Lingyan Temple

Lingyan Temple

Lingyan Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Beijing Municipality.

Lingyan Temple is located in Qijiazhuang Village, Qijiazhuang Township, Mentougou District. It was originally built during the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty, later rebuilt during the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty, and converted into a nunnery during the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty. The temple sits to the north of Jinzhu Mountain and faces south. It originally included a mountain gate hall, bell and drum towers, the Prince Hall, the Sangharama Patriarch Hall, the Mahavira Hall, as well as more than ten side halls. During the War of Resistance against Japan, most of Lingyan Temple was burned down by Japanese troops, leaving only the Mahavira Hall. The overall architecture of the Mahavira Hall reflects the techniques and craftsmanship of the Yuan Dynasty. The roof and gable walls were modified during the Qing Dynasty. The hall currently houses a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha, along with four bronze bodhisattva statues on either side, and four rows of small Buddha statues in front of the main statue, totaling as many as fifty. On the east side of the hall are statues of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, placed within niches, while the west side features a niche of the Tathagata Buddha, with a golden-winged bird atop the halo of the Buddha statue.

The only surviving wooden structure from the Yuan Dynasty in the Beijing area. Originally built during the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt during the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty. The mountain behind the temple is called Jinzhu Mountain. Inside Lingyan Temple stands a stele from the 22nd year of the Chenghua era (1486) titled “Record of the Reconstruction of Lingyan Temple.” The temple faces south and originally included a mountain gate hall, bell and drum towers, the Prince Hall, the Sangharama Patriarch Hall, the Mahavira Hall, as well as more than ten side halls. These were burned down by Japanese troops during the War of Resistance, leaving only the Mahavira Hall. The overall architecture of the hall reflects the techniques and craftsmanship of the Yuan Dynasty. The roof and gable walls were modified during the Qing Dynasty. The hall once housed a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha, along with four bronze bodhisattva statues on either side, and four rows of small Buddha statues in front of the main statue, totaling as many as fifty. On the east side of the hall are statues of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, placed within niches, while the west side features a niche of the Tathagata Buddha, with a golden-winged bird atop the halo of the Buddha statue.

Location

Qijiazhuang Village, Qijiazhuang Township, Mentougou District, Beijing

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Relic Protection Units in Beijing