Yonghe Temple 雍和宫

About Yonghe Temple

That history is visible in the procession of courtyards and major halls along a north–south axis, where imperial architecture frames Buddhist images and ritual spaces. The complex is a functioning place of worship as well as a historic building, so leave room for worshippers as you move through it.

The interior works are more rewarding when treated as distinct stops. The Hall of Harmony and Peace contains the bronze Buddhas of the Three Ages; the Hall of the Wheel of the Law is associated with Tsongkhapa and the Five-Hundred-Arhat-Hill carving. Farther along the axis, the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses houses the monumental Maitreya carved from one piece of white sandalwood.

What to look for

• The north–south hall sequence: compare the gateways, courtyards, and yellow-tiled roofs that reflect the site’s imperial origins.
• Buddhas of the Three Ages: look at the three bronze figures in the Hall of Harmony and Peace.
• Five-Hundred-Arhat-Hill: examine the sandalwood composition associated with the Hall of the Wheel of the Law.
• Sandalwood Maitreya: see how the large figure fills the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses.

Location & getting there

Getting to Yonghe Temple

The temple is at No. 12 Yonghegong Street in Dongcheng. The identified transport reference places it by Yonghegong Lama Temple station, served by Metro Lines 2 and 5.

• Approach the temple’s southern end for the main gate and northward hall sequence; use the temple name as well as the station name when checking the final street approach.
• Follow on-site directions around worship and photography; a route through a working monastery should leave space for religious activity.