Pudu Temple

Pudu Temple

Pudu Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Pudu Temple in Dongcheng District, Beijing, is located on Nan Chizi Street. Originally built as a temple during the early Qing Dynasty, it stands on what was once part of the Hongqing Palace in the southern city during the Ming Dynasty. It also served as the residence of Dorgon, the Prince Regent (Rui Prince) of the Qing Dynasty. In the 33rd year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign (1694), the old Rui Prince Mansion was converted into the Mahakala Temple. In 1776, Emperor Qianlong bestowed the name “Pudu Temple.” The main hall features grand architecture, an elevated platform with a Sumeru-style base, and spans nine bays. Its roof is covered with yellow tiles trimmed with green, while the front porch has green tiles trimmed with yellow. The eaves have three tiers of flying rafters—an uncommon feature in traditional architecture.

Due to historical reasons, after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Pudu Temple area naturally developed into a high-density residential neighborhood. The main hall of Pudu Temple was repurposed as classrooms and storage space for a school, leading to serious deterioration. The surrounding side halls no longer existed. The restoration of Pudu Temple drew attention from multiple departments and individuals, and it was included in Beijing’s three-year “300 Million Yuan Cultural Relics Emergency Restoration Project.” The Dongcheng District government invested over 40 million yuan to relocate 186 households living on the temple platform, merge and relocate the Nan Chizi Primary School occupying the main hall, and demolish nearly 5,000 square meters of dilapidated housing and illegal constructions around the temple. This allowed for the complete vacating of the heritage site and its subsequent restoration.

After the relocation, the restoration of Pudu Temple strictly followed traditional ancient building craftsmanship and the principle of preserving the original character of cultural relics. The painted ceilings in the hall appear half-new and half-old because restoration prioritized using original architectural components, with newly replicated pieces used only when old ones were damaged or insufficient.