Former Site of Tianwang Temple

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　　The old city of Beijing, outside Guang’anmen Gate, Tianning Temple was first built during the Tang Dynasty’s Tianbao era (mid-8th century), originally named Tianwang Temple. From the 9th to 10th year of the Liao Dynasty’s Tianqing era (1119–1120 AD), a stupa was built within the temple. At the end of the Jin Dynasty, the temple was destroyed but the stupa remained. In the 7th year of the Ming Dynasty’s Xuande era (1432 AD), it was rebuilt and renamed Tianning Temple, then in the 10th year of the Zhengtong era (1445 AD), it was again renamed Guangshan Jietan. Later, it reverted to its current name. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the temple was destroyed once more and was rebuilt in the 21st year of the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong era (1756 AD). At the center of the temple is the stupa from the Liao Dynasty’s Tianwang Temple, with the mountain gate, the Guanyin Hall, and east and west side halls in front of the stupa, and the Three Great Bodhisattva Hall, the Ordination Platform, and east and west side halls behind it. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, most of the halls and Buddha statues were damaged. In 1937, the halls in front of the stupa were restored, but everything behind the stupa fell into disuse and was later gradually occupied by factories. The stupa had its base brick carvings replaced during the early Ming Dynasty to restore the original Liao Dynasty appearance, and in the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, the iron spire from the Liao Dynasty was replaced with a brick-built finial. In the 1976 earthquake, the finial collapsed and the eaves were damaged; repairs were made in 1992. Between 2002 and 2003, the halls in front of the stupa were reclaimed and restored to their original condition. Tianwang Temple was located within Yanqing Fang of the Tang Dynasty’s Youzhou City, the Liao Dynasty’s Nanjing, and the Jin Dynasty’s Zhongdu. The stupa is the oldest surviving structure in Beijing’s urban area and an important landmark in the city’s development. To preserve history and continue cultural heritage, the People’s Government of Xuanwu District, Beijing, erected a stele marking the former site, describing its transformations, and thus this inscription is established for the public's benefit.