Step into the tranquil courtyard of Nianhua Temple. Its red mountain gate welcomes you. This Beijing temple holds centuries of secrets. Nianhua Temple wasn’t always Nianhua Temple. It began life in 1581 during the Ming Dynasty. Then it was Qianfo Temple. A eunuch named Feng Bao built it for a monk from Western Shu. Empress Dowager Xiaoding ordered the construction. Qianfo Temple housed a remarkable bronze Buddha. The Buddha Vairocana Lotus Treasure Thousand Buddhas was cast in the Ming Dynasty. Thousands of smaller Buddhas encircled the main Buddha. Each tiny Buddha sat atop a lotus flower. This detail explains the temple’s original name Qianfo Temple or Thousand Buddha Temple.
The temple’s name changed in 1734. That was during the Qing Dynasty’s Yongzheng period. The name shifted to Nianhua Temple. Nianhua Temple is different. It sits on three roads. Five courtyards are arranged along each road. Sadly the temple has remained closed to the public for a long time. Locals remember stories of chanting and incense. They wonder when the temple will again fill with these sounds and scents. The mountain gate shows signs of recent renovation. It’s freshly painted red. Some rafters are new. The window frames look ancient. They hint at the temple’s long history. The gable wall boasts intricate carvings of lotus leaves and flowers. These are amazingly lifelike. The details show the skill of those who created them. Over 400 years have passed. The history of Nianhua Temple lives on in these details. The past is preserved for you today. Nianhua Temple stands silent but not forgotten. The memories of its past remain. A walk through this temple is a walk through time. Nianhua Temple awaits your exploration. You can now freely discover the beauty and quiet strength of this amazing place. The stories within the walls of Nianhua Temple continue. The temple waits for you to discover them.