Temple of Heavenly Peace: the pagoda

Tian Ning Si (Temple of Heavenly Peace) is a quiet heaven from bustling Beijing. Some locals like to shoot the breeze on the square in front of the monastery. Others prefer to seat themselves on a stone bench, reading in peace.

I was attracted by the peace of the temple. Provided it is free to enter, I walked inside to explore its Buddhist culture.

It was one of the largest temples in the city at the time of its construction, but the monastery I see today is a pitiful fraction of its old structure. The Hall of Salvation houses a 9-meter-high sandalwood Buddhist carving, and in its shelter are said daily prayers and held routine ritual activities. In front of the hall stands a stone tablet from the mid-Qing Dynasty on which was recorded the imperial edict to restore the monastery.

In my eyes, the highlight is undoubtedly the Buddhist Pagoda dating back over 10,000 years ago. The tower has 13 layers in total, measuring 57.8 meters in height. Adorned by worshippers, the pagoda preserves some the Sarira of Buddha, the most sacred object in Buddhism. Despite hundreds of years of erosion, that the tower is still a stable establishment: structure in good shape, carvings and adornments quite recognizable.

The tower is now considerate as one of valuable national relics. Next time when you travel around Guanganmen, make sure to visit the free Tian Ning Si.