Lamma Temple:
The temple was originally a palace for Emperor Yongzheng before he was made emperor. When he took the throne in 1723 the palace was converted into a Buddhist temple in line with Chinese tradition. In the 1700’s it became a major center of the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism and the monks there wielded considerable political clout. The temple fell into disfavor in the 19th century and was largely neglected. During the cultural revolution in the late 60’s and early 70’s the temple was closed and threatened with destruction. Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai intervened personally to save the temple and it eventually reopened with lamas from Mongolia in residence in the 1980’s.
Temple of Confucius:
It is here that Confucius was worshipped during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties (1271 - 1911). The temple was first built by Kublai Khan in 1302 in the Yuan Dynasty, and was restored and rebuilt on several occasions during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In 1737, during the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong, the major hall was renovated and was recovered with magnificent yellow glazed roof tiles. In 1906, when the worship of Confucius was further emphasized by the Qing Government, the temple underwent extensive restoration which lasted until 1916. Covering a total area of 22,000 square metres, the temple makes up four courtyards.
