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Lama Temple - Yonghegong, Beijing
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Lama Temple - Yonghegong, Beijing

Lama Temple - Yonghegong tips and photos posted by real travelers and Beijing locals.
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Lama Temple - Yonghegong: Yonghegong - The Tibetan Lamasery
  • Tip Rating:
  • By mke1963 on January 29, 2004
  • Beijing Page by mke1963
  • Yonghegong - Beijing
    Yonghegong
    by mke1963,
    4 more photos
    The Yonghegong is one of Beijing's more curious temples, having started life as a residence for a crown prince of the emperor. Just thirty years later, in 1723, after the death of the prince, much of the palace was turned over to the monks.
    The temple compund has a succession of compounds, with seemingly endless halls of Buddhas, each one popular with the praying masses - and indeed it was the masses, as this must be one of the most popular of Beijing's temples.
    The temple is absolutely beautiful, but it is heavily commercialised. Meditation, let alone enlightenment, will be tricky with the constant noise and paraphernalia.
    Every hall has signs, obtrusive as always and often crass (like the Guiness Book Of Records plaque adorning the rearmost Wanfuge Hall.) Ironically, there are a number of large "Protect Cultural Heritage" signs inappropriately sited.
    So...Temple or Theme Park? You decide. Like many of the big Chinese Buddhist temples, such as Baimasi in Luoyang, it lacks warmth and 'feeling'. It is expensive at RMB25 per head, and the non-Buddhist doesn't feel educated or informed, despite the little exhibition hall in the last courtyard.
    I like the Yonghegong, but don't know why!
    I recommend that you visit the beautiful and tranquil Kongmiao (Confucian Temple) and Guozijian (Imperial College) at the same time: they are in a side street opposite.

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  • Address: Yonghegong lu
  • Directions: At the junction of Yonghegonglu and the second ringroad.
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    Lama Temple - Yonghegong: I was incensed at the Lama temple
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  • calcaf38
  • By calcaf38 on February 2, 2005
  • Beijing Page by calcaf38
  • Sunset at the Lama Temple - Beijing
    Sunset at the Lama Temple
    by calcaf38, 2 more photos
    The Lama Temple is a magnificent Tibetan Buddhist complex built around 1700.

    Now that religion is allowed in China, the Lama Temple is very active, with many faithfuls burning armloads of incense.

    The superb architecture and the spiritual atmosphere combine into an unforgettable visit for foreigners.

    When I visited, in January 2005, closing time was 4:30pm (my guidebook said 4:00). And it was quite haunting, with the priests closing the incense burners and the shutters.

    Before or after the visit, remember there are many intriguing Hutong nearby.

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  • Directions: Located on the north end of the city center, easily accessible from the metro line (Lama Temple Station).
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    Lama Temple - Yonghegong: Going without the tour
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  • amambaw
  • By amambaw on October 12, 2004
  • Beijing Page by amambaw
  • Ringing the bell - Beijing
    Ringing the bell
    by amambaw
    This was the only major site that we visited without our tour group, and I'm very glad that we did, not just for the opportunity to venture on our own, but also because the Temple is amazing.

    The Lama Temple is home to the Yellow Sect of Buddhism, which is the same sect as the Dalai Lama. It is an active lamasary, which means that monks of the sect live and work in the temple. The temple is also home to an amazing relic: the largest Buddha statue carved from a single tree. The statue is huge: 3 stories up and about 9 feet across. He is carved from a single tree (cypruss, I think) that had to be imported from outside the capital. What a job!

    While we were visiting, China was just about to have its Autumn Festival. There were many worshippers at the temple making offerings of incense and praying. The atmosphere during our visit was calm and quiet, very unlike some of our other hurried visits to famous sites! We wandered and got a good look at the architecture and the artwork... all fabulous!

    The temple is small, relatively speaking, to many of the other sites you can visit in Beijing, but I would definitely recommend it as a side trip.

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  • Directions: Located on the north end of the city center, easily accessible from the metro line.
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    Lama Temple - Yonghegong: A vast, colourful tourist site
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  • albaaust
  • Updated By albaaust on February 11, 2007
  • Beijing Page by albaaust
  • Lama Temple - Yonghegong - Beijing
    by albaaust,
    4 more photos
    This temple is the most renowned Buddhist temple outside Tibet. It is a vast area and has numerous halls with each having magnificent Buddhas, huge incense burners, prayer wheels, tapestries and a museum devoted to Tibertan metal statuery. The most impessive is the Wanfuge which contains the 18 metre, 9 metres across at the base, highly polished wooden (sandalwood)Buddha supposedly the largest wooden Buddha.

    Unfortunately, you cannot take photos inside and therefore capture the full magnitude of the statue.

    The ticket costs 25 Yuan and is actually a VCD of the temple which does work! (see photo) Don’t throw it out!

  • Directions: Located on the north end of the city center, easily accessible from the metro line.
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    Lama Temple - Yonghegong: "Temple of LAMA"---The only Tibetan temple here!
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  • Sally_chen
  • Updated By Sally_chen on February 27, 2004
  • Beijing Page by Sally_chen
  • Lama Temple - Yonghegong - Beijing
    by Sally_chen
    I like this temple, if you take subway , you can get off right at this station!
    It's a peace and quiet place , many buddists not only local but those from other part of China come here to pray for all reason, heathy/wealthy/safe/peace....ect...
    People believe that all pray can become true after you light incents and pray here...

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    Lama Temple - Yonghegong: Lama Temple
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  • jonkb
  • Updated By jonkb on July 7, 2006
  • Beijing Page by jonkb
  • A friend of mine in front of one of the buildings - Beijing
    A friend of mine in front
    of one of the buildings
    by jonkb
    Best place to get away from the pushy salesmen in the street. This large temple - actually its temples - was once the residence of a count. He moved to the Forbidden City when he became emperor, and the palace was taken over by monks. When a rebellion in Tibet was quelled he issued that a vase was kept in the temple. The vase was used in choosing the Panchen Lama.

    The temples all have Buddhas in them but the last one is by far the largest. It is supposedly cut out of a single piece of wood, but seeing the size of it I wonder if there have ever been a tree that wide. Every statue has some meaning and is the Buddha for something. I couldn't figure out half of them, but then again I am a complete novice on Buddhist symbols.

    Photography inside the temple buildings are not allowed.

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  • Address: 28 Yonghegong Dajie
  • Phone: 64044499
  • Directions: Located on the north end of the city center, easily accessible from the metro line. 39 deg 56'46''N 116 deg 24'41''E
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    Lama Temple - Yonghegong: a big complex
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  • filipdebont
  • By filipdebont on January 22, 2005
  • Beijing Page by filipdebont
  • one of the temples inside the Lama temple - Beijing
    one of the temples inside the
    Lama temple
    by filipdebont
    Before I visited the Lama temple (Yonghegong), I thought that this temple would be one big building surrounded by a few smaller ones.

    But since my visit I know better, as this Lama temple is much more then just one building. Oh, no it is building after building after building . . .

    Yes indeed this also a big site to visit. Not something you visit in 15 minutes.

    There are a lot of great temples with fine architecture and colourful sculptures.

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  • Address: Yonghegong Daije 12
  • Directions: Located on the north end of the city center, easily accessible from the metro line.
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    Lama Temple - Yonghegong: 2nd day in Beijing
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  • filipdebont
  • By filipdebont on January 20, 2005
  • Beijing Page by filipdebont
  • Entry gate towards the Lama temple - Beijing
    Entry gate towards the Lama
    temple
    by filipdebont
    Our second day in Beijing started wet, rain, rain, yes right . . . . Umbrella weather.

    But no time to loose, this I had planned a visit at the Lama temple at the other side of the city, then a visit at the Confucius temple which is nearby. And after lunch I had planned a visit at the Drum tower and the Bell tower.

    We finished our second day with an acrobatic show.

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  • Directions: Located on the north end of the city center, easily accessible from the metro line.
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    Lama Temple - Yonghegong: Lama temple
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  • filipdebont
  • By filipdebont on January 22, 2005
  • Beijing Page by filipdebont
  • Inside the Lama Temple complex - Beijing
    Inside the Lama Temple
    complex
    by filipdebont
    So on the second day in Beijing I decided to visit the Lama temple.

    This Lama temple is very easy accessible with the Beijing Metro system (Yonghegong subway station).

    The entry to this temple is just around the corner.

    After the ticket control you arrive at a first courtyard, where you can see a big bell and some beautiful pavilions.

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  • Address: Yonghegong Dajie 12
  • Directions: Located on the north end of the city center, easily accessible from the metro line.
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    Lama Temple - Yonghegong: the temple of the Tibetan form of Buddhism
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  • machomikemd
  • By machomikemd on June 21, 2009
  • Beijing Page by machomikemd
  • to the temple - Beijing
    to the temple
    by machomikemd, 2 more photos
    It is the temple and monastery of the Geluk School of Tibetan Buddhism located in the northeastern part of Beijing, China. Also known as the Yonghe temple.

  • Directions: Located on the north end of the city center, easily accessible from the metro line.
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