The Yonghegong Lama Temple generally gets the hype from visitors in the capital, but the older Dongyue Temple is also in downtown Beijing, offering a surprisingly tranquil environment is home to some incredible buddha statues, as well as plenty of shockingly un-zen-like demon figures.
The temple dates back to the early 14th century, with an impressive amount of original structure remaining. The temple consists of three main courtyards with three central main halls. The Yudedian Hall houses the “Three Officials,” the God of Heaven, the God of Earth and the God of Water. These ancient statues are definitely powerful to gaze at, though the feelings they instill can vary from peacefulness to unease.
The thing that sets Dongyue apart from other temples though, is the numerous small halls that line the outer courtyards. These halls are filled with representations of the 76 departments of the Daoist supernatural world. They are filled with lifesize plaster figures, many in demonic forms. With departments for “demons and monsters” or the Department for Implementing 15 Kinds of Violent Death, viewers can expect a taste of the macabre. Others such as the Department of Signing Documents ensure that the bland retains its place in the netherworlds.
The central courtyard contains the Stele Forest, row upon row of stone tablets which date back to Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The rear courtyard houses a stage which is used annually for traditional Spring Festival performances. It also contains the Beijing Folk Customs Museum, a handful of halls where antique objects are on display.
