The Dragon King Temple

Located to the northwest of the Temple of Great Compassion, the Dragon King Temple is the fifth of the Eight Great Temples, and is also known as Dragon Spring Convent. It was built in 1672. Entering the temple, tourists first notice the sound of a bubbling spring breaking the stillness. The spring bubbles up from beneath a cliff behind the second courtyard and flows through the first courtyard and out of a carved stone spigot in the shape of a dragon head into a pond. The water of this eternally flowing spring is clear and sweet and never freezes in winter. A Pavilion for Listening to the spring stands nearby. Behind the pond is the Hall of the Dragon King. Legend has it that the hall is the residence of the Dragon King. The hall is surrounded by luxuriant green bamboo. The Pavilion of Reclining Leisure and the Pavilion for Listening 1o the Spring, both of which are built up against the side of the mountain, are wonderful spots for viewing the distant hills. 6. The Temple of Fragrant World The Temple of Fragrant World is the sixth of the Eight Great Temples. Also known as the Pingpo Temple, the Temple of the Fragrant world is the largest temple complex in the entire area. Seine people say that it was first built in the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), while others say the temple was constructed in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It was rebuilt in 1425 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was reconstructed in 1678 and revamped in 1748. In the past. it served as the summer villa of Chinese emperors and today the Travelling Palace and Scripture Repository erected by Emperor Qianloug can still he seen. The temple boasts five courtyards and also contains many historical relics as well as paintings and calligraphy by celebrities. 7. The Precious Pearl Cavern The Precious Pearl Cavern is the seventh of the Eight Great Temples. The cavern is built on the top of the Pingpo Hill. There is a main hall and two annex buildings. The hall built behind the memorial archway is the noted Precious Pearl Temple. It is the highest paint in all the eight Great Temples, and thus the open gazebo in front of the temple is named “The Pavilion for distant Viewing. ” On fine days. tourists can see the entire Beijing, with Kunming Lake to the east, the Yongding River to the southwest, the plains to the south and the city skyline in the center, immediately below are the other seven temples. The temple's name derives from the cavern behind the main hall and a stone near its month, which resembles a large pearl. Though the floor area of the cave is no more than 25 square metres, a Qing monk named Hai Xiu lived there for 40 years. A statue of this long-term resident standing inside the cavern is popularly known as the “King-of-the-Ghost Bodhisattva. ”