Temple-hoppers are in seventh heaven when they hit Beijing!

Probably the best known － and certainly the most colourful － is Yong He Gong, the Lama Temple. It was the official residence of Count Yin Zhen. When he became emperor in 1723, it was transformed into the Yonghe Palace in a makeover that saw the previously green-coloured tiles changed to yellow (the imperial colour).

This working lamasery has three stunning archways and five main halls, each one larger than the last and all boasting courtyards and galleries. Look out for the 18-metre high Buddha statue in Wanfu Pavilion － you can hardly miss it!

Look around and you'll find representations of Buddha, past, present and future and some beautiful prayer wheels, a popular draw for many visitors with prayers and wishes of their own.

Most visitors give a ringing endorsement to the Great Bell Temple (Dazhong Si) with its truly enormous 46.5-ton, 6.75-metre high bell, the largest of its kind in China. Cast during the reign of Emperor Yongle in 1406, it's intricately inscribed with 227,000 characters from Buddhist sutras.

Yunju (or Cloud Dwelling) Temple, which is found in a limestone cave south of the Shangfang Mountains, has grown up around a Buddhist shrine. Two bone fragments found there are said to have belonged to Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. More than 77,000 engraved wooden blocks containing the Chinese Tripitaka (Buddhist scriptures) are now a major draw here.

Buddhist murals dating to the Ming Dynasty are depicted in unique frescoes at Fahai (Sea of the Law) Temple on the western fringes of the city. In painstaking detail, the mural reveals a meeting of Buddhist deities in this lovely, peaceful retreat.

Tanzhe Temple really stands out from many of its counterparts in the city. Located about 45 km west of the city, it's also one of the largest and most striking, dating back to the 3rd century. Perhaps because of its distance from the city, Tanzhe has a real air of tranquillity about it.

A cobblestone path leading to the temple sets the scene beautifully outside. Inside you'll find mythical animal sculptures eye-catching representations of various gods and dragon-featured decorations. On the eastern side of the Mahavira Hall here stands an ancient gingko known as the Emperor's Tree.

During any visit to China, you'll encounter wide-eyed tour guides with tales of ancient trees within temple compounds. One of the finest examples must be the Jiulong Pine Tree (or Nine-Dragon Pine) which is found inside Jietai Temple － this tree is said to be over 1,300 years old!

If ancient trees bear witness to history, just think of the stories this one could tell. Built during the Tang Dynasty, the temple is in fact a tree-lovers － delight: its main complex is liberally dotted with ancient pines, many given their own quirky names.

So when it comes to temples, Beijing and its surroundings are really hard to beat!

Beijing - The Magnificent City 2004-2005.

Hardback, 271 glorious pictures on 157 full-colour glossy pages, 235x315mm.

RMB260 / US$34.95