Beijing Xihuang Temple is located in Chaoyang District. It is a royal temple with a long history and a Lamaist temple in Beijing. It was very prominent during the Qing Dynasty and still maintains its solemn and majestic posture, which is fascinating. I would like to share with you a detailed introduction below.
Introduction to Xihuang Temple in Beijing
Near the central axis of Beijing, there is an exquisite temple "Xihuang Temple", which is now known as the "Xihuang Temple Museum".
The entire museum covers an area of ??more than 20,000 square meters. The main buildings from south to north are: Shanmen Hall, Bell and Drum Tower, Tianwang Hall, Hanging Flower Gate, East and West Side Halls, Main Hall, East and West Stele Pavilion, South Archway, North Archway, Qingcheng Tower, Huixiang Pavilion, etc.
From the historical materials displayed in the museum, we can see the architectural forms that once existed here; we can clearly understand the relationship between ancient Tibet and the central government; we can also learn about the relationship between Emperor Qianlong and the Sixth Dynasty of Tibet Some stories about Panchen Erdeni Lobsang Patan Yeshi.
What is different from the current museum building is that there is also the Huizong Fanyu Yuan building on Xihuang Temple Middle Road, which is the "palace" of the Panchen Lama in Beijing. Emperor Qianlong specially inscribed " Huizong Brahma" plaque. It’s just that these no longer exist.
The historical materials on display in the museum tell people that in 1247 AD, the local religious leader Sakya Pandita of Tibet represented Tibet, and the Mongolian prince Eqin Kuoduan represented the Mongolian Khanate in Wuwei, Gansu Province today. The city held the famous "Liangzhou Talks", thus making Tibet and Mongolia an administrative region under the central government of the Yuan Dynasty. This was the beginning of our ancient multi-ethnic country.
After the "Liangzhou Talks", Tibet had more contacts with the central government. In order to harmonize relations with local forces in Tibet, in 1651 (the eighth year of Shunzhi), the Qing government invited the fifth Dalai Lama of Tibet, Lobsang Gyatso, to Beijing to meet with Emperor Shunzhi. Emperor Shunzhi then ordered the construction of Xihuang Temple in the capital to house the fifth Dalai Lama. The lama was stationed in Xihuang. In 1652 (the ninth year of Shunzhi), the fifth Dalai Lama led more than 3,000 Tibetan monks and lay officials to arrive in Beijing and stayed in Xihuang Temple for 9 months.
As for Xihuang Temple The relationship with the Sixth Panchen Erdeni of Tibet, Lobsang Patan Yeshi, must be discussed from the beginning. The Sixth Panchen Erdeni Lobsang Patan Yeshi was born in 1738 in Nanmulin County, present-day Tibet. After the fifth Panchen Lama passed away, in 1740, the seventh Dalai Lama and Tibetan local government officials recognized him as the reincarnated soul boy. Ji Shan, the Minister in Tibet, reported to Emperor Qianlong and was approved. In 1741, he was in Tashilhunpo Monastery. Enthroned.
In the 45th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1780), on the 70th birthday of Emperor Qianlong, the Sixth Panchen Lama took the trouble to come to the Summer Resort to celebrate the birthday of Emperor Qianlong. Under the historical background at that time, he His actions showed a political attitude, and thus he was respected by Emperor Qianlong.
A year ago, Emperor Qianlong learned that the Sixth Panchen Lama was going to Beijing to celebrate his birthday, so he deliberately studied Tibetan language systematically. At the same time, people were ordered to build two temples in Beijing and Chengde. Both temples were modeled after the Tashilhunpo Temple in Shigatse. Among them, the one built in Xiangshan in Beijing was named Zongjing Jokhang Temple, and the one in Chengde was used for summer vacation. Built outside the north wall of the villa is the Temple of Xumi Fushou.
The pronunciation of "Xumi Fushou" in Tibetan is "Tashilhunpo" when the Sixth Panchen Lama set out. At Tanggula Mountain, the emperor sent by Emperor Qianlong was already waiting for him, which meant that Emperor Qianlong personally came to welcome and escort the Panchen Lama to Beijing.
There is a Panchen Tower in the Lama Temple, which was said to be the same year. The place where the Sixth Panchen Lama rested. This shows the respect that Emperor Qianlong had for him.
After the Sixth Panchen Lama arrived in Xihuang Temple, Emperor Qianlong visited Xihuang Temple in person. The Sixth Panchen Lama received many valuable gifts and dined with the Sixth Panchen Lama in Xihuang Temple. After that, Qianlong and the Sixth Panchen Lama traveled between the palace and Xihuang Temple many times. At this time, the Sixth Panchen Lama unfortunately contracted smallpox. Speaking of smallpox, it was a terrifying infectious disease at that time, and no one in the palace was spared.
Therefore, the summer resort in Chengde and the hunting ground in Nanyuan were places where people in the imperial palace could escape the widespread smallpox infection.
The Sixth Panchen Lama and his entourage had heard about this infectious disease before going to Beijing, and some of the people accompanying him were vaccinated against pox. However, the Sixth Panchen Lama was not vaccinated against pox, so he inevitably contracted smallpox.
While he was seriously ill, Emperor Qianlong visited him several times and wrote poems "Praying for Longevity and Longevity" and "Praise for the Longevity of the Panchen Monk" to the Panchen Lama to pray for his longevity. On the second day of November this year, the Sixth Panchen Lama passed away in Xihuang Temple.
Emperor Qianlong came to pay his respects in person, deal with all the aftermath, and ordered the construction of the Qingcheng Purification Tower and the Qingcheng Purification Pagoda Courtyard on the west side of Xihuang Temple. Because the pagoda was built for the Sixth Panchen Lama, it is commonly known as the "Panchen Pagoda" or the "Sixth Panchen Lama Pagoda". The pagoda houses the clothes and crowns of the Sixth Panchen Lama and gifts from Emperor Qianlong.
In Beijing, there are currently only three Vajra Throne Pagodas built in the style of Bodhgaya, India, namely Xihuang Temple, Zhenjue Temple and Xiangshan Biyun Temple. The Panchen Pagoda in Xihuang Temple has an archway on the north and south sides, a bowl-shaped pagoda in the center, and four octagonal dense-eaves pagodas around it, which together form the appearance of a five-style pagoda. The pagoda has exquisite carvings and is very impressive against the blue sky and white clouds.
Wandering around the museum grounds, you can learn about the historical relationship between Tibet and the central government, learn about knowledge related to Tibetan Buddhism, and learn about the historical exchanges between Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty and the Sixth Panchen Lama. I feel how difficult it is to unite and prosper a multi-ethnic country
Xihuang Temple Tourism Information
Ticket price: Xihuang Temple Museum every Saturday and Sunday Open to the public, admission fee is 20 yuan/person
Bus guide:
Take Metro Line 8 from Anhuaqiao Station and exit from Exit E, and from Andri North Street Station, exit from D.
Take bus No. 123 and get off at Xihuangsi Station.