Five Peak Temples

　　The Five Peak Temples are the five most famous temples in Beijing dedicated to the Goddess of Mount Tai, also known as Bixia Yuanjun Temples. They are respectively the East Peak, West Peak, South Peak, North Peak, and Central Peak. The East Peak is located outside Dongzhimen and is commonly referred to as the East Peak. Because there is a centuries-old elm tree beside the temple, people from Shunyi and Tongzhou areas also call it the Solitary Elm Tree Temple. It no longer exists. The South Peak is situated in Nandui Village, outside Dahongmen in Fengtai District. Built during the Ming Dynasty, it was renovated in the 38th year of the Qianlong reign in the Qing Dynasty but collapsed during the Republican era and no longer remains. The West Peak, also known as the Guangren Palace Bixia Yuanjun Temple or commonly as the Goddess Temple, is located in Landianchang, Haidian District. Constructed in the 36th year of the Wanli reign in the Ming Dynasty, it was initially called the Huguo Hongrui Palace. In the 51st year of the Kangxi reign in the Qing Dynasty, it was renamed the Guangren Palace Bixia Yuanjun Temple. It features five main halls, seventy-two subordinate shrines, as well as an imperial stele inscribed by Emperor Shengzu, couplets and plaques written by Emperor Qianlong, and a poem stele also commissioned by Qianlong. During the Republican period, it served as a porridge distribution center, and after 1949, it functioned as a sanatorium. In the 1970s, it was repurposed as the Beijing Rubber & Hardware Factory. Currently, the mountain gate, main hall, side halls, and ancient cypresses remain. The North Peak is located in Beidian Village, Datun, Chaoyang District. It was renovated during the Qianlong reign in the Qing Dynasty. After 1976, the rear hall collapsed due to an earthquake and was later rebuilt as Beidian Primary School. Only the mountain gate and front hall remain today. The Central Peak is situated at Shicaiqiao, outside You’anmen in the southern part of the city. It was renovated in the 35th year of the Qianlong reign in the Qing Dynasty and again during the Republican era. Currently, the mountain gate, main hall, stone lions, a stone stele with a seal script inscription by Zhang Yushu, and a stone tablet with text by Shi Kui remain.