Located in the northeast corner of Beijing, today considered the largest and most preserved Lamasery in China, the Yong Temple is also known as the Harmony and Peace Palace Lamasery, or Yong Lama Temple.
Built-in 1694 during the Qing Dynasty, this building was the home of Emperor Yongshen when he was a prince. However, in 1744, the Qing Dynasty formally changed the status of the residence to Lamasari, which became the national center of the Lama administration.
Arriving at the far right, the viewer enters a courtyard with a screen wall and three Paifangs (gateways), observing red walls and stone lions. It shows that it was originally the residence of a member of the imperial family. Visitors entering the north from Gateways will have to face a wide direct route used by the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911) for the compartments of emperors and their wives. At the northern end of the road is the Satoimon (Gate of Peace) with three large arches, the main one of which was for the special use of the emperors. You can then enter the second courtyard, which has a drum tower on the west side and a bell tower on the east side. In front of these towers are two octagonal steel pavilions. The words of Emperor Qianlong are engraved, explaining the traditional and historical reasons why the dwellings formerly used by members of the imperial family should later be converted into Lama temples in Beijing.
Yong’s Gate, originally the main entrance to Yong Temple, is now known as Devaraja Hall (Hall of the Heavenly Kings). Because there are statues of four very powerful heavenly kings on either side of the palace walls. On the east side is the northern heavenly king holding a serpent and an object. On the east side, the king of the south holds an umbrella and a silver mouse. There is a sword on the south side and a pipa on the west side (a musical instrument used in ancient China). In the center of the palace is a smiling Maitreya.
On leaving the Devaraja Hall, the visitor will be able to observe an old copper cooking vessel built during the Qing Dynasty in 1747. Appearing in black as a seat with a white marble seat, the vessel has a high artistic value and is named as one of the ‘Three Rare Things in Beijing’. The upper bouts featured two cutaways, for easier access to the higher frets, and two lower bouts featured two cutaways, for easier access to the higher frets. The Great Steel Pavilion is located on the north side of the vessel, with doors open on each side. The words of Emperor Quanlong in Qing inform the origin and meaning of Lamaism. To the north of this pavilion is a strangely shaped mountain called Shui Hill. It is a place of worship with rich religious significance. It is built in the middle of a pool and represents a place of interest for all Buddhists to visit.
The Hall of Harmony and Peace (Yongheong) is the main palace, with three bronze Buddhas on display inside. In the middle are Sakyamuni, Kashyapa-Matanga on the right, and Maitreya on the left. There are 18 statues of Arhat (statues of Buddha disciples) placed on either side of the hall. The picture on the west wall shows Avalokitesvara’s hands and eyes.
To the north of the Hall of Unity and Peace is the Yonggudian (Eternal Preservation Hall), which was the living room of Emperor Yongsheng when he lived there as a young prince, and his coffin was buried there when he died. Now there is a statue of Bhijajya-Guru, for which offerings are made.
It is then possible to travel north from Yongjudian to Falundian (Wheel of Law). It is a place where Lamas can read the scriptures and hold Buddhist ceremonies. Its structure contains the architectural styles of the Tibetan and Han nationalities, making it characteristic of Falundian. It was formerly the residence of the emperor’s wives. A large statue of Song Kha, the ancestor of Lamaism, is displayed in the center of the hall, where offerings are made. Behind this statue is a mountain of 500 Arahat statues made of five metals such as gold, silver, copper, iron, and tin. These Arahant statues are shaped in different postures. In front of this mountain is a wooden basin that is said to have been used to wash the remains of Emperor Qianlong three days after his birth. Around both the eastern and western walls are beautiful large murals depicting the life of Sakyamuni.
Van Fuj (Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happiness) was the last formal palace visited by the Yong Lama Temple. This is the tallest palace with three floors. The pavilion displays tens of thousands of Buddhas of all ranks, with a huge statue of Maitreya placed on a white marble base in the center.
