Whispers of “Chang’an Temple” drift on the wind, hinting at ancient secrets. Chang’an Temple rests at the foot of Cuiwei Mountain, also known as Tiger Head Mountain. It is the first stop in the Badachu Park, a series of eight temples nestled in the western hills of Beijing. Chang’an Temple was originally called Shanyan Temple or Shanyan Chang’an Chanlin Temple. It was built in 1504 during the Ming Dynasty. The temple’s name resonates with the ancient city of Chang’an, once the heart of China. This connection evokes a sense of history and cultural significance.
Scholar Yu Yoding described the temple during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. He marveled at the four unique pine trees within the courtyard, the ten celestial warrior statues guarding the gate, and the five hundred arhats residing below the eaves. These statues were incredibly lifelike, reportedly modeled after the work of a painter who earned the nickname “The Unbeliever” from Emperor Xuanzong for his realistic depictions. The temple’s murals, crafted by this skilled artist at Changhua Temple, added to Chang’an Temple’s allure.
Chang’an Temple was renovated twice during the Qing Dynasty, first in 1659 by a local resident and then more extensively in 1671 under the supervision of Minister of Rites, Guozheng. Guozheng praised the grandeur and magnificence of the temple’s architecture. Chang’an Temple was known for its exotic flowers and renowned trees. Visitors admired the Jade Belt Platform, flanked by ancient jade orchids and purple wisteria. In the rear courtyard, two white-bark pine trees, believed to have been planted during the Yuan Dynasty, stood as silent witnesses to the passage of time. They are revered as the “Great Immortals of Pine Trees”.
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the temple was used by the Beijing Military Region in the late 1950s. During the Cultural Revolution, the temple suffered damage. Its statues and artifacts were lost, and the temple was occupied by residents. After the Cultural Revolution, these residents gradually moved out, though some remained. In the early 1980s, Chang’an Temple came under the management of Badachu Park. Between 1978 and 1980, extensive renovations were undertaken, restoring the buildings and adding a golden osmanthus tree to the front courtyard. Minor repairs continued in later years.
By 1988, the park authorities secured ownership of Chang’an Temple. In 2002, they initiated legal proceedings against a family of eight who had been living in the temple since the Cultural Revolution. The family, descendants of air force personnel, eventually agreed to vacate the premises in exchange for compensation. While the ancient buildings of Chang’an Temple have been fully restored since 2011, the interior remains incomplete. The Buddhist statues and furnishings have yet to be replaced, making the temple currently inaccessible to the public. The temple quietly awaits its full revival, its stories waiting to be shared once more.