智珠寺, Buddhist temple in Dongcheng District, China.
Zhizhu Temple is a Buddhist shrine located in Dongcheng District and features multiple halls and courtyards arranged with sloped roofs and carved details typical of classical Chinese architecture. The layout guides visitors through connected spaces where buildings frame open areas in a way that encourages exploration and reflection.
Zhizhu Temple was built under the Qianlong Emperor, most likely between 1761 and 1774: it is absent from the Qianlong Capital City Map and first appears in the 1774 Qinding Rixia Jiuwen Kao. Religious activity ceased in the 1950s, when workshops and factories took over the halls; a fire in the 1960s blackened the main hall. Restoration by Dongjingyuan began in 2007 and was largely complete by 2012.
Religious activity at Zhizhu Temple ceased in the 1950s, and since about 2012 the restored compound has operated as a free public cultural space with galleries and art spaces. The French restaurant TRB Hutong occupies part of the temple buildings. The temple's name tablet over the gate reads "敕建智珠寺" (Built by Imperial Order).
Zhizhu Temple stands at 23 Songzhu Yuan in Dongcheng District, west of Songzhu Temple and east of Fayuan Temple, facing south. Its halls run in a line from the shanmen gate, whose stone lintel reads "imperially built Zhizhu Temple", north through the Tianwang Hall, bell and drum towers, main hall and Jingshen Hall. The grounds now open free of charge as a public cultural space with galleries.
The temple's main hall survived a fire in the 1960s; the flames blackened the whole structure but the hall itself was saved. From the 1950s the compound served as a factory site, and since around 2012 it has reopened as a free public cultural space with galleries and a French restaurant, TRB Hutong.
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