A Quiet Spot in Busy Beijing

Everybody who stops by in Beijing on a China tour might only have time to see the main tourist attractions. But if you have enough time for more, you should take a closer look at the less crowded and maybe even hidden places and there are many of those throughout the city. Of course, you can't travel to Beijing without visiting at least one or two of the numerous temples. The Five Pagoda Temple (Wutasi) is a very good recommendation because it's not too popular with tourists and a comparably quiet place in this busy city with a great atmosphere. When it's a little windy you can hear the jingling sound of the bells from the five pagodas. The temple is not far from the north gate of Beijing Zoo in Haidian district. The closest subway station is in front of the National Library, a good opportunity to take a look at it on the way to the temple. The entrance fee is 20 RMB and there is the possibility to rent an audio guide in five different languages at the entrance gate for more profound information. The original name of the temple is Zhenjue Temple, meaning 'True Awakening Temple', and has a long and eventful past. First built during the Ming dynasty and completed in 1473 it was since then burned down to the ground twice and had to be rebuilt. The main element of this temple is a little hidden behind two huge Gingko trees growing on either side. It consists of a square five-storey foundation, known as the throne, which is 55 ft (17 m) high. The outside is decorated with carvings of Buddhas, Buddhist shrines and Sanskrit letters on all four sides. Five small stone pagodas rise from the base like diamonds. There is a larger pagoda in the middle of the throne surrounded by four smaller ones on each corner. Just like the foundation they are engraved with images of Buddha, animal figures and Buddhist symbols. It is an Indian-style construction with some influence of Chinese architecture and has therefore a unique character. The temple grounds around the five pagoda construction are used as the Art Museum of Stone Carvings and display numerous exhibits from different dynasties. There is a large display of tombstones in different sizes from the Tang to Qing dynasty, stone inscriptions in several languages, sculptures, calligraphy tablets as well as stone altars and other stone objects. The building at the north end of the main construction is used as an exhibition hall separated into three sections. Many objects, mainly from the Beijing area, are displayed. Nearly all explanations on the inside are in Chinese and English and it gives lots of interesting information about stone carving, the history of the temple and preserving historical sites and objects. Inside the building there is also a small souvenir shop and the tables and chairs outside invite to sit down for a rest or to enjoy a little snack. So don't miss your chance to see this peaceful place when you go on your personal Beijing tours. from China Travel Blog http://blog.chinatraveldepot.com

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