Temples and Religions in Beijing
Beijing has many temples. Through them you can learn about the development of different religions in Beijing.
Tanzhe Temple, the largest of all the Buddhist temples in Beijing, has a long history dating back as early as the 3rd century AD (Jin Dynasty).
The largest Taoist temple in Beijing is the White Cloud Temple. Built during the Tang Dynasty, it was once the Taoist center of North China.
Tibetan Buddhism was introduced to Beijing before the Yuan Dynasty (1271 AD). Tibetan Buddhist temple (Lama temples) have been built in Beijing since that time. White Dagoba Temple is one of the earliest Lama temples in existence, and dates back at the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty. The Yonghe Lamasery is the city's largest Lama temple, serving as the upper court of the Yellow Sect Lamaism. It was built in the Qing Dynasty.