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Scent of Magnolia at Dajuesi Temple

Spring brings more than zephyrs in Beijing. What seems near-gale-force sporadic winds are more the norm, but the good news is that the season's arrival also sees the blossoming of, among myriad other blooms, oceans of magnolia trees and shrubs with their delightfully fragrant pink, white or purple leaves.

Nowhere in Beijing are they more evident than in and around the West Mountain site and environs of Dajuesi Temple, also known as Qingquan (Clear Spring), a quiet, peaceful, former imperial place of worship built in the classic Buddhist style in 1086. Dajuesi offers true, calming peace to the soul, making it an ideal place for the stressed to "switch off" and renew their spirits.

Much of that relaxation stems from traditional tea ceremonies at the temple's nearby Minhui Chayuan (Bright Wisdom) Teahouse. The sparklingly fresh spring water used is taken from a dragon pool fed by small channels that bisect the temple grounds.

To stroll through these grounds, and join the tea ceremony, is to step back centuries. The teahouse's ceremony is Chinese tea culture made real, where scent, color and taste reign supreme. This is China's national drink prepared to the highest traditional standards and served with supreme delicacy according to age-old practices evolved in Taiwan as well as on the Chinese mainland. Visitors are particularly fond of taking part in the ceremony during the temple's Magnolia Blooming Festival.

Back in the temple grounds, graveled footpaths winding through greenish bamboo thickets link pavilions and smaller temples, a scene made more inviting by rest-a-while wooden chairs and tables.