Lama Temple, Beijing

Temple of Earth - Lama Temple - Confucius Temple - Imperial Academy

 
Temple of Earth is located on the east side of Andingmen Wai Street and its south gate faces the Lama Temple. Should you decide to start from the west entrance, you can take bus 18, 912, 104, 328, 358, 407, 113 and 108. However, you can start from the south entrance, if you can take bus 803, 13, 116, 807. The subway lines 2 and 5 will also enable you to reach the south entrance if you get off at the Lama Temple stop.

Temple of Earth was first built in Ming Dynasty. For 381 years, no less than 15 Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors continuously feted the earth here. Now it serves as an excellent place for the local people to relax. The admission fee is CNY2.00. From the west entrance where there is an archway, the first to visit is Zhaigong, the Hall of Abstinence. This was where the emperors would fast before the ceremonial offering of sacrifices to the Earth. Emperors Shunzhi, Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong, and Jiaqing in Qing Dynasty all lived here during their periods of fasting. Go straight to the east, and you can see the east gate in front of you, from there you can turn north to visit the Peony Garden, a leisure park enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. Go back the same way and turn south when you see a big road, this is the way access to the most important site for Temple of Earth, Fangze Tan, the Altar where the ceremonies took place. A square moat surrounds the altar that gives rise to the name 'Square Water Altar' in English. To the south of the Fangze Tan, is Huangqi Hall, which used to be the Earth God Worship Room and is now the Cultural and Historical Relic Exhibition Room.

Confucious Temple

The famous national activities held here are the temple fair and the book fair. During the Spring Festival period, from the first to the fifth of January in the lunar calendar, the temple fair will be held in the Temple of Earth and it is Beijing's largest. During this period, various local flavors, traditional handicraft, and all kinds of performances will gather here and this is a very good opportunity to experience the folk customs of Old Beijing. The book fairs will be held in the Temple of Earth each spring and autumn. You may buy the books at a better price than usual. For the exact date of the book fairs, you may contact the staff here. The telephone number is 010-64216870. Finally, leave by the south gate and cross the street to visit the Lama Temple.

The Lama Temple, also know as the Yonghe Lamasery, was the residence of Emperor Yongzheng, when he was still a prince, and it was also the birth place of Emperor Qianlong. Every element of the temple is entirely symmetrical, with main halls on a north-south axis and wing halls on both sides. Passing the archway, you can see the portal gate. Then walk for about 100 meters, you will reach Zhaotai gate, and a small bell tower and drum tower on the two sides. Go straight ahead to visit the Tianwang Hall, and then to Yonghe Palace where Prince Yong met with officials. Behind it is the Yongyou Hall that accommodated prince's the bedroom and study. After visiting these, continue to go forward and you will see the Falun Hall, this building is the synthesis of a cultural interaction of Han and Tibetan styles. A smiling 6.1-meter-high copper statue of an ancestor of Lamaism, Master Tsongkapa, sits upright on the lotus pedestal. Built in 1924, it took two years to complete. The famous 500 Arhats are behind the copper statue. These arhats are all carved on padauk and each has a different facial expression and action. Then visit Wanfu Pavilion. This is a three-story building with a huge Maitreya Buddha statue inside. The statue is carved from a rare sandal wood tree and is 26 meters in height, 8 meters in diameter, and 8 meters is buried under the ground. Take a stroll around before you leave this royal temple.

Imperial Academy

Cross the street on the west of Lama Temple and go into the Guanshuyuan Hutong to reach the Confucius Temple where people feted Confucius during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. The buildings on the central axis are Dacheng Gate, Dacheng Hall, Congsheng Gate and Congsheng Temple. You can visit them in turn.

The neighbouring site west of the Confucius Temple is the Imperial Academy which was the Education Administrative Organization and the top Nation's Academic Institute throughout the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. Here you will see the Jixian Gate (the main entrance), the Taixue Gate, Colour-glazed Aarchway, YIlun Hall and Jingyi Pavilion distributed along the central axis with four halls and six houses on either side in symmetry. This is now the only ancient government organized college to exist in China.

Buses 13, 116, 807 are available outside the Imperial Academy. Should you wish to use the subway, you can walk for about 200 meters to the north and take subway at the Lama Temple stop.