Beijing Attractions
Description
Venue: Lama Temple When: Daily
Beijing's Lama Temple is a vibrant riot of colour. Its Chinese name, Yonghegong, means "Palace of Harmony." The prayer halls and gardens are hung with amazing mandalas, which symbolise spiritual or meditative worlds to Buddhists.
Leaving behind the multicoloured facade, five connected halls beckon, filled with different images of the Buddha. Some of these show Buddhas having sex and were once used to educate Emperors' sons in sexual matters. In the grandest hall is an 18-foot sandalwood statue of Maitreya Buddha, a gift of the seventh Dalai Lama when relations between the two countries were better.
Sadly, the places in the Lama Temple reserved for visiting Dalai Lamas are now reminders of the cultural devastation wrought on Tibet. The Chinese-chosen Panchen Lama (the second highest authority in Tibet after the Dalai Lama) was sworn in here in 1995. Nonetheless, the temple did miraculously survive the Cultural Revolution and still serves today as an active Buddhist centre.
Beijing's Lama Temple is a vibrant riot of colour. Its Chinese name, Yonghegong, means "Palace of Harmony." The prayer halls and gardens are hung with amazing mandalas, which symbolise spiritual or meditative worlds to Buddhists.
Leaving behind the multicoloured facade, five connected halls beckon, filled with different images of the Buddha. Some of these show Buddhas having sex and were once used to educate Emperors' sons in sexual matters. In the grandest hall is an 18-foot sandalwood statue of Maitreya Buddha, a gift of the seventh Dalai Lama when relations between the two countries were better.
Sadly, the places in the Lama Temple reserved for visiting Dalai Lamas are now reminders of the cultural devastation wrought on Tibet. The Chinese-chosen Panchen Lama (the second highest authority in Tibet after the Dalai Lama) was sworn in here in 1995. Nonetheless, the temple did miraculously survive the Cultural Revolution and still serves today as an active Buddhist centre.
Beijing Information
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Looking for things to do around Beijing? Here are some of the events and attractions happening in the area.
| Beijing International Marathon |
19 Oct 2008 (annual) Beijing |
| Beijing Longqing Gorge Ice and Snow Festival |
Jan 2009 (annual) Longqing Gorge, Beijing |
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