Yunju Temple (Yunju means where the clouds stay) is located in Fangshan District in the southwest of Beijing, and is about 70 kilometers (43 miles) away from the center of the city. The east-facing temple taking an area of 7 hectares is famous for the stone sutras it houses.

The construction of Yunju Temple was started from 605. Having been reconstructed and enlarged several times, it became an architectural complex including five courtyards and six main temple halls. During the Sino-Japanese War, Yunju Temple suffered great damage, particularly in 1942. After 1949, it was restored to its original glory.

Now Yunju Temple has become a world-famous Buddhist temple, where religious activities are conducted. The eighth day of the fourth lunar month is the birth date of Sakyamuni Buddha. Every year, Yunju Temple will hold tremendous temple fairs at that time. Enjoying a history of over 1000 years, the temple fairs attract a lot of visitors and pilgrims.

Tourist Sights of Yunju Temple

Yunju Temple, grottoes of Buddhist Texts in the Shijing Mountain (Stone Sutras Mountain), together with towers built in Tang (618-907) and Liao (916-1125) dynasties present the splendid Buddhist culture to visitors.

Stone Sutras, Paper Sutras, Wooden Sutras

Yunju Temple has an extensive collection of Buddhist Texts, in which the best known ones are stone sutras, paper sutras and wooden sutras.

Stone Buddhist Tripitaka buried underground fortunately escaped from being damaged while Yunju Temple was destroyed during Sino-Japan War. In 605, the stone sutras began to be engraved by the monk Jing Wan. After Jing Wan’s death, his students carried forward the work. Some 1122 books and 3,572 volumes of Buddhist sutras were inscribed on 14,278 stone tablets. Those tablets originally were hidden in the nine grottoes in the Shijing Mountain. In 1999, Yunju Temple brought 10,082 tablets back to the underground closet for safe keeping. Visitors can see these tablets through the windows of the closet.

Paper Buddhist sutras in Yunju Temple reach a number of over 22,000 volumes. These sutras were printed or handwritten in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), of which sutras written by Bhiksu Zu Hui in his tongue blood were most precious.

Wooden sutras named Long Zang (Dragon Tripitakas) were carved from 1733 to 1738. Now over 77,000 wood tablets are well preserved. 

Towers in Yunju Temple

In the north and south of Yunju Temple once stood two towers built in Liao Dynasty. The southern tower was ruined in the war; and only the northern tower remains today. The stupa with a height of 30 meters (98 feet) was built of bricks between 1111 and 1120. Its architectural style is very rare to see among the towers of Liao Dynasty. Four small towers of 3 meters (9.8 feet) high built between 711 and 727 in Tang Dynasty (618-907) stand around the northern stupa. All the four seven-floor towers are engraved with images of Buddha. There are other over ten ancient towers built in Yunju Temple and the surrounding mountains. The tower dedicated to Jing Yuan who started the work of stone sutras is the most famous.

Buddha’s Relics in Yunju Temple

Besides sutras and towers, Buddha’s relics in Yunju Temple also attract worldwide attention. They were discovered under the earth in Leiyin Grotto in Shijing Mountain in 1981 and are the only ones of their kind treasured in the cave but not in the pagoda.

Grottoes of Buddhist Texts in the Shijing Mountain

Nine grottoes of Buddhist Texts are located on the hillside of the Shijing Mountain, among which Leiyin Grotto is open to the public. Stone tablets embedded in the wall of the cave are mostly carved by the monk Jing Yuan. Four stone pillars in the grotto are carved with 1,056 images of Buddha, earning them the name "Thousand-Buddha Pillars". In all, 4196 stone tablets inscribed with Buddhist sutras are preserved here.

Lots of historical relics are in the Shijing Mountain. Now tourists can choose the funicular to visit the mountain.

Activities in Yunju Temple

Various activities are held in Yunju Temple. Visitors can have go at using the traditional Chinese millstone to crush grains and beans and learn how to print the sutras in the old way. Besides, it is also a wonderful place where you can copy the stone inscriptions. Various souvenirs are also available in Yunju Temple.

Admission Fee:	CNY 40 (for Yunju Temple) CNY 15 (for Shijing Mountain)
Opening Hours:	08:30—17:00 (summer) 08:30—16:30 (winter)
By Bus:	1. Take bus no. 917 (Shidu branch line) to Yunju Temple. 2. Take bus no. 616, 759, 922, 971 to Liangxiang Tiyuchang Road, and then transfer the local minibus no.12 and get off at Yunju Temple.
By Train:	Take train no.7095 to Yunju Temple at Beiing South Railway Station. It leaves from Beijing South Railway Station at 06:37 and arrives at Yunju Temple at 08:42.

  Beijing Bus / Subway Search

Other famous temples in Beijing:

Dajue Temple	Five Pagoda Temple	Great Bell Temple	Guangji Temple
Temple of Azure Clouds	Temple of Recumbent Buddha	White Dagoba Temple	White Cloud Temple