Confucius He Would Say: 'Visit My Temple'

Many readers will already know about Yonghe Gong (Tibetan Lama Temple), or may at least have seen the imposing buildings while traversing the Second Ring Road.

Surprisingly less familiar to people is the area close by, one of the most historic in Beijing, which includes the Confucius Temple and Beijing Capital Library. Both are well worth a visit, even if they barely rate a mention in most guide books, let alone regular visits by tour groups.

Yonghe Gong (turn left and left again from the south subway stop of the same name), is the center of Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhism in the capital, and certainly one of its most colorful temples. It can feel almost as busy as the Forbidden City, with ranks of worshippers burning incense and offering ritual prayers in front of many altars. The best time to go is during lunchtime, when there are less people and fewer of the site's 70 or so monks.

The complex consists of five main halls linked by five courtyards, each containing statues, prayer flags and decorated with paintings. The recently painted ceilings are particularly imposing. Dating from 1694 as the residence of Prince Yong, it was first changed into a palace in 1725, then into a lamasery in 1744 by Emperor Qianlong. Yonghe Gong means "palace of peace and harmony- , which it probably was before it was opened to the public in 1981.

The reason most visitors come here, however, is not to learn about Tibetan Buddhism but to view the Guinness world-record-breaking statue of the Maitreya (laughing) Buddha, constructed from a single piece of white sandlewood in 1750, and hauled by hand from Tibet.

Its precise height seems to be a source of disagreement, but the official plaque states that it is 26 meters, eight meters of which are underground. This said, the Buddha's feet seemed firmly planted on the ground to me. Nevertheless, it is an imposing sight. You are free to wander around the complex at will, though guided tours in Chinese and English are available at the entrance, if the information provided on the bi-lingual signs is not enough for you. There are several side exhibition rooms about Buddhism and the Emperor Qianlong, but these command a separate fee.

From Yonghe Gong, you can either turn left along Yonghe Gong Jie, where there are many tea-houses and restaurants with English menus, or you can cross over to Guozijian Jie. Easily recognizable, the latter is one the most traditional Beijing neighborhoods still in existence, and is one of the few streets left which has pailou, or brightly painted gates along it, four in all. One hundred meters along, you will see the vermilion (bright red) walls of Beijing Confucius Temple (Capital Museum), an oasis of calm after the busy streets surrounding it.

Dedicated to China's most famous sage, his disciples and to those who succeeded in passing the tough imperial examinations of the time, the temple still has ceremonies every Spring Festival and on Confucius- birthday, September 28, to commemorate them. The building dates from 1302 during the Yuan (Mongolian) dynasty, but was rebuilt and extended in the subsequent Ming and Qing styles, and painted in imperial colors.

At the entrance are steles (stone tablets) inscribed with the names of the 51,624 scholars who achieved the rank of Jinshi after examinations held in the Forbidden City. The main building, the Hall of Great Achievements, contains traditional musical instruments used during sacrificial ceremonies where Confucius was worshipped as a God. There is also a small exhibition about the life of Confucius and his influence on Chinese life and society.

Either side of the courtyard are the buildings of the museum, dedicated to the history of Beijing. Maps and photographs of old Beijing are interesting enough, but the artifacts would benefit by better, more informative labeling. The museum contains examples of Chinese arts and crafts, including bronze, jade and ceramics, and a sedan chair used in wedding ceremonies.
Perhaps the best thing about the temple is its main courtyard, where 11 Qing dynasty stele pavilions record events over the dynasty's history. There is also an Inkslab Water Lake where hopeful candidates used to drink, believing it would bring them luck. The twisted cypress trees are up to 700 years old, and enhance the pleasant atmosphere in which visitors can relax a while.

Turning right out of the temple, you will come to the gray walls of Guozijian (Imperial College), now the Capital Library. If you are expecting a library in the modern sense of the word, you will be pleasantly surprised, although it still has a very peaceful atmosphere. Established in 1306, it served as the highest national academy during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties while the temple next door was rebuilt and extended. Many of the most famous Chinese scholars would have studied the classics here for four years, and later returned to serve as academic officials.

As you pass through the main gate, you will see a magnificent green- and yellow-tiled archway, the only one in Beijing to be dedicated to education, with inspiring mottoes from Emperor Qianlong which encourage students to work hard.

The center of the complex is the Biyong (1784), a square building surrounded by a circular moat crossed by four stone bridges. Unfortunately closed off to the public, it was here that the emperor himself used to come to lecture students. If this was not enough to inspire them, then the disciplinary hall might have done so. Punishments for infractions ranged from 5-10 slaps with a bamboo cane to being locked, kneeling, in front of the gate for 3-5 days, or to lifelong banishment in penal servitude, according to how many previous offences had been committed.

After they had completed their studies, and escaped punishment, students were either appointed as officials or would go on to take higher level imperial examinations. Buildings surrounding the central courtyard are still used as reading rooms for present-day students, who presumably will not be penalized for relaxing a while in the tranquil courtyard.

To the west of Guozijian is the area where students used to perform military exercises. To the south is the area called Nanxue, where students and academic scholars lived. If you wish to continue along the street, turn right, and you will see some very fine examples of old Beijing architecture, and even some local residents performing traditional dances on fine days.