Baita Temple

Temple of Moon - Baita Temple - Lidai Diwang Temple (Temple of Past Emperors) - Guangji Temple

 
Temple of Moon used to be a royal temple for the emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties worshipping God of Moon and other constellation deities on Autumn Equinox Day. It was open to public as a leisure park in 1955. The park is divided into two parts, the north and the south parks. The characteristic of the north park is the old buildings in red bricks and green roofs, and also the regular roads. The south part is actually a natural park with water, rockeries, lakes and winding paths.

The main buildings in the north park are Moon Altar, north and west gates, four halls, Bell Tower and a four-quadrilateral pavilion. The south park is famous for its natural beauty with water, artificial mountains and bowery roads. And bonsai exhibitions are held here all year round. A waterfall at the northern piedmont of Nanshan makes a sheer drop to the pool where there is a sculpture of Moon Goddess Chang'e. The admission fee is CNY1.00 and you can take bus 13, 15, 19, 21, 42, 45, 65, 823, T4, 102 to get there.

After visiting Temple of Moon, walk south along the Nanlishi Road for about 250 meters to reach the west gate of Beijing Children's Hospital, where you can take bus 42 or 823 to Baita Temple bus stop. Then walk to the west for about 270 meters, there is the Baita Temple, also known as the White Pagoda Temple and famous for a white Tibetan Pagoda inside. The pagoda was built in 1217 by a Nepal craftsman named A Nige, and the project have been lasted for about 8 years. From the central axis, you can see the Tianwang Hall. Then there is the Dajue Hall with exquisite Stone Lions from Yuan Dynasty in the front. The next on your way is the Qifo Hall. Go ahead and climb ten steps, you can visit the white pagoda, which is the existing largest and oldest lama pagoda in China and also the testimony of the friendship and cultural exchange between Chinese and Nepalese.

Guangji Temple

Go back to the bus top where you can find Temple of Past Emperors at the opposite of the street. In every spring and autumn, Ming and Qing emperors made sacrifices here to the emperors of previous dynasties, including 188 emperors who have devoted themselves to the development of politics, culture and economy in their time and 79 heroes and loyal generals. Because it was the place for royal memorial ceremony, this temple was built with the highest level among those royal temple constructions. The Jingdechong Hall is the main building inside. The admission fee is CNY20.00.

Not far from the Temple of Past Emperors in the east, you can find a grey temple named Guangji Temple, where is also the locus for China Buddhist Association. Guangji Temple is with more than 800 years' history and was first built in Song Dynasty. Stroll along the central axis, you can visit the main portal, Tianwang Hall, Great Hall, Yuantong Hall and Duobao Hall from south to north. The temple collects many rare Buddhism cultural relics and exquisite art works. One of the most famous murals named Shengguo Miaoyin is hanged behind the Great Hall, which was created by a famous painter with his fingers in Emperor Qainlong period, describing a scene that Buddha is teaching his students. Being its special position in Buddhism, Guangji Temple is the right place to hold important Buddhist activities and to do cultural exchange for Buddhist from all over the world.

After finishing your visit, you can walk to east until you reach the Xisi Crossing, where you can take bus 13, 101, 102, 103, 105, 823, 812, 814 to your next destination.