真武殿

Seven meters tall it stands a testament to time. This is the Zhenjue Temple also known as the Five Pagoda Temple. Built during the reign of the Chenghua Emperor in 1473 its history is rich and layered. Imagine the skilled artisans carefully placing each brick and piece of white marble. The temple’s design is remarkably similar to the Mahabodhi Temple in India. Legend speaks of a high-ranking Indian monk Pandida who presented the design to the imperial court. He supposedly also brought five golden Buddha statues. Some believe these statues are buried beneath the pagodas one under each. The temple complex housed at least six wooden buildings during the Ming Dynasty. Sadly fire ravaged the complex in 1860 and again in 1900. Only the Five Pagoda Temple survived. Today the temple houses the Beijing Art Museum of Stone Carvings. The five pagodas rest on a square foundation a diamond throne. A spiral staircase takes you to the top. Eleven layers of eaves crown four corner pagodas. The central pagoda slightly taller boasts thirteen layers. Its total height reaches seventeen meters. The walls are adorned with carvings of one thousand sagacious Buddhas. Buddhist symbols animals and floral designs also grace the walls. Even Sutra texts are etched into the stone. Notice the pair of Buddha footprints. They represent the spread of Buddhism across the world. The Zhenjue Temple a true jewel of Beijing a place where history religion and art converge. Explore its beauty its mysteries and its enduring legacy.