The most important Tibetan Buddhist temple in Beijing and one of the most visited religious sites in China. Built in 1694 as the residence of the future Emperor Yongzheng, the complex was converted to a lamasery in 1744 and has functioned as an active Tibetan Buddhist monastery ever since. The layout is imperial — a succession of gates, courtyards, and halls running north to south — but the content is distinctly Tibetan: rich thangka paintings, images of wrathful deities, and the pervasive smell of juniper incense.
The five main halls each contain different Buddha images of escalating scale. Come on a weekday morning for relative quiet and the chance to see monks at prayer. Tickets sell quickly on holidays; book ahead if possible. The exit brings you out near the Confucius Temple, which is worth a brief visit on the same trip.