Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
bodhisattva statues. Resembling a semidivine race of smiling humans, most of the statues
are from the Northern Qi, Northern Wei and Tang dynasties. It's a sublime presentation
and some of the statues have journeyed through the centuries with pigment still attached.
Those interested in Ming-dynasty architecture should check out the nearby
Imperial
have been lovingly restored. They once contained grain and rice for Běijīng's royalty;
they now house posh wine bars and members clubs.
ZHÌHUÀ TEMPLE
|BUDDHIST TEMPLE
( Zhìhuà Sì; 5 Lumicang Hutong; adult ¥20, audio guide ¥10; 8.30am-4.30pm; Jianguomen or Chaoyangmen)
Běijīng's surviving temple brood has endured casual restoration that often buried authenti-
city. But this rickety non-active temple, hidden down a rarely visited
hútòng
, is thick with
the flavours of old Peking, having eluded the Dulux treatment that invariably precedes en-
trance fee inflation and stomping tour groups. You won't find the coffered ceiling of the
Zhìhuà Hall
(it's in the USA), and the Four Heavenly Kings have vanished from Zhìhuà
Gate ( Zhìhuà Mén), but the
Scriptures Hall
encases a venerable Ming-dynasty wooden
library topped with a seated Buddha and a magnificently unrestored ceiling. The high-
light, the
Ten Thousand Buddhas Hall
( Wànfó Diàn), is right at the back of the com-
plex, and is an enticing two floors of miniature niche-borne Buddhist effigies and cabinets
for the storage of sutras. Unfortunately, visitors are no longer allowed to climb to the 2nd
floor.
BĚIJĪNG MUSEUM PASS
If you're staying in the capital for a while, the
Běijīng Museum Pass
( Bówùguǎn Tōngpiào; 6222 3793;
www.bowuguan.bj.cn
;
Y80) - a website and phone service in Chinese only - is a great investment that will
save you both money and queuing for tickets. For ¥120 you get either complimentary access or discounted ad-
mission (typically 50%) to 65 museums, temples and tourist sights in and around Běijīng. Attractions covered
include the Great Wall at Bādàlǐng, Front Gate, the Drum Tower, the Bell Tower, the Confucius Temple, the
Botanic Gardens, the Railway Museum, Dōngyuè Temple, Zhìhuà Temple and many others. Not all museums
are worth visiting, but many are, and you only have to visit a small selection to get your money back. The pass
comes in the form of a booklet (Chinese with minimal English), valid from 1 January to 31 December in any
one year. The pass, which is harder to obtain as the year goes on, can be picked up from participating museums
