Day 4 of our journey in China!
Started from our hotel, we hopped on the bus to go to the first destination: The Lama Temple resembles a Matryoshka doll as one temple and courtyard opens in to the next along a 480m north-south axis, though each successive temple hall is actually larger than the preceding one. Several features including:
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Formerly the residence of Count Yin Zhen
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Associated with the Panchen Lama
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The grounds house a museum of Buddhist statuary
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Close to the Confucius Temple
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English-speaking guides on hand
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Busy, functioning Tibet Temple
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Known for the statue of the Buddha Maitreya (Buddha of the Future)
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Monks perform masked "Devil Dances" on the last day of the first lunar month
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Located in a hutong area not far from the Confucius Temple
After that, we went to the Confucius Temple. The Confucius Temple originally dates from 1302 and was Beijing's main temple honoring the great sage during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).It
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Is a site of examinations to join the imperial bureaucracy
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Present buildings being restored
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Imperial College lies to the west
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Close to the Lama Temple
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Is pleasant, quiet grounds to stroll
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Initially built in the 14th century
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Located in a hutong area
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Is second largest Confucius temple in China
Next, we went to the Beihai park. The Beihai park in the center of Beijing has an area of more than 70 hectares with a water surface of 39 hectares. To its north is Shichahai Lake and to its east is Jingshan Park. The Palace Museum is to its southeast, a short distance.
The imperial court of the Liao Dynasty was a temporary palace on the site of present Beihai Park in the 10th century. During the following Jin Dynasty a lake was dug. The excavated earth was piled to make a hill. Around the lake and on the hill palatial halls, corridors and pavilions were erected. The imperial court of the Yuan Dynasty which came after the Jin expanded Jionghua Islet in the lake and made it the center of its capital Dadu City. During the Ming Dynasty five pavilions linked with zigzag bridges were built in the northwestern part of the lake. During the region of Emperor Qian Long (1736-1796) a large-scale project was carried on over 30 years, making the palace a grand imperial garden.
Beijing Beihai Park
Beihai Park is composed of Tuancheng (Circulate City), Jionghua Islet, Eastern Shore Scenic Area and Northwestern Shore Scenic Area, with Jionghua Islet as the center. The small island is connected with other parts by a stone bridge and ferry boats.
Sources:
https://www.chinahighlights.com/beijing/attraction/beihai-park.htm
http://www.beijing-visitor.com/beijing-attractions/confucius-temple
http://www.beijing-visitor.com/beijing-attractions/lama-temple
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