Changchun Temple in Beijing

Location

Changchun Temple (长椿寺) is located at 9 Changchun Street (长椿街), Xicheng District (西城区), Beijing (北京). It was founded in the 20th year of the Ming Dynasty Wanli era (明万历) (1592), rebuilt in the 20th year of the Qing Dynasty Kangxi era (清康熙) (1681), and underwent renovations in the 20th year of the Qianlong era (乾隆) (1755).

Architectural Features

Changchun Temple is oriented west-east, measuring 155 meters long from east to west and 70 meters wide from north to south. The temple complex consists of four main courtyards along the east-west central axis.

Mountain Gate (山门): This gate has a single bay with a hip roof and a flat eave.
First Hall (天王殿): The first hall, known as the Tianwang Hall, has three bays and a hard ridge roof with five rafters.
Second Hall (大雄宝殿): The main hall, or Daxiongbao Hall, also has three bays, a hard ridge roof with nine rafters, and an overhanging corridor in front.
North and South Side Halls (配殿): On either side of the main hall, there are three side halls (配殿), each with a hard ridge roof and seven rafters, featuring yellow glazed tile roofs with vertical ridges.
East Side Halls: The eastern side has four additional rooms, either six or seven rafters deep, with a hard ridge roof and an overhanging corridor.
Third Hall (藏经阁): The third hall is the Sutra Repository (藏经阁), a two-story building with a hard ridge roof and seven rafters, along with side rooms that share the same roof style.
Fourth Hall: The final hall in the complex features five bays and a mix of bracket and hard ridge roofs, with an overhanging roof at the front and a hard ridge roof at the back, totaling nine rafters in depth. The back of the hall has side rooms and ear rooms (厢耳房) on either side.

In 2019, Changchun Temple was announced by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China as a key national cultural heritage site.

Historical Background

Changchun Temple was founded in the 20th year of the Ming Dynasty Wanli era (1592) by the decree of Empress Dowager Xiaoding Li (孝定李太后), the mother of Emperor Shenzong (神宗). The name “Changchun” (长椿) was conferred by the emperor to wish his mother health and longevity.

The temple was rebuilt in the 20th year of the Kangxi era (1681) and underwent renovations in the 20th year of the Qianlong era (1755). Subsequent repairs have also taken place.

Cultural Relics

The entrance beam of Changchun Temple features the inscription “Chijiang Changchun Temple” (敕建长椿寺), symbolizing the wish for the empress’s health and longevity. The temple’s spacious courtyard provides another space for the display of Xuanwu culture (宣南文化).

A notable feature is a 500-year-old ancient tree located in front of the Sutra Repository, which adds a unique charm to the site. This area has been transformed into a folk cultural leisure space, featuring bronze sculptures depicting activities like chess playing, watermelon selling, clay figurine making, and temple fairs, allowing visitors to experience the leisure activities of old Beijing across the four seasons. Historical records indicate that the Sutra Repository originally housed a valuable golden pagoda, which is now kept in the Wanshou Temple Art Museum, although the base remains in the Sutra Repository.

Historical Significance

According to the “Stele Inscription of the Reconstruction of Changchun Temple” written by Song Deyi (宋德宜), Minister of War in the 20th year of the Kangxi era (1681), “Changchun Temple is located to the right of Xuanwu Gate (宣武门), originally established in the 20th year of the Ming Wanli era by Master Shuizhai (水斋大师), who was awarded gold crowns and purple robes and lived in the temple for monastic cultivation. It is grand in scale and one of the capital’s primary temples. Less than a hundred years later, the temple was overgrown and the monks dwindled.” This description was reiterated in various historical texts, asserting that the temple was indeed established during the Wanli period.

Preservation Efforts

In 2001, Changchun Temple was designated as a cultural heritage site by the Beijing Municipal Government. On October 7, 2019, it was announced by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China as a key national cultural heritage site.