Jan Bockaert · 2015-01-14 Yonghe Temple.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Lama Temple (Yonghe)
A Qing prince’s palace turned Gelug monastery in 1744, with an 18-metre sandalwood Maitreya.
Lama Temple (Yonghe)
Yonghe Temple began in 1694 as a residence, became an imperial palace, and was converted into a Tibetan Buddhist lamasery by edict of the Qianlong Emperor in 1744 — which is why a Gelug monastery stands in the middle of a Chinese imperial capital in Chinese palace architecture. It is an active temple, not a museum, and the incense in the courtyards is the first thing most visitors notice. The object everyone comes for is in the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses at the back: a standing Maitreya Buddha eighteen metres tall, carved from a single piece of white sandalwood. It is the kind of thing that does not photograph and has to be stood under.
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What to see
Five halls in sequence, getting larger as you go north.
Through the halls
- The successive courtyards and halls, which step up in scale towards the rear of the complex.
- The Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses and its 18-metre Maitreya, carved from one white sandalwood trunk.
- The bronze work, thangkas and ritual objects in the side halls.
The temple in use
- Worshippers with incense in the courtyards — this is a working monastery.
- The Gelug iconography, which is Tibetan in a Chinese architectural frame.
Getting there
Dongcheng District, on Yonghegong Street, directly on the subway.
By subway
- A subway station serves the temple and is named for it; the entrance is a short walk from the exit.
- It sits north-east of the Forbidden City and pairs naturally with the hutongs to the west.
- The Confucius Temple and Guozijian are on a lane immediately opposite.
Best time
Morning, and not on a major festival day unless that is the point.
When to go
- Mornings are quieter and the light reaches into the halls.
- September–October and April–May for the weather.
- Lunar New Year and Buddhist festival days are extremely busy.
Visitor intelligence
A working monastery, with the etiquette that implies.
Before you go
- Incense is usually provided at the entrance; bringing your own is generally discouraged.
- Photography is restricted inside the halls — follow the signage rather than other visitors.
- Dress respectfully; this is a place of worship in daily use.
Nearby
North-east Dongcheng, all within a walk.
Frequently asked
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