Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
see wandering around are. After all, this was where the Chinese state's choice for Panchen
Lama - the Tibetan spiritual leader, second only to the Dalai Lama in rank - was officially
sworn in, in 1995. Just prior to that, the Dalai Lama's own choice for the post, the then 6-year-
old Gedhum Choekyi Nyima, had “disappeared” - becoming the youngest political prisoner
in the world. Neither he nor his family have been heard of since.
Visitors are free to wander through the prayer halls and pretty, ornamental gardens, the ex-
perience largely an aesthetic rather than a spiritual one nowadays. As well as the amazingly
intricate mandalas hanging in side halls, the temple contains some notable statuary. There are
five main prayer halls , arranged in a line from south to north, and numerous side buildings
housing Bodhisattva statues and paintings.
The Yonghe Hall
雍和殿 , yōnghédiàn
The Yonghe Hall , the second one along as you move north through the complex, is the
temple's main building, though this may not be immediately apparent. Here you'll find three
large statues - gilded representations of the past, present and future Buddhas, respectively
standing to the left, centre and right.
The Pavilion of Eternal Blessings
永佑殿 , yŏngyòudiàn
Buddhas of longevity and medicine stand in the third hall, the Pavilion of Eternal Hap-
piness , though they're far less interesting than the nandikesvras , representations of Buddha
having sex, in a side room. Once used to educate emperors' sons, the statues are now covered
by drapes. The chamber behind, the Hall of the Wheel of Law , has a gilded bronze statue
of Gelugpa, the founder of the Yellow Hats (the largest sect within Tibetan Buddhism), and
paintings that depict his life, while the thrones at its side are for the Dalai Lama (each holder
of the post used to come here to teach).
The Hall of Boundless Happiness
万福殿 , wànfúdiàn
In the last, grandest hall, the Wanfu Pavilion , stands an 18m-high statue of the Maitreya
Buddha, the world's largest carving made from a single piece of wood - in this case, the trunk
of a Tibetan sandalwood tree. Gazing serenely out, the giant reddish-orange figure looms
over you; details, such as his jewellery and the foliage fringing his shoulders, are beautifully
carved. It took three years for the statue, a gift to Emperor Qianlong from the seventh Dalai
Lama, to complete its passage to Beijing.
Kong Miao
孔庙 , kǒngmiào • Guozijian Jie • Daily: May-Oct 8.30am-6pm; Nov-April 8.30am-5pm • Performances
hourly 9-11am & 2-5pm • 30 • Yonghegong Lama Temple subway (lines 2 & 5)
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