Dazhong Temple, formally named Juesheng Temple, is located in Haidian District in Beijing. Built in 1733 during the Ming Dynasty, it was originally a royal Buddhist temple where emperors presided over rituals praying for rain. Now it is a museum for ancient bells and houses about 400 bells from home and abroad.

The most famous bell in the museum is the Yongle Bell cast in the Yongle Period (around 1420) of the Ming Dynasty, and thus the name. At 5.6 meters in height, and weighing 46.6 tons, making it one of the largest in the world, this huge bell is lauded as the King of Bells. It is engraved with over 100 Buddhist sutras and incantations that total more than 230,000 characters, and has a mellow and euphonious tone that carries over a dozen kilometers. Having been created with consummate craftsmanship, its structure is also technically perfect.

The indoor exhibits are defly arranged and displayed with English signs. There's also a small scale model scene of casting large bells in ancient times. The Ancient Bell Temple Museum is the only one of its kind in China.

Address: 31 West 3rd Ring Road, Haidian District, Beijing

Tel: 8610-62641384