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Temples in Beijing: the Buddhist temples worth visiting, and a few others

Beijing’s temples range from the Lama Temple, a Qing prince’s palace in the city centre, to monasteries in the western hills that are older than the city itself. Here are the Buddhist temples worth knowing, where they are and what each is known for, with the Temple of Heaven and the main Taoist and Confucian temples alongside.

By The Popular in China desk Fact-checked by Alex Liu Checked 26 sources · 6 min read

Our answer

Imperial temples in town, ancient ones in the hills 北京寺庙

Start with the Lama Temple in the centre; for the oldest, head west to Tanzhe and Jietai in Mentougou

307the year Tanzhe Temple was founded, under the Western Jin, which is why Beijingers say it is older than the city

The short answer

The best-known temple in Beijing is the Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple), a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Dongcheng District. Other Buddhist temples worth visiting include Tanzhe and Jietai in the western hills, Fayuan, Biyun, the Big Bell Temple and Yunju. The Temple of Heaven, an imperial altar rather than a Buddhist temple, is the city’s most famous ‘temple’.

At a glance
In Chinese北京的寺庙 (Běijīng de sìmiào); a Buddhist temple is 寺 (sì)
Most famous Buddhist templeThe Lama Temple, Yonghe Gong (雍和宫), Dongcheng District
OldestTanzhe Temple, Mentougou District, founded in 307
In the city centreThe Lama Temple, Fayuan, Guangji, Zhihua and Miaoying (White Stupa) temples
In the western hillsBiyun, the Sleeping Buddha Temple and the eight temples of Badachu; further out, Tanzhe and Jietai
Not Buddhist, but famousThe Temple of Heaven (UNESCO, 1998), White Cloud Temple (Taoist), Dongyue Temple (Taoist), Temple of Confucius

Buddhist temples in Beijing

Fifteen Buddhist temples worth knowing, from the city centre outwards. Founding dates are those given in the sources; several temples were rebuilt many times since.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][23]

TempleChineseDistrictKnown for
Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple)雍和宫 Yōnghé GōngDongchengA Qing prince’s residence made a Tibetan Buddhist (Gelug) monastery in 1744; an 18 m Maitreya carved from one piece of sandalwood
Zhihua Temple智化寺 Zhìhuà SìDongchengMing architecture with black roof tiles, built in 1443; Buddhist ritual music handed down over 27 generations
Fayuan Temple法源寺 Fǎyuán SìXichengFounded in 645 under the Tang; one of Beijing’s oldest and best-known Buddhist temples
Guangji Temple广济寺 Guǎngjì SìXichengFirst built under the Jin dynasty (1115–1234); headquarters of the Buddhist Association of China
Miaoying Temple (White Stupa Temple)妙应寺 Miàoyìng Sì / 白塔寺 Báitǎ SìXichengA white stupa of 1279, built with the help of the Nepali architect Araniko
Big Bell Temple大钟寺 Dàzhōng Sì (觉生寺 Juéshēng Sì)HaidianFounded in 1733; the Yongle bell, about 46 tonnes and 5.5 m high, inscribed with over 230,000 characters of scripture; a museum of ancient bells
Wanshou Temple万寿寺 Wànshòu SìHaidianFounded in 1577 under the Wanli Emperor; now home to the Beijing Art Museum
Wuta Temple (Zhenjue Temple)五塔寺 Wǔtǎ Sì / 真觉寺 Zhēnjué SìHaidianA 1473 Diamond Throne pagoda, five pagodas on one base, inspired by the Mahabodhi Temple; a stone-carving museum
Biyun Temple (Temple of Azure Clouds)碧云寺 Bìyún SìHaidian, by Fragrant Hills ParkFounded in 1331; a Vajrasana (Diamond Throne) pagoda and a hall of 500 wooden arhats
Sleeping Buddha Temple卧佛寺 Wòfó SìWestern hills, near the Beijing Botanical GardenFirst built in the 7th century; a bronze reclining Buddha of 1321, about 5.2 m long
Lingguang Temple (Badachu)灵光寺 Língguāng SìShijingshanOne of the eight temples of Badachu park; a 13-storey pagoda about 51 m tall housing a tooth relic of the Buddha
Tanzhe Temple潭柘寺 Tánzhè SìMentougouFounded in 307; ‘first came Tanzhe Temple, then came Beijing’; nearly 70 pagodas and Liao-dynasty ‘emperor trees’
Jietai Temple戒台寺 Jiètái SìMentougouFounded in 622 under the Tang; one of China’s three great ordination altars, and famous old pines
Hongluo Temple红螺寺 Hóngluó SìHuairou, on Hongluo MountainFirst built under the Tang; one of the largest temples in northern Beijing, linked with Pure Land Buddhism
Yunju Temple云居寺 Yúnjū SìFangshan, about 70 km south-west of BeijingBegun under the Northern Qi; over 14,200 stone sutra steles, the world’s largest collection

Not Buddhist: the Temple of Heaven, Taoist and Confucian temples

Many people searching for temples in Beijing mean these. None is a Buddhist temple; our guide to Chinese temples explains how to tell them apart.[19][20][21][22][23]

TempleChineseDistrictKnown for
Temple of Heaven (imperial altar)天坛 TiāntánDongchengBuilt 1406–1420; where Ming and Qing emperors prayed to Heaven for good harvests; UNESCO World Heritage site since 1998
White Cloud Temple (Taoist)白云观 Báiyún GuànXichengFirst built in 741 under the Tang; Beijing’s largest Taoist temple and seat of the China Taoist Association; an 18-day Spring Festival temple fair
Dongyue Temple (Taoist)东岳庙 Dōngyuè MiàoChaoyangFounded in 1319 for the god of Mount Tai; Beijing’s largest Zhengyi Taoist temple, home to the Beijing Folk Customs Museum
Temple of Confucius (Confucian)北京孔庙 Běijīng KǒngmiàoDongcheng, Guozijian StreetFounded in 1302; 198 stone tablets recording more than 51,000 jinshi, the top graduates of the imperial exams

Five Beijing temples worth the trip

The Lama Temple. The obvious first stop, on the subway in the city centre. Built as a prince’s palace and made a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in 1744, it keeps the yellow roofs of an imperial building, and its Wanfu Pavilion holds an 18 m Maitreya that Guinness World Records lists as the tallest statue carved from a single piece of wood.

Tanzhe Temple. Founded in 307, it is so much older than the city that Beijingers say ‘first came Tanzhe Temple, then came Beijing’ (先有潭柘寺，后有北京城). Its Mahavira Hall measures 24 m by 33 m, and the grounds hold nearly 70 pagodas from different dynasties.

Jietai Temple. Also in Mentougou, it is famous for its ordination altar, one of the three largest in China, and for gnarled old pines with names such as the Lying Dragon Pine.

The Big Bell Temple. Built in 1733 and now a museum of ancient bells, it is home to the Yongle bell: 5.5 m high, about 46 tonnes, and engraved with more than 230,000 characters of Buddhist scripture.

Yunju Temple. A long day trip to Fangshan, about 70 km south-west, but unique: its collection of more than 14,200 stone steles carved with 1,122 Buddhist sutras is the largest in the world.[1][2][3][13][16][24]

How to plan temple visits in Beijing

Beijing’s temples fall into a few clusters. Grouping them saves hours on the road.[1][2][3][5][7][8][10][11][13][15][16][18][22][23]

  1. 1

    City centre, half a day

    The Lama Temple, at Yonghegong Lama Temple station on Lines 2 and 5, with the Temple of Confucius on Guozijian Street in the same district. Zhihua Temple is also in Dongcheng; Fayuan, Guangji and the White Stupa are in Xicheng.

  2. 2

    North-west, half a day

    The Big Bell Temple, Wanshou Temple and Wuta Temple are all in Haidian, and each also houses a museum.

  3. 3

    Western hills, a day

    Biyun Temple, just outside the north gate of Fragrant Hills Park, and the Sleeping Buddha Temple, near the Beijing Botanical Garden; or Badachu park in Shijingshan, with eight temples and nunneries across three hills.

  4. 4

    Mentougou, a day

    Tanzhe and Jietai, the two great old monasteries of the western hills, are both in Mentougou District and often visited together.

  5. 5

    Further afield

    Yunju Temple in Fangshan, about 70 km south-west, and Hongluo Temple on Hongluo Mountain in Huairou, to the north. Each needs most of a day.

Questions readers ask

What is the most famous temple in Beijing?

Among Buddhist temples, the Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) in Dongcheng District. The most famous ‘temple’ overall is the Temple of Heaven, but it is an imperial altar where Ming and Qing emperors prayed for good harvests, not a Buddhist temple.

What is the oldest temple in Beijing?

Tanzhe Temple in Mentougou District, founded in 307 under the Western Jin dynasty. It is older than the city itself, hence the saying ‘first came Tanzhe Temple, then came Beijing’. In the city centre, Fayuan Temple dates from 645.

Is the Temple of Heaven a Buddhist temple?

No. It was built in 1406–1420 as an imperial altar, where the Ming and Qing emperors held seasonal rites and prayed to Heaven for good harvests. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1998.

Which Beijing temples can I reach by subway?

The Lama Temple has its own station, Yonghegong Lama Temple, on Lines 2 and 5. Other central temples, such as Fayuan, Guangji, Zhihua and the White Stupa, are in Dongcheng and Xicheng districts in the city centre.

Is there a Taoist temple in Beijing?

Yes. The White Cloud Temple (白云观) in Xicheng is the largest Taoist temple in Beijing and the seat of the China Taoist Association. Dongyue Temple in Chaoyang, founded in 1319, is the city’s largest temple of the Zhengyi school of Taoism.

Which Beijing temples are in the western hills?

Biyun Temple beside Fragrant Hills Park, the Sleeping Buddha Temple near the Beijing Botanical Garden, the eight temples of Badachu in Shijingshan, and, further out in Mentougou, Tanzhe and Jietai.

Do I need to book Beijing temples in advance?

For the Lama Temple, yes: tickets are sold online through its official WeChat account, and at Spring Festival 2026 sales were capped at 40,000 a day. For other temples, check the temple’s official channel before you go.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, Yonghe Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  2. Wikipedia, Tanzhe Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  3. Wikipedia, Jietai Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  4. Wikipedia, Fayuan Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  5. Wikipedia, Xicheng District · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  6. Wikipedia, Guangji Temple (Beijing) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  7. Wikipedia, Temple of Azure Clouds · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  8. Wikipedia, Wofo Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  9. Wikipedia, Lingguang Temple (Beijing) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  10. Wikipedia, Badachu · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  11. Wikipedia, Wanshou Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  12. Wikipedia, Zhihua Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  13. Wikipedia, Big Bell Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  14. Wikipedia, Miaoying Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  15. Wikipedia, Zhenjue Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  16. Wikipedia, Yunju Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  17. Wikipedia, Hongluo Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  18. Wikipedia, Huairou District · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  19. Wikipedia, Temple of Heaven · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  20. Visit Beijing, Baiyun Temple (白云观) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  21. Wikipedia, Beijing Dongyue Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  22. Wikipedia, Beijing Confucius Temple · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  23. Wikipedia, Dongcheng District, Beijing · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  24. Guinness World Records, Tallest statue carved from a single piece of wood · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  25. Beijing Daily (京报网), Yonghe Temple Spring Festival notice: 40,000 online tickets a day (6 February 2026, in Chinese) · accessed 1 Nov 2026
  26. The Beijing News, Yonghe Temple Spring Festival arrangements (6 February 2026, in Chinese) · accessed 1 Nov 2026

Update log. 1 November 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 1 February 2027. Suggest a correction

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