In the late autumn, Tanzhe Temple hidden in the mountains has a beautiful autumn scene, with its famous Emperor Tree and the Empress Tree turning from green to yellow. These trees shines in the light which is breathtaking. Come to enjoy the golden ginkgoes of Tanzhe Temple in autumn!

Tanzhe Temple was first built in the first year of Yongjia of Wertern Jin Dynasty (307 AD) and initially named "Jiafu Temple", Later the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty named it "Xiuyun Temple", but because there was a dragon pond behind the temple and Maclura tricuspidata on the hill, the people have been called "Tanzhe Temple". It has a history of nearly 1,700 years with a folk proverb that "there is Tanzhe Temple first, then there is Beijing City".

Tanzhe Temple is located at the Tanzhe foothills in the southeast of Mentougou District in western Beijing, more than 30 kilometers from the city center. The monastery faces south and is backed by the Baozhu Peak. The tall mountain peak blocks the cold current coming from the northwest, so the climate here is warm and moist. Inside the temple, there are ancient sky-high trees, many pagodas, famous flowers and bamboo, making the environment extremely beautiful.

Tanzhe Temple is on a grand scale, covering an area of 2.5 hectares inside the temple and 11.2 hectares outside the temple, plus the surrounding forests and mountain fields governed by Tanzhe Temple, totaling more than 121 hectares. The well-arranged palaces are built according to the height of the mountain.

The Imperial Palace has 9,999 and a half rooms, Tanzhe Temple in its heyday in the Qing Dynasty had 999 and a half rooms, just like a miniature of the Imperial Palace. It is said that when the Imperial Palace was built in the early Ming Dynasty, it was modeled after Tanzhe Temple. Now Tanzhe Temple has a total of 943 rooms, including 638 ancient halls, the building maintains the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and is the largest temple ancient architectural complex in the suburbs of Beijing.

The entire building adequately embodies the aesthetic principles of Chinese ancient architecture, according to the left and right in the middle of the central axis of symmetry layout, regular, neat, distinct, primary and secondary order. Its architectural forms include palaces, halls, pavilions, terraces, corridors, altars and so on , which are various.

Outside the temple there are many buildings and attractions, like the stars holding the moon, scattered among them, forming a few miles around, with many attractions and a variety of tourist attractions. Tanzhe Temple is not only rich in humanistic landscapes, but also has very beautiful natural landscapes, the beauty of the four seasons is different, and a day of fun is also different, as early as the Qing Dynasty, " ten scenes of Tanzhe Temple " has been famous in Beijing.

The current Tanzhe Temple has a lofty palace and a quiet courtyard, each building has its own characteristics, and the view is extraordinary. Ancient trees, flowers and bamboo all over the temple, rockery and "Floating wine cups along winding water” reflecting each other, red walls, grey tile and angled cornices hidden in the green pines and cypresses.

Tanzhe Temple Scenic Area has many historic sites and beautiful scenery, and modern tourist service facilities have been built in recent years, which can provide one-stop services of transportation, accommodation, catering, sightseeing, entertainment and shopping, making the scenic area a well-known tourist destination in China and abroad.

Two thousand-year-old ginkgo trees in Tanzhe Temple

The ancient temple in autumn is elegant and quiet. When the autumn wind blows, the golden ginkgo leaves occasionally make a rustling sound.

Tanzhe Temple Emperor Tree was planted in the Tang Dynasty and has a history of more than 1,300 years, with a height of more than 40 meters and a thickness of the straight trunk that requires six or seven people to hug. The Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty gave the tree the title of " the Emperor Tree ", which is by far the highest imperial title given to a tree by an emperor. In 2016, Tanzhe Temple's "Emperor Tree" was selected as one of the "Top Ten Most Beautiful Ancient Ginkgo Trees" by the Chinese Society of Forestry. "In 2018, it was voted as one of the "Top Ten Trees in Beijing" by Beijing citizens.

Every year from the end of October to mid-November is the best viewing period for the two ancient ginkgo trees in Tanzhe Temple, the trees turn golden as if they are wearing golden armor

Golden ginkgo leaves hang all over the trees and float all over the ground. The abundant colors and distinctive layers are particularly spectacular.

Under the sunlight, the Emperor Tree and the Empress Tree are full of golden leaves. When the autumn breeze blows, the leaves fall one after another, against the red walls and gray tiles of the temple, showing the charm of the ancient temple.

Address: the foot of the Tanzhe Mountain, Tanzhe Temple Town, Mentougou District, Beijing