Eight Great Temples of Badachu Park in Beijing

The Badachu (Eight Great Temples) is a traditional name given to eight Buddhist temples-Chang an si, Lingguangsi, Sanshan an, Dabeisi, Longwangtang, Xiangjiesi, Baozhudong and Zhengguosi respectively–nestle among the clouds and dense forest on the Cuiwei, Pingpo and Lushi hills in Beijing’s Western Hills area. They have long history, many cultural relics and beautiful scenery.

Overview of Badachu Park

The Eight Great Temples, known as Badachu (八大处公园), is located within Badachu Park, a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a premium park in Beijing. Nestled at the southern foothills of the Xishan Scenic Area, it is surrounded by the Taihang Mountain range, including Cuiwei Mountain (翠微山), Pingpo Mountain (平坡山), and Lushi Mountain (庐师山). The park spans approximately 332 hectares, with its highest peak reaching an altitude of 464 meters. It is renowned for its well-preserved ancient architecture, comprising eight Buddhist temples, and is celebrated for its natural beauty encapsulated in the “Twelve Sceneries.” Ancient scholars have likened the landscape to “three mountains like fine houses, eight temples like antique items, and twelve sceneries like an outdoor garden.” It is noted that “the beauty of Xiangshan (香山) is man-made, while the beauty of Badachu is natural, surpassing even the many wonders of the Xishan.”

Badachu Park boasts a vegetation coverage rate of 97.4%. The winters are warm and breezy, while summers are cool and pleasant. The eight ancient temples, built during the Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, have been well-preserved through various renovations over the centuries. These temples, alongside the renowned “Twelve Sceneries,” form the core tourism resources and scenic landscapes of Badachu.

The Eight Temples of Badachu

The Eight Great Temples include:

1. Chang’an Temple (长安寺)
2. Lingguang Temple (灵光寺)
3. Sanshan An (三山庵)
4. Dabei Temple (大悲寺)
5. Longquan An (龙泉庵)
6. Xiangjie Temple (香界寺)
7. Baizhu Cave (宝珠洞)
8. Zhengguo Temple (证果寺)

These temples are located in the western suburbs of Beijing, outside the Fifth Ring Road. They have a rich history and are popular pilgrimage sites. All except Chang’an Temple are currently open to the public.

Eight Buddhist Temples in Badachu

Chang’ansi Temple (Temple of Eternal Peace/长安寺) in Badachu (Eight Great Temples), first built in 1504, is situated on the plain at the foot of Cuiwei Hill. Facing east, the temple is comprised of two courtyards. In the temple there is an ancient bronze bell struck as part of Buddhist rituals, which dates from the Ming Dynasty and is a precious cultural relic. Additionally, in the rear courtyard there are two white pines reputed to date from the Yuan Dynasty.

Standing on the east slopes of Cuiwei Hill is the Lingguangsi Temple (Temple of Divine Light/灵光寺) in Badachu (Eight Great Temples), which was built in the Tang Dynasty in the 8th century. A 10-storied multi-eave brick pagoda built in the Liao Dynasty once stood in the temple which was known as the Zhaoxianta(Pagoda for Entertaining Immortals) and was destroyed by the Eight-Power Allied Forces when they occupied Beijing in 1 900. “The tooth relic of Buddha” was found when people were cleaning off the pagoda’s base after the founding of People’s Republic of China. In 1956, the People’s Government erected a new 13-storied pagoda on the site of the Liao foundation and named it the “Pagoda of the Buddha’s Tooth”. and then the site become a holy place worshiped by the Buddhist groups of all countries in the world.