29/46.- Beijing, Tibetan Buddhist Lama Temple, Jie Tai Building

The Tibetan Buddhist Lama Temple is the best-preserved temple in Beijing. It was the only temple that survived the Cultural Revolution. For this reason, and although it is heavily commercialized, it is one of the highlights of any trip to Beijing.

The complex dates back to 1694, when the son and successor of the Kangxi Emperor lived here. In 1744 it was donated to the Tibetan Buddhists and became a lamasery. The complex is divided into five important halls, each one more impressive than the last.

You enter the Temple through the Archway, which has a Screen wall in front, following the Fengshui tradition (it keeps the good inside, and it does not let the outside evils in). Through the Imperial Way, you get to the Zhaotai Gate, which leads to a courtyard where the entrance to the temple is, the Yonghe Gate.

Inside the temple you visit the five main buildings one after the other. The first is the Hall of the Celestial Guardians, then you get to the Yonghe Gong Dian, next is the Yongyou Dian, the Hall of Falum and the Wanfu Pavilion.

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