The Pool and Cudrania Temple

In between the Mahavira Hall and Vairochana Pavilion the Pool and Cudrania Temple is situated 45 kilometres west of the city. For Centuries, there has been a saying:"First there was the Pool and Cudrania Temple, then came Beijing." It dates back 1,600 years to the Jin Dynasty, when it was known as the Temple of Auspicious Fortune. In the Tang Dynasty, it was expanded and renamed the Dragon Spring Temple. It has been popularly known as the Pool and Cudrania Temple because of the Dragon Pool and cudrania trees on the hill behind the temple. The buildings were mostly rebuilt in the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The temple was built into the landscape and laid out in a beautiful setting. In front of the gate are ancient pines believed to be several hundred years old. Several groups of buildings stand on the terraces one higher than the other. Their distribution is symmetrical, typical of Ming temple architecture.

The buildings spacious and imposing, are arranged in three main northsouth axes. Along the central axis are the Archway, the Front Gate, Deveraja Hall, Mahavira Hall and Vairochana Pavilion.

Hall of Heavenly Kings

(Please read Yonghegong Lamasery)

Chiwen

Chiwen refers to the glazed-tiled figures and animals on the ridge of the roof. The roofs of the ancient Chinese buildings were constructed with decorations in a unique style and in various forms. On the ridge of the root are Chiwen, one at each end. Legend has it that Chiwen is one of the nine sons of the dragon living in the South Sea and can make rain to prevent fire.

Chiwen decorations first appeared in the first century B.C. It has a fan shaped sword on its back and is supposedly fixed on the roof, so that it can not run away. The pair of Chiwen here, bright and vivid, date back to the, Yuan Dynasty and are rarely seen in the Beijing area.

  Daxiongbaodian (Mahavira Hall)

  Daxiong means a powerful warrior with dauntless courage, an honorable title for Sakyamuni. In the hall there is a statue of Sakyamuni, founder of Buddhism. He preached Buddhism for 45 years and died at the age of 80.

  On the right is a statue of Mahakasyapa, one of the ten disciples of Sakyamuni. It is said that he was of eminent virtue and was reckoned to be the first patriarch. After Sakyamuni died he continued his career.

  On the left is a statue of Ananda. Also one of the ten disciples of Sakyamuni, Ananda was the master of hearing and memory and was reckoned to be the second patriarch. He followed Sakyamuni for more than 20 years and is said to have compiled the Buddhist sutras. Dressed as a monk, he often appears together with Mahakasyapa in front of Sakyamuni.

  "Emperor of Trees"

  In between the Mahavira Hall and Vairochana Pavilion grows an ancient gingko tree, known as the "Emperor of Trees". The name was given by Qing Emperor Qianlong. The gingko tree is said to have been planted in the Liao Dynasty with a history of over one thousand years and is still a mass of branches and leaves. It is about 40 metres high and takes six people with their arms outstretched to encircle it. Across to the west is another gingko, planted later. Male gingko tree is fruitless while female gingko bears fruit either for eating or for use as medicine.

  Vairochana Pavilion

  The Vairochana Pavilion is the highest building on the central axis. It offers an excellent view of the temple grounds and the surrounding hills. The Pavilion is a 2-storey structure.