[Throwback] Summer Palace and the Lama Temple

The first place we visited was the Lama Temple. I didn't keep a copy of our itinerary so I don't know if there is more than one lama temple in Beijing but after doing a quick search online, it seems we went to the Yonghe Lama Temple, which is one of the largest and most popular Buddhist monasteries in China. 

Lama Temple

It was Chinese New Year when we visited to naturally, there were hordes of people when we were there.

The Lama Temple is known for its Buddha statues. The main building, known as the Hall of Harmony and Peace, house three bronze Buddha statues which are supposed to represent the past, the present, and the future.

Buddha statues at the Hall of Harmony and Peace

In another hall, you can find the largest sandalwood Buddha in the world. It is supposed to have been carved from one enormous piece of sandalwood. The whole statue has a height of 26 meters (with 18 meters above ground and 8 meters below).

Buddha statue made of Sandalwood

In the afternoon, we visited the the Summer Palace. It was built during the Qing Dynasty and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since December 1998.

Entrance to the Summer Palace

I'm pretty sure there were lots of people when we were there but I remember it felt quite peaceful during our visit. The scenic Kunming Lake definitely adds to the serenity that one feels in this imperial garden.

Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace

Visitors can also enjoy the view of Wanshou Shan, or Longevity Hill.

Longevity Hill

On it stands Foxiangge, or the Tower of Buddhist Incense.

Tower of Buddhist Incense

There are many other buildings and structures around the garden. One of the more interesting ones I saw was the Marble Boat or the Boat of Purity and Ease. Since we were there during Chinese New Year, it was still winter so you can see in the next photo that part of the lake by the boat pavilion was frozen.

Marble Boat

The Summer Palace was one of the most beautiful places I got to visit during this trip. I don't recall entering any of the buildings in the garden but we did get to enjoy the incredible views all afternoon until sunset.

Sunset at the Summer Palace

Next post: Great Wall of China and the Ming Tombs