Changchun Temple

Changchun Temple

Changchun Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Changchun Temple, located on Changchun Street in Beijing, has an east-facing mountain gate, along with a front hall, main hall, and rear enclosure building. Although some renovations have been made, the original structures are largely intact.

Constructed in the 20th year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty (1592), it has been around for nearly 400 years. It was ordered to be built by Empress Dowager Xiaoding Li, the mother of Emperor Shenzong, as a residence for the monk Shuizhai, whose senior disciple served as a stand-in for the emperor in Buddhist rites. Emperor Shenzong bestowed the name “Changchun” (Longevity Spring), expressing his wish for his mother’s long life. After Empress Dowager Li passed away, she was revered as the “Nine-Lotus Bodhisattva,” and an image of her as such has been preserved in Changchun Temple. In addition, the last Ming emperor, Chongzhen, who missed his birth mother, Empress Xiaochun Liu, had a portrait of her painted and also hung it in the temple. By the Guangxu period, only the portrait of Empress Liu remained, but it too was lost during the “Cultural Revolution.” Originally, there was also a copper stupa for subduing demons in the temple, standing 1.5 zhang tall, but it has since been relocated to Longevity Temple.

During the Kangxi era, Changchun Temple fell into disrepair due to an earthquake but was later restored with funding donated by Feng Pu, the Chief Grand Secretary. Nearby, the Miaoguang Pavilion was built by the early Qing scholar Gong Dingzi. The pavilion collapsed during the Qianlong reign, was rebuilt in the Jiaqing era, and renamed Zhe Temple. The remains of martyrs such as Li Dazhao were once laid in state at both Changchun Temple and Zhe Temple. Zhe Temple has since been demolished.

On October 7, 2019, Changchun Temple was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Source: Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Relics Protection Units in Beijing

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units