Yonghegong, Beijing

Yonghegong, Beijing

The Yonghe Lamasery or Lama Temple (also Palace of Peace) was built in Han Chinese and Tibetan style by Chinese emperors who were fascinated by the Tibetan (Tantric) version of Buddhism.

The Yonghe Lamasery or Lama Temple (also Palace of Peace) was built in Han Chinese and Tibetan style by Chinese emperors who were fascinated by the Tibetan (Tantric) version of Buddhism. Over the years, many Tibetan and Mongolian monks lived and taught here, a tradition that has continued to this day. The temple is famous for its 26 metre tall statue of Maitreya Buddha (Buddha of the Future) in the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses, carved from a single piece of sandalwood. Also worth seeing is the Hall of Harmony and Peace housing the three bronze statues depicting Buddhas from the Three Ages - Past, Present and Future. The Hall of Everlasting Protection was Emperor Yongzheng's living quarters as a prince and the place where his coffin was placed after his death. It has a statue of the Bhaisajya-guru (healing Buddha). The Hall of the Wheel of the Law functions as a place for reading scriptures and conducting religious ceremonies. It houses the Five-Hundred-Arhat-Hill, a carving made of red sandalwood with statues of the arhats (perfect people) made from five different metals (gold, silver, copper, iron, and tin). Visitors are not allowed to take pictures of holy statues inside most of the temples.