Long’an Temple

　　Destination Introduction
　　Long’an Temple is located at No. 1 Baiqiaonanli in the northeast of Chongwen District. It is a renowned Buddhist temple in the outer city of Beijing. In 1984, it was listed as a Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Site.

　　　　Long’an Temple was first built in the fifth year of the Jingtai era during the Ming Dynasty (1454). In the 37th year of the Wanli era (1609), the Sichuan monk Cuilin renovated the three rear halls of the main Buddha hall. The current structure, although reconstructed in the 47th year of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1708), still retains the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty temple.

　　　　During the Daoguang and Xianfeng eras of the Qing Dynasty, incense offerings ceased, and the temple was repurposed as a workshop for making Buddhist incense and a storage place for coffins of high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants. The surrounding area also became a “mass burial ground.”

　　　　In 1952, the temple was converted into Long’an Temple Primary School in Chongwen District, later renamed Baiqiaonanli Primary School and Donghuashi Youth Center. In 1983, the government renovated the temple again, and in 1984, it was turned into the Chongwen District Youth Science and Technology Museum.

　　　　Location: No. 1 Baiqiaonanli in the northeast of Chongwen District

　　　　Long’an Temple faces south and covers an area of 10,000 square meters, stretching over 160 meters from north to south and about 60 meters from east to west. The overall layout of the buildings is largely preserved. At the front is a mountain gate with a hip-and-gable roof, built in imitation of wooden structure with brick and stone, featuring a single archway with a stone plaque inscribed “Imperially Commissioned Long’an Temple.” Inside the gate, there were once bell and drum towers on both sides (now destroyed). The main halls, in sequence, are the Heavenly King Hall, Front Hall, Mahavira Hall, and Rear Hall—Pure Land Society. All major halls feature flush-gable roofs covered with green glazed tiles, exuding grandeur that surpasses ordinary temples. On the east and west sides of each main hall are auxiliary halls. Behind the Front Hall, there is a north-facing stage built for monks to perform operas and worship Buddha during the “Thousand Plate Festival.”

　　　　Existing relics include four stone steles, the oldest of which dates back to the fifth year of the Jingtai era in the Ming Dynasty, documenting the construction history of Long’an Temple. The other steles are commemorative inscriptions from various renovation projects. In the backyard of the Heavenly King Hall, there are also two ancient cypresses over 500 years old and two rare Chinese catalpa trees in Beijing. These are protected as key cultural relics in Beijing.

　　 Beijing Chongwen District