Lama Temple

​​A Sacred Fusion of History and Faith​​

The Lama Temple (Yonghegong, 雍和宫), located in Beijing’s Dongcheng District, is a masterpiece of Han-Tibetan architecture and a pivotal center for Tibetan Buddhism. Originally constructed in 1694 as the residence of Prince Yong (later Emperor Yongzheng), it was converted into a monastery in 1744 under Emperor Qianlong, becoming the Qing dynasty’s administrative hub for Tibetan Buddhist affairs.

​​Architectural Splendor​​

Spanning ​​66,400㎡​​, the temple features:

1. ​​Five Halls on a Central Axis​​:

   • ​​Yonghe Gate (天王殿)​​: Houses ​​Maitreya Buddha​​ and the ​​Four Heavenly Kings​​.
   • ​​Yonghegong Hall (雍和宫大殿)​​: Showcases ​​Three Buddhas of Time​​ (past, present, future).
   • ​​Falun Hall (法轮殿)​​: Crowned with ​​five Tibetan-style gilded pagodas​​, it enshrines a ​​6m-tall statue of Tsongkhapa​​, founder of the Gelug school.
   • ​​Wanfu Pavilion (万福阁)​​: Dominated by the ​​26m-tall Maitreya Buddha​​, carved from a single ​​sandalwood trunk​​—one of the temple’s "​​Three Wooden Wonders​​".

2. ​​Cultural Hybridity​​:

   • ​​Yellow-tiled roofs​​ (reserved for imperial use) and ​​Tibetan mandala motifs​​ symbolize unity between Han and Tibetan traditions.
   • The ​​"Four Academic Halls"​​ (sutra, tantra, medicine, astrology) reflect its role as a ​​monastic university​​.

​​Historical Significance​​

• ​​Imperial Legacy​​: Birthplace of ​​Emperor Qianlong​​; hosted ​​Dalai Lamas​​ and ​​Panchen Lamas​​ during Qing-era diplomacy.
• ​​Modern Resilience​​: Survived the ​​Cultural Revolution​​; reopened in ​​1981​​ as a ​​protected heritage site and active monastery​​.

​​Visitor Experience​​

• ​​Highlights​​:
  • ​​Morning Prayers (8:30–10:00)​​: Monks chant amidst ​​butter lamp​​ glow.
  • ​​Annual Festivals​​:
    • ​​Great Prayer Festival (Jan/Feb)​​: Masked ​​Cham dances​​ to dispel evil.
    • ​​Bathing the Buddha (April)​​: Commemorates Buddha’s birth.
• ​​Practical Tips​​:
  • ​​Hours​​: ​​9:00–17:00​​ (summer); ​​9:00–16:30​​ (winter).
  • ​​Fee​​: ​​¥25​​ (free for children under 1.2m).
  • ​​Etiquette​​: Walk clockwise around stupas; no photography in prayer halls.

​​2025 Update​​: New ​​multilingual AR guides​​ decode murals and rituals in real-time.

For live prayer schedules: Official Site.