In southeastern Mentougou District, the temple was built more than 1,000 years ago. Locals often say that Beijing was built after the Tanzhe Temple. There are many pagodas and mountain streams. Every year, when magnolia bursts into blossom, the fragrance permeates the air. There are many giant trees in the mountain where the temple is located.
Jietai Temple
Also in Mentougou District, the temple is the highest academy for Buddhism in China. "Jie " means religious commandments, and "jie tai " refers to the altar where people are initiated into monkhood or nunhood. The white marble altar in the temple is carved with 113 niches. A statue of Sakyamuni sits on the lotus base on the altar. The ceiling above the altar is painted with golden dragons. The larger altar in the open field is where highest level ceremonies are held.
Miaofeng Mountain
Also located in Mentougou District, Miaofeng Mountain is shaped like a lotus flower. Since the rule of Emperor Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty, an annual fair has been held in the temple at the top of the mountain. There are vast fields of rose at the foot of the mountain, bringing fragrance to the whole area.
Cuandixia Village
At Zhaitang of Mentougou District, the village has the biggest number of siheyuan courtyards of the Ming and Qing dynasties among villages in the suburbs of Beijing. The village is built along the northern slope of a valley. There are some 600 rooms in about 70 courtyards. As it is located below Cuanli"ankou, a military pass built in the Ming Dynasty, the village is named Cuandixia (Below Cuan) — "cuan " means to cook food over fire. For centuries, the village has been an important stop on the northwestern post road.
Fragrant Hill
On the eastern slope of the Western Mountain, the Fragrant Hill is covered with smoke tree that turns crimson in autumn. The Biyun (Green Cloud) and Wofo (Reclining Buddha) temples are two famous Buddhist sites. The Shuangqing Villa was the residence of Mao Zedong before the founding of New China.
Peking and Tsinghua universities
The two universities are known in the world for their long history and high academic level. Peking University used to be named Jingshi Grand Academy and changed to the present name in 1912. Cai Yuanpei (1868-1940) is the most famous president in the university"s history. It was he who championed the idea of "following freedom of thoughts and absorbing the cream of cultures". Entering the southern gate and walking northward, one will find the Peking University Centennial Memorial Hall and library. Further north are the Boya Pagoda and Weiming Lake, where lies the spirit and soul of Peking University. The lakeside wood shelters the tomb of American journalist and author Edgar Snow (1905-1972), the statue of Cai Yuanpei and a tablet carved with a poem by Emperor Qianlong. From the western gate, one can follow the streams to find the tomb of American geologist Amadeus William Grabau (1870-1946), the statue of Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616) and the memorial tablet for the South-West Associated University formed by combining Peking, Tsinghua and Nankai universities during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945).
On the other side of the street lies the Tsinghua University. Starting from the Gongzi Hall, the Tsinghua University is centered on the majestic auditorium that symbolizes the spirit of the university. Zhu Ziqing (1898-1948), a famous scholar, once wrote a prose titled Moonlit Lotus Pond (Hetang Yuese) on his musings over the lotus pond in the Jinchun Garden of Tsinghua University. The famous garden was also a residence for Emperor Xianfeng of Qing Dynasty. There are two pavilions on the wooded hill behind the Gongzi Hall. The pavilions carry the title of "Shui Mu Nian Hua" (Years of Water and Wood). It is the best-known symbol of the university.
Hongluo Temple
Lying in Huairou District, the temple is the biggest Buddhist site in northern Beijing. First built in Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 317-420), it was expanded in Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). For centuries, it has been a sacred site of Buddhism, cultivating many reverend masters. It commands the same high status in Buddhism as the Putuo Island of Zhejiang Province. There are three unique natural sights at the temple: the bamboo grove, the male and female gingko trees, the ivy climbing on a giant pine. The broadleaf forest covers 300 hectares. Every October, the Hongluo Mountain puts on a brilliant dress. Visitors can take the cableway to reach the mountain top and get a bird"s-eye view.
Yunju Temple
The temple in Fangshan District has three kinds of precious Buddhist scriptures written, printed or carved on paper, wood and rock. During the Sui, Tang, Liao, Jin, Yuan and Ming dynasties from the 6th to the 17th centuries, Buddhist scriptures were printed from the stone boards in the temple. To protect the stone boards from sun and rain, they were moved into an underground chamber and nine caves of the Shijing (Stone Scripture) Mountain. The temple has some 2,000 hand-written and printed scriptures dating back to the Ming Dynasty. One of the scriptures was written by Reverend Zuhui of the Miaolian Temple, who cut his own tongue to use the blood as ink.
Exhibition venues
Beijing Exhibition Center
Built in 1954, it is the first major comprehensive exhibition center in Beijing. Chairman Mao Zedong wrote the name for the center and Premier Zhou Enlai cut the ribbon at its opening ceremony. Located at the commercial center of Xizhimen, it has the exhibition hall, Beijing Exhibition Center Theater and Moscow Restaurant.
National Art Museum of China
Built at the Wusi Street, the museum is the biggest and highest-level art gallery in the country. It records the history of Chinese fine arts and introduces latest trends in the world to China.
National Agriculture Exhibition Center
