Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple)
Active Tibetan Buddhist (Gelug) Monastery; Major Historical And Cultural Site Protected At The National Level · Beijing, Beijing
The largest and most important Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Beijing and one of the most active temples in China: a sequence of courtyards and halls rising in height from south to north, their yellow roofs, painted beams and incense smoke filling a block of the old Dongcheng district. Built in 1694 as the residence of Prince Yong, the future Yongzheng Emperor, it became a lamasery under the Qianlong Emperor in 1744 and still houses Gelug monks. Its climax is the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses, home to an 18-metre standing Maitreya Buddha carved from a single trunk of white sandalwood, recognised as the largest of its kind. Worshippers of all ages crowd the courtyards to light incense and pray, many of them young people asking for luck in exams, jobs and love.
12 Yonghegong Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, Beijing, China
Daily; April-October 9:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30), November-March 9:00-16:30 (last entry 16:00). Occasional short-notice closures.
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