reigns of Emperor Yongle and Emperor Zhengtong of the Ming Dynasty. In the 48th year under the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, a group of royal buildings was added, forming a layout till these days. Preserving the landscape of old Beijing streets, it is a three-hall courtyard facing south and covers a total area of over 27,000m2. The Imperial Academy faces south, consisting of Jixian Gate, Taixue Gate, glazed archways, Biyong Hall, Yilun Hall, and Jingyi Hall along the central axis.

It was then the highest organ of state administration governing education during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, the highest educational institution established by the state, and the only existing ancient state-owned university building in China. As the only existing ancient street with four archways in Beijing, the Imperial Academy Street is flanked by two glazed archways and has another two at the gate of the Imperial Academy.

Ticket: 30 yuan per person

Address: Andingmen Inner Street, Dongcheng District 东城区安定门内

Yonghe Temple

Yonghe Temple is located in the northeast corner of the city proper of Beijing, with a history dating back to the 13rd year (1694) under the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty when Emperor Kangxi ordered to build a mansion here for the Prince Yong, his fourth son, called the Palace of Prince Yong. In 1725, the palace was converted into a temporary imperial palace, known as Yonghe Palace. After the Emperor Yongzheng’s death in 1735, his coffin was placed in the palace. The Qianlong Emperor, who succeeded the Emperor Yongzheng, gave the temple imperial status signified by having its turquoise tiles replaced with yellow tiles.

As the palace is where two emperors were born including Qianlong, it was recognized as a “blessed land that gives the birth to emperors” and acquired the rights to use yellow tiles and scarlet walls like the Forbidden City. In 1744, Yonghe Palace was changed the status of the dwelling to that of a lamasery, where regular Ministers were appointed to handle the affairs of the lamasery. It is fair to say that Yonghe Palace is a Buddhist temple with the highest specification in the middle and late Qing Dynasty.

Ticket: 25yuan

Address: No. 12 Yonghe Temple Street, Dongcheng District 东城区雍和宫大街12号

Huitong Temple

Located at the island in the northwest of Shichahai, Huitong Temple was built during the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty. It was once called Fahua Temple and then changed to Zhenshui Guanyin Temple. In the 26th year under the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, the Emperor especially indited a poem for praising Huitong Temple.

In the backyard of the temple, there is a statue of Guo Shoujing, a famous scientist of the Yuan Dynasty in China. He not only invented more than a dozen kinds of astronomical instruments such as abridged armilla, scaphe, and the gaobiao (giant Chinese gnomon), but also calculated the famous Shoushi Calendar, according which 365.3425 days constitute one year. This achievement was made 300 years earlier than that of Europe.

Ticket: free

Address: No. 60, A, Deshengmen West Street, Xicheng District 西城区德胜门西大街甲60号

Temple of Ancient Monarchs

The Temple of Ancient Monarchs in Fuchengmen is a place upholding high morals. Instead of Buddhas, Bodhisattva, nor Taoist gods, who are worshiped here are more than 100 emperors and military generals who were crowned with eternal glory since the era of “Three Sovereigns” and “Five Emperors” in China. With such an atmosphere, the temple becomes the only one of its kind throughout the country.

Ticket: 20 yuan

Address: No. 131, Fuchengmen Inner Street, Xicheng District 西城区阜成门内大街131号

北京旅游网英文站