Changchun Temple Xuanwu Culture Museum

Changchun Temple Xuanwu Culture Museum

Changchun Temple Xuanwu Culture Museum is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural tourism site.

Changchun Temple Xuanwu Culture Museum is located at No. 9 Changchun Street and is a cultural relic protection unit of Beijing.

In the 20th year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty (1592), Empress Dowager Li, the birth mother of Emperor Wanli Zhu Yijun, commissioned the construction of this grand temple, which was then known as the “foremost temple in the capital,” for the eminent monk Shuizhai who had come to the capital. Emperor Wanli bestowed the name “Changchun,” meaning “long spring” or “long life.” Due to imperial patronage, the temple flourished for a time but was destroyed in an earthquake in the 18th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1679). It was rebuilt in the 21st year of the Qianlong reign (1756) and underwent subsequent renovations. The structure faces east and currently consists of two groups of buildings, north and south, with the main axis located in the southern courtyard. It features a three-courtyard layout, while the northern courtyard contains several smaller auxiliary structures. After Li Dazhao was executed by warlords on April 28, 1927, his body was temporarily laid in state at the temple.

In 2002, the Xuanwu District government funded the relocation of 145 resident households from the temple grounds and improved the surrounding environment. After restoration was completed in 2004, it was converted into the Xuanwu Culture Museum.

The museum focuses on the long history and rich cultural heritage of Xuanwu, presenting exhibits in a centralized and vivid manner to help visitors learn about and take an interest in the uniquely regional culture of Xuanwu in Beijing.