Reclining Buddha Temple in Beijing

Reclining Buddha Temple in Beijing

The Reclining Buddha Temple in Beijing is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural heritage site.

The Reclining Buddha Temple is situated within the Beijing Botanical Garden. It is a royal temple of the Tang Dynasty’s Chan Buddhism sect of Mahayana Buddhism and a national key cultural relics protection unit. Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty praised it as the “foremost scenic wonder upon entering the mountains” and the “crown of monasteries in the Western Hills.” According to legend, in the 19th year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty, the eminent monk Xuanzang returned to Chang’an from India with a large collection of scriptures and Buddhist statues. Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, led tens of thousands of monks to welcome him outside the city, creating an unprecedentedly grand occasion. Following this, a wave of monastery construction swept through China. Someone built a temple in what is today’s western suburbs of Beijing and named it “Doushuai Temple.” This temple is the predecessor of the Reclining Buddha Temple.

Reclining Buddha Temple

Historical records indicate that the Reclining Buddha Temple was first built during the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty, and originally housed a sandalwood reclining Buddha. Doushuai Temple was later renamed Zhaoxiao Temple, Hongqing Temple, and Yong’an Temple. After being renovated in the 12th year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1734), it was bestowed the name “Shifang Pujue Temple.” Since the temple enshrines a copper reclining Buddha, it became commonly known as the Reclining Buddha Temple. With a history of over 1,300 years, it is one of the oldest surviving temples in Beijing.

The architectural complex of the Reclining Buddha Temple follows an early layout method of Chinese Buddhist temples, continuing the layout style of the “Seven Halls of a Monastery” from the Tang Dynasty. This type of floor plan is very rare in Beijing. The temple boasts five unique landscapes: the Half-Moon Pond, ancient wax plum, ancient ginkgo tree, Eighteen Arhats, and the Reclining Buddha.

Address: Within the Beijing Botanical Garden, Reclining Buddha Temple Road, Haidian District, Beijing

Type: Temple

Phone: 010-82598771

Opening Hours:

8:30-16:30

Ticket Price:

5.00 yuan