Beijing, as a capital city of some kind for more than 1,000 years, has been a locus for people from all over China and all walks of life to descend upon. As part of this influence, religious peoples too have found their way and made their mark on the history of the city. Hundreds of temples once dotted the city. Now, after decades of growth and construction only dozens of Beijing temples remain.
I have been on a quest to find and visit as many of these as possible. I have already visited as many of the ancient imperial altars as possible and several other religious sites of note like the Confucius Temple. Some are now more museum than active places of worship like the Great Bell Temple, which showcase more history and culture than just the structures themselves setting themselves apart for their own posts.
But first, here are a few more of Beijing’s temples or holy places:
White Cloud Temple – Taoist
The White Cloud Temple is Beijing’s largest and most important Taoist temple being dubbed the First Temple under Heaven. According to the temple, Taoism has the distinction to be the only home-grown Chinese religion. Anciently and today, this temple is the administrative headquarters for Taoism in China. That means in the past, preparations and administration of ceremonies and rites for emperors, pertaining to Taoism, were orchestrated from this temple.
The temple was first established during the Tang Dynasty, around 1,200 years ago. It follows the basic plan of countless other Chinese temples with multiple successive courtyards in a large rectangular plan. Of course, over its history it has seen a series of reconstructions and expansions. Over the last 100 years of aggressive change and societal experimentation in China, the White Cloud Temple has been preserved and left undamaged. It began performing its ordination ceremonies again in the 1980s.
Yonghegong Lama Temple – Buddhism
The Lama Temple is perhaps the most famous religious site in Beijing. This might be because of its size and grandeur right next to the 2nd Ring Road, so when visitors drive by they want to see it. Or, it could be because of its connection to Tibetan Buddhism. Either way, it is a beautiful complex of active temple halls. The smell of incense permeates the air here and monks in saffron robes can be seen wandering the halls.
I’ve actually been to Yonghegong a few times, but realized I never shared anything about it. These pictures are from February during Spring Festival. Not as old as some in Beijing, this religious complex was built during the Qing Dynasty in the 17th century. It was the palace of a prince at first. Famed Qing emperor, Qianlong, designated it an imperial site, which changed the roof tiles to the current yellow color. It was the administrative center for Lamaism with many Tibetan Buddhist monks residing and training there over the years. Preserved as a national historic monument during the early Communist era, the temple’s plan is similar to others with notable exceptions being the blend of Tibetan architecture with Han Chinese style. The two-story halls with their bridges connected to neighboring buildings are iconic in their design.
Miaoying Temple (White Dagoba Temple)
The site of this temple was home to some of the oldest Buddhist temples in Beijing. You can tell that the site is particularly old and has been preserved because you have to descend to enter it from modern street level. The nickname of this temple is Baitasi or
White Tower Temple. The word for tower is also translated to mean dagoba, the specific kind of white pagoda that we can see at the site today.
This white tower was built in Dadu (modern-day Beijing) with the permission of Kublai Khan by Tibetan Buddhist monks. Later, he allowed a temple to be built around the tower. Arniko (Anige or Aniko or Araniko), a medieval Nepalese architect designed and oversaw the construction of this large stupa. It is considered by some to be one of his masterpieces. There is even a small statue to honor him at the read of the temple before the pagoda.
The temple itself is actually very lovely. It isn’t a functional temple nor is it a full-fledged museum. It is a historic site. In the halls there are exhibits about the architect and the connection between China and Nepal as well as what Beijing looked like under Khan’s reign. The main hall has been magnificently restored. The decorative ceiling is one of the most beautiful I have seen.
Tianning Temple
Another of Beijing’s ancient Buddhist temples, Tianning Temple’s notoriety comes from the 900-year-old stone and brick pagoda in its rear courtyard. The tower was built during the Liao Dynasty when the city was a regional capital before Kublai Khan established Dadu. How the tower has stood over all of these years is a miracle. It only suffered minor damage from the wars and earthquakes it has survived. This tower witnessed the growth and ages of this magnificent city. Over the years the only major changes the tower experienced were with the surrounding temple and with its steeple.
The 189-foot tall tower is purely decorative. It is solid brick and stone with no interior space. The beauty is seen all around its façade. Artisans designed the pagoda to look like the wooden towers of its time but with stone details. The sculptures on its face are delicate and detailed. And, another bonus to all of this, the temple is an active temple and is free to visit!
Niujie Mosque
Beijing’s largest and oldest mosque sits slightly askew off the main road in its neighborhood. Of course, that axis is meant to line up with Mecca. Of all of the religious sites I have visited so far in Beijing, this feels the most ragged and uncared for. The Tianning Temple is not particularly clean and fresh, but it feels like someone takes care of it. The mosque, on the other hand, does not.
This mosque flows like a traditional Chinese Taoist or Buddhist temple in many ways. Courtyards line up with halls down the axis. There is a bell tower and a drum tower. The architectural details remind of the other Ming or Qing-era temples in the country. There is not much to look at here since the prayer hall is closed to non-Muslim guests. If you do visit, be sure to wear pants, or something covering your legs. My first visit was foiled by this because the websites I read neglected to mention a dress code to enter.
Beijing Temples 2019 Calendar
I’ve been visiting temples of all kinds all across Beijing. So many are absolutely spectacular with magnificent architecture. As I’ve collected the pictures from these adventures, I have compiled my 2019 wall calendar featuring my favorite images. They will soon be available to order.
