Yonghegong Lama Temple
When considering the China Tours ,Beijing tours may be the first choice , but when thinking of the Travel to Beijing , many people may not remind of Yonghegong Lama temple .The Forbidden City is so famous that many scenic spots in Beijing are ignored. Though it is not the first choice, but it is still a very famous place.
As with most everything in China, the Lama temple has to have a nickname and this one is also known as the Palace of Peace and Harmony, not to mention it”s technical name: the Yonghegong lamasery. But no matter what you call it, the Lama temple remains on of the most important tourist attractions in Beijing. Sure, most visitors flock to the Forbidden City or Great Wall of China, but that doesn”t mean the Lama temple doesn”t have its own rewards. The history of the Lama temple is palpable throughout its grounds, found in the northeast corner of Beijing.
The Yonghe Lamasery, or Yonghegong lama Temple is the most handsome and impressive Buddhist temple in the city. Lama Temple was built in the 33 Qing Kangxi year (1694) and it is now the largest and best-preserved Lamasery of Yellwo Sect in Beijing. It was the residence of Emperor Yongzheng before his ascending to the throne. Built initially in 1694 during the Qing Dynasty, this building was the residence of Emperor Yongzheng when he was just a prince. However, in 1744 the Qing Dynasty formally changed the status of the dwelling to that of a lamasery, and so Yonghe Lamasery became the national centre of Lama administration.
Situated across five large halls, each with a corresponding courtyard, the sculptures are some of the most striking in all of China. Of interest to visitors in the Lama Temple are the 18-metre-high Maitreya statue engraved from a 26-metre-long white sandal-wood log, “the Five hundred Arhats Hill” made of gold, silver, copper, iron and tin, and the niche carved out of nanmu (this kind of Phoebe nanmu can give off a unusual scent reputed to repel mosquitoes in summer). These three objects are accredited as the three matchless masterpieces in the Lama Temple.Depicting a cavalcade of rounded Buddhas, angry Gods and spiteful demons, there are also plenty of colorful murals constructed in the traditional Tibetan style. In fact, Tibet and Mongolia”s influence is mentioned everywhere in the history of the Lama Temple – during the reign of Qian Long, many monks from these areas were invited to stay in this lamasery, a friendly gesture that, along with the stoppage of construction on the Great Wall of China, helped a great deal in relations with the neighboring empires.
Tourist attractions in Beijing are certainly in no short supply, but the northeast section of the city has few things greater than the color and history of the Lama temple. While its cultural significance has faded a bit with time, it is still one of the most sacred spots in all of China. If you need further proof, you need to look no further than the wandering monks that still call the grounds home, to the regal coffin of Yongzheng, to the faded yellow tiles that still remain, a reminder of when the temple was not only sacred but an important political tool for the Chinese empire. If you want to visit more other lama temples,you can consider Tibet Tours.
Related posts:
