Tracing the history of the monastery, you will discover that construction work on the temple was initiated in the year 1694 when the Qing dynasty was in power. Originally, it functioned as the official residence for court eunuchs, however later, Prince Yinzhen (a son of the Kangxi Emperor and the 4th Emperor of the Manchu Qing dynasty) converted it into a court. Still later, when the prince himself became Yongzheng Emperor in 1722, half of the building was converted into a lamasery for Tibetan Buddhist monks while the second half remained an imperial palace.
In the year 1735, Emperor Yongzheng expired and his coffin was placed in the temple. The successor of Emperor Yongzheng, the Qianlong Emperor elevated the temple to an imperial status by replacing its turquoise tiles with yellow ones reserved specifically for the Emperor. Gradually, the monastery became an abode for a large number of Tibetan Buddhist monks from Mongolia and Tibet . The lamasery became the national centre of Lama administration.
The cultural revolution of 1960s could have had great impact on the temple, but for the Prime Minister Zhou Enlai intervention. Later, in 1981, the temple was once again thrown open for the public.
Architecture
The Temple is arranged along a north-south central axis, which exceeds to a length of 480m. The main entrance gate lies at the southern end of this axis. Along the axis, there are five main halls - the Hall of the Heavenly Kings (Tian Wang Dian or Devaraja Hall), the Hall of Harmony and Peace (Yonghegong), the Hall of Everlasting Protection (Yongyoudian), the Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falundian), and the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses (Wanfuge). These halls are separated from one another by courtyards.
At the southernmost end lies the The Hall of the Heavenly Kings. In the beginning, it functioned as the main entrance to the monastery. Today, you can see the statue Maitreya Buddha standing right in the centre of the hall while along the walls you can see statues of the four Heavenly Kings.
The main building of the temple is the Hall of Harmony and Peace where you can see three bronze statues of the Buddhas of the Three Ages - Past, Present and Future. The statue of the Gautama Buddha (Buddha of the Present) stands in the center with the statue of Kasyapa Matanga (Buddha of the Past) on the right and the Maitreya Buddha (Buddha of the Future) on the left. The statues of the 18 Arhats adorn the sides of the hall. You can also see a mural of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara in this hall.
The Hall of Everlasting Protection is the place where Emperor Yongzheng lived during his lifetime and also where his coffin was placed post his death. Today, the hall houses a statue of the Bhaisajya-guru (healing Buddha) for you to see.
The Lama Temple is a Gelukpa Temple, and the statue of the founder of this school of Tibetan Buddhism, Je Tsongkhapa stands in the Hall of the Wheel of the Law. This hall is primarily used for reading scriptures and conducting religious ceremonies.
The last hall, The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses houses an 18m tall statue of the Maitreya Buddha sculpted out of a single piece of white sandalwood. The statue is amongst the three artworks in the Temple that found itself a place in the Guinness Book of Records in the year 1993.
Beijing
Beijing, the political, economic, cultural and educational centre of China, is also known just as Jing. Situated in the northern part of country, this capital city covers an area of more than 16,410 square and is counted amongst the six ancient cities of the country.
If you are desirous of visiting Beijing, the best time are the months of May, September, and October.
Other Attractions
- The Temple of Sleeping Buddha : The Temple of Sleeping Buddha stands in the western suburb of the capital city of Beijing. The construction of the temple took place during the rule of the Tang Dynasty, however, later it was reconstructed as well as renamed. The main structure of the temple is quiet obviously The Hall of the Sleeping Buddha which is reached after crossing the Glazed Archway, the Mountain Gate Hall, Devaraja Hall and the Hall of the Buddhas of Three Ages. Within the hall, there is the statue of the Sleeping Buddha which weighs about 54 tons and is 5.3 metres in length. Surrounding the Sleeping Buddha are 12 of his disiples.
How To Reach
By Air - The airport of Beijing is located some
17 km from the city and is known locally as the Capital Airport. It is
connected to around 25 countries and 32 cities by 34 international airline.
64 Domestic airlines and 5 inter-regional airlines link Beijing to all major
airports inside China.
By Rail - There are six railway stations in Beijing which connect it to most provincial capitals and all neighboring cities. Amongst the six, the Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station are the important ones. The first one of the two mainly operates on the long journey while the second one is the largest railway station in Asia.
By Road - Beijing is well connected with other parts of China with 12 National Highways and 8 main Expressways. There are 19 bus stations in Beijing which connect it both closeby and distant destinations.
By Rail - There are six railway stations in Beijing which connect it to most provincial capitals and all neighboring cities. Amongst the six, the Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station are the important ones. The first one of the two mainly operates on the long journey while the second one is the largest railway station in Asia.
By Road - Beijing is well connected with other parts of China with 12 National Highways and 8 main Expressways. There are 19 bus stations in Beijing which connect it both closeby and distant destinations.
