After a brief return/rest at the hotel, we ventured out again at the suggestion of an old friend, to see the Buddhist Lama Temple. (A good description can be found here: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/beijing/attractions/lama-temple/a/poi-sig/368643/355905).
Zoe, Jackie and I were charmed by the place. So why do I think the Lama Temple is better (or, more accurately, a better venue for visitors) than the Forbidden City? … Several reasons:
First, it seems to house more of its original (or restored or maintained) contents than the Imperial Palace/Forbidden City, which (although beautiful) seems to be more about the exterior structures than their contents. Here are some photos that show what is inside the various structures of the Lama Temple, where people still seem to pray:
Second, while a big part of the experience of the Forbidden City is the “city”-scale of it — it is enormous and goes on for what seems like an eternity, particularly on a 95-degree day like today — the Lama Temple was more compact and accessible in many respects.
Third, there were just so many fewer people/tourists (imagine hundreds instead of tens of thousands of people) — it makes a big impact on the “experience” of seeing the place and being able to approach the sites worth seeing.
Finally, the Lama Temple was just more aesthetically pleasing — from the grounds/trees to the beautiful, restored or maintained series of temples with an attention to detail. Here are a set of photos from entry to end.
The last statue is 18 meters tall and housed in the building photo (immediately prior image).
If you visit Beijing, I highly recommend the Lama Temple.
Tomorrow, we go to The Great Wall (Mutianyu section)!
