Guanghua Temple, Buddhist temple in Xicheng District, Beijing, China.
Guanghua Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Xicheng District at 31 Ya'er Hutong, north of Shichahai. The grounds feature traditional Chinese architecture with spaces for Buddhist ceremonies, meditation areas, and religious facilities arranged throughout.
Founded during the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), the temple was rebuilt in 1463 under the Ming and restored in the Wanli era, in 1852 and again in 1894. It was a Pure Land school temple in the Ming, later a tonsure temple, and in 1909 the Qing education ministry prepared the Capital Library here, where Lu Xun worked before its 1917 move.
The temple serves as an active center where visitors can observe regular ceremonies and meditation sessions conducted by the community. These ongoing practices demonstrate how Buddhist traditions remain woven into daily life in the city.
The temple is located near Shichahai and is easily accessible by multiple public transportation options. Visitors can combine a visit here with nearby historical sites in the same neighborhood.
The temple's library pavilion, a two-storey building at the rear, holds seven printed editions of the Ming and Qing Tripitaka. In 1989 a large Buddha statue was moved from the temple to the Tower of Buddhist Incense in the Summer Palace, with a consecration ceremony attended by over 400 believers.
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