Yonghegong Lama Temple

Yonghegong Lama Temple

Yonghegong Lama Temple

The Lama Temple or Yonghegong in Chinese was originally a mansion built by Emperor Kangxi of Qing dynasty in year 1694 for his fourth son, Prince Yong, better known as Emperor Yongzheng. After Yongzheng ascended the throne in year 1723, some of the buildings in the large complex were converted into a Lama temple, and the roof tiles were changed to yellow, a royal color. Yongzheng died in year 1735, and his son, Qianlong made the complex a lamasery, inviting hundreds of lamas from Mongolia to stay permanently. Lamaism is the main religion of Tibet, Mongolia, Sikkim and Bhutan.
A long path runs north and south along the center of the entrance to the temple. Thousands of monks once lived on the east side of this path. After passing under the first gate, you will come to the first courtyard, which is flanked by the traditional drum and bell towers that are found in many temples. The two stone tablets, each with its own pavilion, are engraved with Qianlong’s essay “On Yonghegong,” written in Chinese and Manchu in the eastern pavilion and Mongolian and Tibetan in the western.
The first building you will come to is the Hall of Heavenly Kings (Tianwang Dian). Today, the ebullient Future Buddha, in his guise as the Laughing Buddha and accompanied by the Four Heavenly Kings on either side, greets all. Above him is written: “If the heart is bright, the wonderful will appear.” Behind him is the trusty Weituo, the defender of the faith, holding his scepter which signifying the strength for fighting evil spirits. The stone tablet in the courtyard behind is engraved with Qianlong’s essay “On Lamaism”.
In the next courtyard is the Yonghe Palace (Yonghe Dian), the main hall of the temple. It houses statues of the 18 luohan, or arhats, and three golden robed Buddha: the Last Buddha, the Historical Buddha and the Future Buddha. In front of the three Buddha are the 8 magic weapons of Tibetan Buddhism: the wheel of the law, the umbrella, the infinity knot, the conch shell, the lotus, the vase, the pair of fish and the canopy. And don’t forget to look up; the decorated ceiling is startlingly beautiful.
Next is the Hall of Eternal Divine Protection (Yongyou Dian), once the home of Prince Yong. When Yongzheng passed away in year 1735, his sarcophagus was placed here before it was buried in the Western Tomb of Qing Dynasty along with other Qing-dynasty emperors.
On the altar of the Hall of the Wheel of the Law (Falun Dian) – which was built during the Qing dynasty – stands a statue of Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Yellow Hat sect of Lamaism. The lamas who lived here visit five times a day to take part in religious activities, during which they sit on the long rows of cushions in the hall. The roof is an interesting mixture of Chinese and Tibetan architectural styles; piles of Tibetan scriptures printed from woodblocks lie against the walls.
The Wanfu Pavilion (Wanfu Ge), or Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happiness, is built around a colossal statue of the Maitreya Buddha. Carved from a single block of sandalwood, the statue stands 86 feet (26 meters) high, with one-third of its body below ground to steady it in case of an earthquake.
In the northwestern part of the temple are a display of Qing dynasty articles from Tibet and an exhibition of Tibetan Buddhism and the Lama Temple. The collection includes dharma wheels, scepter-like dorjes, bells, effigies of Buddha, and a multi-armed statue of Guanyin, Goddess of Mercy.
After you finish touring the main structure of the Lama Temple, wander around the corridors on either side in order to take in some of the smaller halls of this important temple. Some of the Beijing City Tour or Beijing Half Day Tour will include Yonghegong Lama Temple within their itinerary. If you are interested with the Beijing attractions of this kind, our travel consultant will be happy to assist you in creating an exclusive one for you.

Tours might suit your interests
	Beijing Day Tour to Lama Temple, Confucius Temple, Panda House & Summer Palace Tour Code: BJPDT1018 Highlights: Lama Temple, Confucius Temple, Panda House & Summer Palace
	Beijing Day Tour to Zhoukoudian, Marco Polo Bridge & Stone Flower Cave Tour Code: BJPDT1019 Highlights: Zhoukoudian, Marco Polo Bridge & Stone Flower Cave
	3 Days Beijing Authentic Tour with Hotel Tour Code: BJPPH3003 Highlights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Temple of Heaven, Beijing Hutong, Beijing Zoo, Summer Palace, Ming Tombs & Mutianyu Great Wall
	6 Days Beijing Deep Exploration Tour with Hotel Tour Code: BJPPH6001 Highlights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Ding Tomb, Beijing Great Wall, Beijing Hutong, Beihai Park & Prince Gong’s Mansion
	2 Days Beijing Essence Tour Tour Code: BJPPW2002 Highlights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Temple of Heaven, Ming Tombs & Mutianyu Great Wall