Guanghua Temple in Beijing

Overview

Guanghua Temple, located at No. 31 Ya’er Hutong (鸦儿胡同), Xicheng District (西城区), Beijing, was established during the Yuan Dynasty. It is one of the Eight Great Temples of Old Beijing and currently serves as the headquarters of the Beijing Buddhist Association. The temple faces south and covers an area of approximately 13,850 square meters, featuring three main paths and 329 halls. The central path includes a shadow wall, mountain gate, Heavenly King Hall, Five Buddha Hall (大雄宝殿), and the Sutra Repository, with symmetrical arrangements of the Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Kṣitigarbha Hall, Patriarch Hall, Abbot’s Room, and Vina Hall on either side. The east path originally contained various halls but now only has one courtyard. The west path currently has two courtyards, including the Great Compassion Altar, Guanyin Hall, Kṣitigarbha Hall, Abbot’s Room, Dharma Hall, and Ancestor Hall. As the only surviving complex among the “Ten Temples” along Shichahai (什刹海), Guanghua Temple is a significant historical site. It also houses numerous cultural relics, making it an important reference for studying the historical and cultural aspects of Beijing from the Ming and Qing Dynasties to the Republic era.

Historical Development

  • Yuan Dynasty: Guanghua Temple was founded.
  • Ming Dynasty: Rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Chenghua (1465-1487).
  • 1599: Became a Pure Land Buddhism temple.
  • 1894: Renovations took place under the Guangxu Emperor.
  • 1908: Zhang Zhidong (张之洞) stored his personal library at Guanghua Temple and requested the establishment of the Peking Library.
  • 1909: The Peking Library was approved and managed by Miao Quansun (缪荃孙).
  • 1912: The library officially opened, later moving out of the temple, restoring it as a Buddhist temple.
  • 1933: A soldier hospital was established in collaboration with local patriots but was dissolved after the signing of the Tanggu Agreement (塘沽协定).
  • 1938: Pu Xinya (溥心畬) donated for repairs.
  • 1939: Guanghua Buddhist Academy was founded.
  • 1946: Guanghua Primary School was established.
  • 1952: The school was taken over by the Beijing Education Bureau and merged into Ya’er Hutong Primary School.
  • 1957: Ya’er Hutong Primary School relocated to the temple’s courtyard.
  • 1981: The Beijing Buddhist Association was established at Guanghua Temple.
  • 1984: Renovations were carried out.
  • 2001: The eastern path of Guanghua Temple was cleared.

Architectural Layout

Guanghua Temple is aligned north to south and covers approximately 13,850 square meters. It consists of three main paths with 329 halls. The central path features the main buildings, including the shadow wall, mountain gate, Heavenly King Hall, Five Buddha Hall (大雄宝殿), and Sutra Repository, with symmetrical arrangements of the Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Kṣitigarbha Hall, Patriarch Hall, Abbot’s Room, and Vina Hall. The east path originally had various halls, but now only one courtyard remains. The west path currently has two courtyards with important structures.

Main Buildings

Mountain Gate

The Mountain Gate is located on the southern side of the first courtyard in the central path, featuring three bays and a hip roof. It has a plaque inscribed with “Imperially Granted Guanghua Temple.” In front of the gate is an octagonal shadow wall, and on either side are the Bell Tower and Drum Tower.

Heavenly King Hall

Situated north of the Mountain Gate, the Heavenly King Hall features three bays and a hip roof, housing a statue of Maitreya Buddha, flanked by the Four Heavenly Kings.

Five Buddha Hall

Also known as the Main Hall, the Five Buddha Hall is located in the second courtyard of the central path. It is the temple’s central building, featuring five bays and a double-eaved hip roof, housing Vairocana, the Buddha of the Esoteric School, with statues of the Eighteen Arhats on either side. The east and west side halls are the Kṣitigarbha Hall and Patriarch Hall.

Sutra Repository

Also known as the Ten Thousand Buddha Pavilion, the Sutra Repository is located in the last courtyard of the central path. It is a two-story building with five bays and a traditional hard mountain roof. The east and west side halls are the Abbot’s Room and Vina Hall.

Cultural Relics

Guanghua Temple houses a total of 1,716 cultural relics, including 1,087 books, 282 paintings and calligraphies, 298 stone rubbings, and 49 other items. Notable pieces include the “Avatamsaka Sutra” printed during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty and the “Diamond Sutra” copied by Emperor Yongzheng (雍正) of the Qing Dynasty.

Historical and Cultural Significance

The Eight Great Temples of Beijing

Historically, there were many Buddhist temples in Beijing, classified into the Inner and Outer Eight Temples. Guanghua Temple is one of the Inner Eight Temples, alongside Guangji Temple (广济寺), Fayuan Temple (法源寺), Longquan Temple (龙泉寺), Bolin Temple (柏林寺), Xianliang Temple (贤良寺), Jiaxing Temple (嘉兴寺), and Nianhua Temple (拈花寺).

Diplomatic Negotiations

In 1900, after the Eight-Nation Alliance occupied Beijing, Robert H. Hodge communicated with Prince Qing (爱新觉罗·奕劻), hoping to negotiate terms. Following Empress Dowager Cixi’s (慈禧太后) response, Prince Yixuan returned to Beijing. On August 11, he met with Hodge and other officials at Guanghua Temple to discuss opening city gates for grain and vegetables to maintain livelihoods, marking the beginning of the diplomatic negotiations.

Cultural Heritage Value

As the only surviving architectural complex among the “Ten Temples” along Shichahai, Guanghua Temple is an important historical site. It holds a wealth of cultural relics, providing significant research and artistic value, serving as a key reference for studying the historical and cultural development of Beijing from the Ming and Qing Dynasties to the Republic period.

Preservation of Cultural Relics

On May 24, 1984, Guanghua Temple was announced by the Beijing Municipal Government as one of the third batch of municipal cultural heritage protection units.

Tourism Information

Location

Guanghua Temple is located at No. 31 Ya’er Hutong (鸦儿胡同), Xicheng District (西城区), Beijing.

Transportation Routes

  • Public Transport: Take Bus 5 or 135 and get off at the Zhu Zhongchang Station.
  • Driving: The Xicheng District People’s Government is approximately 6.5 kilometers from Guanghua Temple, taking about 24 minutes by car.