Temple of Perfect Enlightenment

Temple of Perfect Enlightenment

Temple of Perfect Enlightenment is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Temple of Perfect Enlightenment, also known as the Reclining Buddha Temple, is located at the southern foot of Shou’an Mountain north of the Western Hills, 20 kilometers from downtown. It was built during the Zhenguan era (627–649) of the Tang Dynasty and was originally named Doushuai Temple. “Doushuai” is a transliteration from Sanskrit, meaning “wonderful sufficiency” or “contentment.”

First built during the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty, it has a history of over 1,300 years. Initially called Doushuai Temple, it housed a sandalwood-carved reclining Buddha statue. It was rebuilt during the Yuan Dynasty, and a bronze reclining statue of Sakyamuni was cast and placed inside. The temple was then renamed Shou’an Mountain Temple. In the 12th year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1734), it was renamed Temple of Perfect Enlightenment. Because the reclining Buddha statue became widely renowned, people commonly refer to it as the Reclining Buddha Temple.

The Reclining Buddha Temple faces south and is composed of three parallel courtyard complexes. In front of the temple stands a wooden memorial archway inscribed with the words “Wisdom Light Shines Again,” featuring four pillars and three stories with gray-tiled roofs. Beyond the archway lies a slope over 100 meters long with a 12-meter drop, lined on both sides by four rows of ancient cypresses. Major structures include a glazed memorial archway, the Mountain Gate Hall, the Heavenly King Hall, the Three Buddhas Hall, the Reclining Buddha Hall, and the Scripture Depository. Behind the depository is a hillside accessed by stone steps leading to a pavilion at the top, offering a panoramic view of the entire temple. The sides are surrounded by corridors, side halls, guest rooms, and the abbot’s quarters, connecting the three courtyards into a unified whole — an early layout method for Buddhist temples in China, which is relatively rare in the Beijing area. The temple also has two sal trees. Nearby is the Cherry Valley scenic spot.

Tel: 62591283

Location: At the southern foot of Shou’an Mountain north of the Western Hills, 20 kilometers from downtown.

The Glazed Memorial Archway stands before the Mountain Gate Hall — a four-pillared, seven-story glazed structure. The front is inscribed with “Together Seeking the Esoteric Treasury,” while the back reads “Fully Refined and Solemn,” both written by Emperor Qianlong. Behind the archway is a semicircular pool, flanked by the Bell Tower and Drum Tower, with a stone bridge leading to the Mountain Gate Hall.

The Three Buddhas Hall is the main hall of the Reclining Buddha Temple, named for enshrining the Three Ages Buddhas (namely, Bhaisajyaguru of the Eastern Pure Lapis Lazuli World, Sakyamuni of the Saha World, and Amitabha of the Western Paradise). On a lotus throne atop a one-meter-high Sumeru pedestal sit three 2.5-meter-high gilded clay Buddha statues. On both sides of the hall are painted sculptures of the Eighteen Arhats. The Three Buddhas Hall has east and west side halls: the east side hall houses statues of Prince Siddhartha and King Prasenajit, while the west side hall enshrines statues of Patriarch Bodhidharma and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

The Reclining Buddha Hall is three bays wide, with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof covered in green-glazed tiles and yellow trimmed edges. The couplets on both sides were written by Empress Dowager Cixi. The hall houses the largest existing bronze reclining Buddha in China. The Buddha was cast in the first year of the Zhi era of the Yuan Dynasty (1321). The statue is 5.3 meters long, weighs 25,000 kilograms (25 tons), and required 7,000 kilograms of copper in casting. The bronze Buddha lies in a sleeping posture, facing south with its head to the west, its left hand naturally resting on its leg, and its right elbow bent to support its head. Behind the reclining Buddha are twelve contemplative bodhisattvas seated in mourning, conveying the scene of Sakyamuni’s nirvana under the sal tree, instructing his twelve disciples on his final wishes. A horizontal plaque inscribed with “Attaining Supreme Freedom” hangs on the front wall of the hall. Outside the hall are two steles, the one on the right erected in 1734 and the one on the left in 1749, both engraved with a brief history of the Reclining Buddha Temple.

The side halls originally had dozens of large cabinets, all storing volumes of scriptures, usually sealed and locked. They were only opened on June 24th each year for the scripture airing ceremony. In 1966, the scriptures were destroyed.

The Four Heavenly Kings Hall houses statues of the Four Heavenly Kings. Each king has an attendant and 91 sons who assist them in guarding their respective directions. The hall also enshrines Skanda (one of the guardian deities of Buddhism and the leader of the 32 Heavenly Generals under the Four Heavenly Kings), who has been placed in temples since the early Tang Dynasty.

Transportation Information

Take Bus 818 from Qianmen or Bus 332 from the Beijing Zoo

Further Reading:

· One of Beijing’s First Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units