19. A Trip to China: Tanzhe Temple—An Ancient Monastery

If the Forbidden City embodies the imperial grandeur of Beijing, then nestled among the mountains to the west of the city lies an ancient temple that has witnessed over 1,700 years of Beijing's history. This is Tanzhe Temple. A popular local saying goes, "First came Tanzhe Temple, then came the city of Beijing." This phrase does not imply that the city was literally founded after the temple; rather, it reflects the temple's long history and its profound connection to Beijing's urban civilization. Situated at the foot of Mount Tanzhe in the Mentougou District, Tanzhe Temple is one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in the Beijing area. Backed by mountains, it features towering ancient trees and tiers of temple halls. Over the centuries, countless monks, pilgrims, scholars, and emperors have visited this site. Today, let us step into this ancient monastery—a sanctuary with a thousand-year history tucked away in the Western Hills.