At 8 pm, near the northern source of the Canal in Beijing's urban sub-center, the "Three Temples and a Pagoda" ancient building complex, which has completed a lighting upgrade project, was lit up for the night, mirroring the Canal Business District's past and present.

The lantern pagoda is a symbol of the Tongzhou district, and the poet Wang Weizhen of the Qing Dynasty wrote in his poem "The Ancient Pagoda in the clouds": "After the new rain, a pagoda reflects the shadow of Tongzhou." Now, after three years of renovation and upgrading, the "Three Temples and a Tower" scenic spot where the Lantern Pagoda is located has basically completed the transformation from a heritage landscape to a tourist attraction and will be opened by the end of the year. By then, members of the public will have the opportunity to enjoy the Lantern Pagoda up close.

The "Three Temples and a Pagoda" scenic area has a long history and culture. It is the largest ancient architectural complex of three religions in North China. The Lantern Pagoda is a national cultural relics protection unit. Other ancient buildings and immovable cultural relics in the surrounding area are protected by the city and the district respectively, with high historical and cultural research value and tour value.

Since 2019, Tongzhou District has further comprehensively implemented the "Three Temples and a Tower" scenic area renovation and enhancement project, which has comprehensively repaired the scenic area's cultural relics and enhanced the scenic area's environment, public service facilities, and intelligent management.

The person in charge of the Grand Canal cultural tourism scenic area introduced that, the repair is in accordance with the restoration of the historical pattern of the Confucius Temple. It is a comprehensive repair of the scenic heritage building walls, steps, tiles and doors, windows, etc. It brought about the painting dust renovation to the paintings, the rectification of the Yousheng Church Temple gate, and the re-building of the Ziqing Palace wall. The ancient and modern cultures collide and mingle here in a striking way, with the 1400-year-old Lantern Pagoda right in front of you and the modern office buildings in the Canal Business District further away.

After the opening of the "Three Temples and One Pagoda" scenic spot, "Cultural Exhibition", "Intangible Cultural Heritage Workshop", "Health Exhibition" and other items will be laid out in the courtyards of the Middle Road (Temple of Literature), West Road (Training Office, Minglun Hall, and Wendi Ancestral Hall) and Ziqing Palace. Using AI, holographic projection, and other technologies, the scenic area is going to create an immersive experience for visitors. It will make full use of traditional festivals and celebrations to preserve and pass on the folklore and intangible cultural heritage along the Grand Canal and showcase the charm of Tongzhou's history and culture.

Translator: WU Jiayi

Reviewer: YANG Jialin