Lama Temple

The Yonghe Lama Temple is located in the north-east corner of the North Second Ring Road, where the Kangxi Emperor built a residence in 1694 and gave it to his fourth son, Prince Yong. In the third year of the Yongzheng reign (1725), the royal residence was transformed into a palace called Yonghe Palace. In the thirteenth year of the Yongzheng reign (1735) when he passed away, Yongzheng's coffin was parked there, so the main hall of the temple was changed from green glazed tiles to yellow glazed tiles. Because the temple witnesses the birth of two emperors, it is constructed with yellow tile and red walls, the same specifications as the Forbidden City Palace. In the ninth year of the Qianlong period (1744), Yonghe Palace was converted into a formal Tibetan Buddhist temple and became the center of Tibetan Buddhist affairs for the Qing government. It is fair to say that the Yonghe Lama Temple was one of the highest-specification Buddhist monasteries in the country in the mid to late Qing dynasty.

The temple consists mainly of three exquisite Paifang and five magnificent halls. From the east and west Paifang with flying eaves and arches to the ancient east and west shunshan buildings, the total area is about 66,400 square meters and there are more than a thousand halls, which also house countless treasures, making it a temple of art.

In summer, the Yonghe Lama Temple is shaded by greenery and red walls that cut off the hustle and bustle of the outside world, leaving only the breeze and the sound of birds, bells and drums. Visitors can stroll around the temple, appreciate the ancient scenery and find inner peace.