Tianning Temple, Buddhist temple in Xicheng District, Beijing, China
Tianning Temple is a Buddhist temple complex in Xicheng featuring a distinctive octagonal pagoda. The pagoda stands approximately 58 meters tall and is constructed from brick and stone with architectural details that imitate traditional wooden building elements.
The temple was founded in 1119 during the Liao Dynasty and its pagoda withstood multiple dynasties, especially Ming and Qing periods. Despite earthquakes and damage over the centuries, the structure has been preserved and restored several times.
The temple walls display intricate relief carvings showing stone warriors and bodhisattvas that reflect Chinese Buddhist artistic traditions. These sculptures tell stories from religious texts and form an important part of what visitors see while walking through the complex.
The temple is located on Tianningsi Front Street in Xicheng District and welcomes visitors daily without entrance fees. The area is accessible by foot and nearby streets provide easy orientation to find the complex.
Unlike similar pagodas of its time in northern China, this pagoda's interior has no hollow chambers or internal staircases. This was a distinctive building choice that set it apart from other religious towers of its period.
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