Situated on 5.8 acres of land on the western side of Xisi crossroads in Beijing, the Guangji Temple (Temple of Great Charity) is the lone Buddhist temple in downtown Beijing. It was begun during the Jin Dynasty (1115 to 1234), and completed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Coincidentally, the temple has survived through three renovations, three fires and three expansions.

The main temple gate has three arches joined by a common wall. As you enter through the center arch, the Heavenly King Hall is directly in front of you. Inside there’s a sitting bronze statue of Maitreya Buddha, guarded on each side by four heavenly kings. The ceiling above is decorated with the Wheel of Dharma, which reminds us of Buddha’s ultimate and supreme power. The other significant hall is the Mahavira Hall in the second courtyard. Outside there’s a two-meter bronze vessel made in 1793 and decorated with the wheel, spiral shell, umbrella, canopy, flower, vase, fish and knot. Inside the hall stand statues of Buddha and his eighteen followers. A large Qing era finger-painting hangs behind them. The third hall and was used as the living quarters of the Bodhisattvas. The sutras and other treasures are kept in the fourth hall, the aptly named Sutra Hall.

Apart from being an important site in terms of architecture the Guangji Temple is also prized for the scriptures kept in the Sutra Hall. Those who want to learn about Buddhism find that hundred thousand scripture volumes in twenty varied languages are available for research. There is even an entire sutra from the Song era written in blood, which was given to the temple as a gift.

As though all of that were not enough, the China Buddhist Association is also located in the Guangji Temple.

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