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Home Travel in Beijing Hongluo Temple
Hongluo Temple
Travel in Beijing

    Hongluo Temple
Hongluo Temple
(hóng luó sì 红螺寺) is 4 kilometers away from north Huairou District (huái róu qū 怀柔区) of Beijing (běi jīng 北京). It is covers an area of 8 square kilometers and integrates the natural landscape with manmade features. First built in the fourth year of Xiankang (xián kāng 咸康) during East Jin (dāng jìn 东晋) Dynasty, Hongluo Temple was renovated during Tang Dynasty (táng cháo 唐朝). It was called Daming Temple (dà míng sì 大明寺) at first, and changed its name to “Huguozifu Temple”(hù guó zī fú sì 护国资福寺) during Ming Dynasty (míng cháo 明朝), and Hongluo Temple as its popular name.

Hongluo Temple is the source region of Buddhism in north China, and it is also regarded as the No. 1 ancient temple in Northern China. It is said that Hongluo Temple in north China is as the Imperial BambooPutuo Temple in south China. Three most prominent scenic areas of the temple complex are called Imperial Bamboo (yù zhú lín 御竹林), Male and Female Gingko (cí xióng yín xìng 雌雄银杏), and Pines Entangled with Chinese Wisteria (zǐ téng jì sōng 紫藤寄松).

Imperial Bamboo, with a history of more than 600 years, is planted by Yunshan (yuán shān 元山), a Buddhist monk in Yuan Dynasty (yuán cháo 元朝). Emperor Kangxi (kāng xī 康熙) during Qing Dynasty (qīng cháo 清朝) enjoyed the sight of these bamboos here. There are millions of bamboos which forms the bamboo grove with the largest area, longest history and best growth in northern China.

Male and Female GingkoMale and Female Gingko is located on both side of the Daxiongbaodian Hall (dà xióng bǎo diàn 大雄宝殿). The gingko at the west side is male and east side female. The trees are more than 1100 years old, with the height of 30 meters. However, they look alive. People called them “couple tree” because the male tree blooms in spring but does not produce fruit in autumn whereas the female tree does not bloom in spring but produce fruits in autumn. It is said that one tree does not make a forest. But it seems that the male gingko in Hongluo Temple will make a forest for there are ten branches growing at the root of it.

Pines Entangled with Chinese Wisteria is at the front of Sansheng Hall (sān shèng diàn 三圣殿). There are two ancient wisterias entwine the pines, covering the area of 400 square kilometers. Around May Day, the Chinese Wisteria blooms and the marvelous scenery is second to none.

Activities
Pines Entangled with Chinese WisteriaApril to June: Peony and Chinese Wisteria Festival
July to September: Summer Leisure Travel
October to September: enjoying the chrysanthemum and ginkgo
On the first to sixth day in lunar calendar: Hongluo Temple Fair

Hongluo Temple
Address: No. 2 Hongluo East Road (hóng luó dōng lù 红螺东路), Huairou District, Beijing
Opening hours: 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Admission: RMB 40 and half price for students
Traffic: take No. 936 at Dongzhimen Long-Distance Bus Station (dōng zhí mén cháng tú qì chē zhàn 东直门长途汽车站)