Beijing Temples
Yonghegong Lama TempleYonghegong is an important temple associated with Tibetan Buddhism.
It is a working lamasary, so it is not unusual to see lamas (monks) in long black robes around the temple. Note: if the monks are wearing deep red or gold robes, they are probably from Tibet. Yonghegong is a former palace belonging to minor members of the imperial family. It was converted to a lamasary a few hundred years ago. As temples go, it is compact, but still requires a lot of walking. There is only one entrance/exit. A good way to avoid retracing your steps is to tour Yonghegong in a circular route. Yonghegong has always been one of my favorite temples. It’s a good place to buy farmer/folk art paintings. How to get there: Yonghegong is very easy to find. Just get off at the Yonghegong stop on subway Lines 2 or 5, then walk south about five minues. Also in the area: As you exit Yonghegong, so straight on the street which t-bones the one Yonghegong is on. A walk of about five minutes will bring you to the Confucious Temple with its forest of stone eles. |
Temple of HeavenOK, I admit it. The Temple of Heaven is not one of my favorite sites in Beijing, maybe because there’s not a lot to do after you’ve seen the beautiful blue temple that is symbolic of Beijing.
The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which means its worth visiting for that reason alone. A lot of people fly kites there. The Temple of Heaven is one of four temples that form an axis in Beijing. The others are Ditan Park, a short walk north of Yonghegong; Ritan Park, located near the Sanlitun diplomatic district, and Yuetan Park located to the east. |
Big Bell TempleThe Big Bell Temple is not a temple in the religious sense of the word, unless you count worshipping bells a religion. It is more like a museum of bells.
The museum has hundreds of bells, including the biggest one in China, which weighs in at 47 tons and has 227,000 Chinese characters inscribed on it. In days of old, the bell could be heard rining more than 20 miles away. Of course, Beijing's traffic sounds blot out any bell tones now. If you’re traveling with kids, they’ll enjoy this temple as it has bells you can ring yourself. How to get there: Big Bell Temple is located on northwestern Third Ring Road. Get off at the Dazhongsi stop on buses 300, 302, 367 and 718, or subway line 13. |
Beijing Museum Pass
If you're going to be in Beijing for an extended period, consider buying the Beijing Museum Pass, which offers free or reduced admission prices for two to six people to 115 museums, art galleries and tourist attractions in the capital city.
The pass is good mostly to lesser known museums that first-time visitors to the city for only a couple of days won't have time to do. But those who are there longer or are making a return visit will find the pass handy, especially when paired with a subway/bus pass to get around.
The Big Bell Temple, above, is one of the museums the bowuguan, as its called, is good at. The pass costs 120 rmb and pays for itself if you only visit five or six museums. It is good for a year.
The pass is good mostly to lesser known museums that first-time visitors to the city for only a couple of days won't have time to do. But those who are there longer or are making a return visit will find the pass handy, especially when paired with a subway/bus pass to get around.
The Big Bell Temple, above, is one of the museums the bowuguan, as its called, is good at. The pass costs 120 rmb and pays for itself if you only visit five or six museums. It is good for a year.
Contact Cheryl
Copyright 2012 by Cheryl Probst. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2012 by Cheryl Probst. All rights reserved.