Bailin Temple

Located at No.1 Xilou Alley, Dongcheng District and on the east of Yonghe Temple, Bailin Temple (Cypress Forest Temple), one of eight most famous temples in Beijing, was first built in the 7th year under the reign of Zhi Zheng of the Yuan Dynasty (1347), and rebuilt in the 12th year under the reign of Zheng Tong of the Ming Dynasty (1447). Remedial and expansion works were carried out during the reign of Xuan De of the Ming Dynasty and of Kang Xi and Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Sheng Zu of Qing Dynasty has ever granted a stele engraved with his handwriting of "Immortal Cypress Forest" to the temple. It is a national cultural heritage under special protection.

Bailin Temple, facing the south, has an orderly and precise layout with main buildings of entrance gate, Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira (Grand Lord) Hall, Weimo Pavilion, side halls, etc. All the main buildings are based on grand masonry pedestals. The statues of the Buddha of the Past, Present and Future in Mahavira (Grand Lord) Hall and seven gold-plated wooden Buddha statues in Weimo Pavilion are all made in Ming Dynasty. East side hall houses a 2.6m-high large bronze bell made in the 46th year under the reign of Kang Xi of the Qing Dynasty (1707). External surface of the bell is fully engraved with Buddhist Sutra. The temple had ever kept the only printing plates of eign Longzang (a set of great surra series compiled under imperial order) in China, which collects famous Buddhist literatures of Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Many historical events recorded therein are not recorded elsewhere. Preparation of this set of sutra series began in the 11th year under the reign of Yong Zheng of the Qing Dynasty (1733), and finished in the 3rd year under the reign of Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty (1738). Now, there are 78230 pieces of printing plates well preserved, covering 7240 volumes of sutra. The printing plates are still printable as new ones since they are of superior pear wood, and have only been used to print out a very small number of copies. These printing plates were moved to Zhihua Temple in 1982.

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