The Temple of Azure Clouds

The Temple of Azure Clouds is a famous travel spot in Beijing. It was first constructed during the Yuan Dynasty. The Temple of Azure Clouds is located in proximity to the northern corner of the Fragrant Hills Park, in an area full of natural beauty and surrounded by features of historical interest. The temple is removed from the pace of city life and offers a chance to relax, surrounded by nature. A suspended stone bridge leads to the gates of the temple, and the tall locust trees and willows overhang the bridge, making even the entrance magical. Inside Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall lies an empty crystal coffin presented by the USSR government in 1925 in memory of Sun Yat-sen (his body had already been buried in Nanjing). Photos of Sun Yat-

sen, his handwriting, books and statue are also on display on two sides. As the foremost pioneer of Republican China, Sun Yat-sen is frequently referred to as the Father of the Nation. Sun played an instrumental role in overthrowing the Qing Dynasty in October 1911, the last imperial dynasty of China. He was the first provisional president when the Republic of China (ROC) was founded in 1912 and later co-founded the Kuomintang (KMT) where he served as its first leader. Another important building of The Temple of Azure Clouds is called Hall of Arhats. There are 512 statues, of which include 500 wooden Arhats, 11 Bodhisattvas and one statue of Ji Gong (a famous Buddhist monk) inside the Hall of Arhats. All the Arhats are vivid, life-size statues with different poses and expressions. It has been said that two of these Arhats were the statues of Emperor Kangxi and Emperor

Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). In addition to these life-sized images, a miniature statue of Ji Gong perched on an overhead beam. The magnificent Vajra Throne Tower is the highest building in the Temple of Azure Clouds. This 35 meter-high tower with elegant decorations is well-known within the area of Beijing City for its high elevation. The tower is located on Xishan (West Hill) and when you climb to the top, it is a perfect observational position to view all the scenery in the suburbs of Beijing City. Here are some guide information for your tour to Dongsi Mosque: Address: Inside Xiangshan Park, Haidian District. Admission Fee: CNY10 (Visitors need to buy the entrance ticket of Xiangshan Park or Fragarnt Hills Park to get to the mountain where the Temple of Azure Clouds is located), Openning Hours: 08:40-16:50,  Contact Number: 86-10-62591155-470