Tanzhe Temple
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Tanzhe Temple (Template:Zh-cpl) is a Buddhist temple situated near China National Highway 108 to the west of Beijing. It is relatively well-known in Beijing. Legend states that the temple existed before the settlement of Beijing. Once, it was one of the most important temples in the nation.
Built in the Jin Dynasty, it has an age of around 1,600 years. The area of the entire temple is 100 mu (6.8 hectares), and its arrangement of halls is akin to that found in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The temple's major showpiece is the Mahariva Hall. 24 metres in length, 33 metres wide, and with a depth of 20 metres, it is the central hall in the temple.
Tanzhe temple also has some other features. Its Dragon Pool, which has dried up (unfortunately), sits on the hill at the back of the temple. The zhe trees (Cudrania tricuspidata), now few in number, are located in the temple as well. Their number has dwindled shockingly from the original thousand or so.
The temple has "created" the nearby township of Tanzhesi. Recently, it has expanded in size, being a receiver of the tourist industry.