[2025 Beijing Attraction] Travel Guide for Cheng'en Temple (Updated Jan)

📍Address: No. 20, Modekou Street, Shijingshan District, Beijing 🚗Transportation: Take Metro Line 6 to Jin'anqiao Station, transfer to Line 11 to Modekou Station 👍️Must-visit: Cheng'en Temple covers an area of about 19,000 square meters. The layout is rigorous, with four courtyards from south to north: the Mountain Gate Hall, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, and the Dharma Hall. The small courtyard at the back has a hall dedicated to Wen Xiang. The Hall of Heavenly Kings still has intact murals from the Ming dynasty. On the east and west sides of the hall, there are four giant dragons in blue, white, yellow, and green, painted according to the traditional layout: blue dragon on the left, white dragon on the right, yellow dragon on top, and green dragon on the bottom. The two murals on either side of the north gate on the north wall are rare in terms of content and artistic level. Although the murals are 70 years later than those in Fahai Temple, they are clearly works from the mid-Ming dynasty. These two murals were also painted by royal painters, with exquisite techniques and extraordinary skills, reaching a high artistic level. 🎟️Tickets: Reservation required, currently closed

📍Address: Cheng'en Temple, No. 20, Modekou Street, Shijingshan District, Beijing 🚗Transportation: Take Subway Line 6, transfer to Line 11, and get off at Modekou Station 👍️Must-see: On February 23, 1990, Cheng'en Temple was announced as the fourth batch of cultural relics protection units by the Beijing Municipal People's Government. On May 25, 2006, it was announced as the sixth batch of national key cultural relics protection units by the State Council of the People's Republic of China. Cheng'en Temple is grand and magnificent, consisting of the Mountain Gate Hall, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Dharma Hall, and other main halls. The entire temple is in the shape of a "hui" character, slightly longer from north to south. From south to north, the eastern part of the temple consists of the Mountain Gate Hall, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Main Hall, and the Rear Hall. There are dozens of side halls and wing rooms on both sides of the Main Hall. There are watchtowers around the courtyard walls, which are rare in Ming and Qing temples. There are still two Ming steles in the temple. One is the imperial edict stele, erected in the eighth year of the Zhengde reign (1513); the other is the stele written by Li Dongyang, Minister of Personnel, erected in the tenth year of the Zhengde reign (1515). 🎟️Tickets: From November 4 to November 17, Cheng'en Temple launched a limited-time free autumn viewing event, which has ended.

📍Address: No. 20, Modekou Street, Shijingshan District, Beijing 🚗Transportation: Take Line 6 to Jin'anqiao Station, transfer to Line 11, and get off at Modekou Station. 👍️Must-visit attraction: Built between 1506 and 1521, the temple covers an area of about 20 acres. Legend has it that it was built by the eunuch Liu Jin on the site of an ancient Tang dynasty temple. Cheng'en Temple covers an area of about 19,000 square meters. The layout is rigorous, with four courtyards from south to north: the Mountain Gate Hall, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, and the Dharma Hall. The small courtyard at the back has a hall dedicated to Wen Xiang. There are four ancient ginkgo trees in the temple, all over 700 years old. This free event is to allow everyone to enjoy the ginkgo trees. 🌈Cheng'en Temple is open for free from November 4 to November 17, 2024, from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm daily. Last entry is at 4:00 pm. 🎟️Tickets: Tickets are released at 6:00 am on the Shijingshan Cultural Tourism app. They are free but in high demand. 💗Other tips: Visitors over 60 years old can enter without a reservation, but there are many people.

✅ Winter is coming, and the best time is now. In the most beautiful golden autumn, the ginkgo trees do not disappoint. ​ ​Cheng'en Temple, which has been closed for 500 years, is said to be harder to book than the Forbidden City and is only open for a dozen days each year! ​ ​There are four ginkgo trees over 300 years old in the courtyard. The strong wind a few days ago blew the leaves off two female ginkgo trees, covering the ground in a golden carpet. The leaves of the two male ginkgo trees are still hanging on the branches, creating a golden canopy. In the most brilliant golden autumn, the breeze blows, and the golden ginkgo leaves flutter and fall, contrasting with the red walls and gray tiles of the ancient temple.​ The autumn is in full swing, and the golden color is overflowing. The dazzling golden color is everywhere, making people deeply intoxicated and reluctant to leave. The scenery of Cheng'en Temple is so beautiful that it is intoxicating. It is like a colorful painting that has been slowly spread out, waiting for you to come. 📍Cheng'en Temple is located in the eastern part of Modekou Street, Shijingshan District, Beijing. It was built in the fifth year of the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty (1510) by the eunuch Wen Xiang of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and was completed in the eighth year of the Zhengde period (1513). It faces south and covers an area of 19,000 square meters. To the east of the temple is the Temple of the Three Realms Demon Emperor, and to the west is the Dragon King Temple.

Cheng'en Temple was first built in the 5th year of the Zhengde period of the Ming dynasty (1510) by eunuch Wen Xiang. It was renovated during the Qianlong and Daoguang periods of the Qing dynasty. It is said that the plaque on the gate of the temple, "Cheng'en Temple," was written by the Ming emperor Zhu Houzhao. Features of Cheng'en Temple: * There are two mounting stones in front of the gate, one on each side, symbolizing a successful official career and status. * The stone watchtower, whose purpose is still unknown. * The bell and drum tower is connected to the corridor. * The cypress tree in the shape of the Chinese character "人" is in the fifth courtyard, which is not open to the public. * The murals are not open to the public. Cheng'en Temple is open until the 17th of this month.

🍂 Enjoy the unique and beautiful autumn scenery of the ancient temple! Open area: Second courtyard Open until November 17 Tickets are released at 6 am every day Morning and afternoon sessions 400 spots per day

🌈Highlights: Cheng'en Temple is located on Moshikou Street in Shijingshan District, west of Beijing. It was built in 1510 by eunuch Wen Xiang, and completed in 1513. Cheng'en Temple covers an area of about 19,000 square meters, facing south. The temple has a mountain gate, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Dharma Hall, the Bell and Drum Towers, the east and west halls, and the inverted house. There are also dozens of side halls and wing rooms on both sides of the main hall. The architecture is in the style of the Ming Dynasty, and the Hall of Heavenly Kings has six murals from the Ming Dynasty, with a total area of about 42 square meters, depicting four five-clawed dragons in blue, white, yellow, and green, as well as the scenes of Emperor Xiaozong and the empress releasing animals and birds, with high artistic value. In addition, there are ancient stone watchtowers in the four corners of the temple, two of which are larger, with a "human-shaped cypress" in the middle. The temple is known as the "Three Nos", "Three Highs", and "Five Uniques". The "Three Nos" are: no opening of the temple gate, no incense, and no rituals; the "Three Highs" are: high engineering level, high abbot level, and high status; the "Five Uniques" are: Ming Dynasty murals, ancient watchtowers, bell and drum towers on the inverted corner houses, human-shaped cypress, and the mounting and dismounting stones outside the mountain gate. In 2006, Cheng'en Temple was listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit. Today, it is a platform for the display of the Eight Wonders of Yanjing. 🕐️Opening hours: 9:00 am to 3:30 pm (open for about 10 days a year) ⏰From November 4 to November 17, Cheng'en Temple will launch a limited-time free autumn viewing event, allowing everyone to enjoy the unique and beautiful autumn scenery of the ancient ginkgo temple! ⏰Starting from Thursday (November 7), the "Cheng'en You Xing" Cheng'en Temple limited-time free autumn viewing event will be launched, with more exciting activities in the temple! ⏰From November 9 to November 10, and November 16 to November 17, there will be a series of special weekend events, including creative ginkgo interaction and ancient temple cultural creation. 🏝️Recommended route: Take Metro Line 6 to Jinanqiao Station, transfer to Line 11 to Moshikou Station, exit from Exit B, walk east along Moshikou Ancient Culture Street for 300 meters, opposite Beijing No. 9 Middle School. 💗Other tips: Free admission, online reservation, open for no more than 10 days a year, the best season to enjoy the ancient temple scenery is autumn!