Fayuan Temple, a historic Buddhist sanctuary

It is the oldest existing temple in Beijing, founded in the 19th year of the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty (645). During the Tang Dynasty, it was known as Minzhong Temple, and it was renovated and renamed to its current name during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. In 1965, the Chinese Buddhist Academy was established within the temple. Fayuan Temple covers an area of about 6700 square meters, with a grand architectural scale and a rigorous structure. It adopts a central axis symmetrical layout, with structures including the mountain gate, bell and drum towers, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, Minzhong Terrace, Jingye Hall, Wuliang Hall, the Great Compassion Altar, the Sutra Repository, and the Great Pervasive Awakening Hall, arranged from south to north. Chinese Buddhist Academy 'A single Fayuan Temple, half of China's history.' Since its construction, this millennium-old temple has been closely linked with the great changes of the times. The past history and the inscriptions in the temple will tell you that Fayuan Temple is not just a temple, but also the site of many significant historical events. For over thirteen hundred years, rulers have prayed here for the stability of the country; dethroned monarchs have felt the pain of a nation's fall and family ruin; exiled loyal officials have sought refuge here to express their aspirations; impassioned patriots have clenched their fists in frustration here; and many down-and-out scholars have sought to change their fate here... In the vicissitudes of history, Fayuan Temple has been destroyed and rebuilt, just like the fate of the Chinese nation, enduring calamities and rising from the ashes time and again.