Jietai Temple

Located at the foot of the Saddle Mountain in Mentougou District, the Jietai Temple was founded during the reign of Kai Huang of the Sui Dynasty (581 - 600), and named as Huiju Temple at that time. In the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Ying Zong gave it another name 'Wanshou Temple'. However, it is more commonly known as Jietai or Jietan (abstinence altar) Temple for an Abstinence Altar in the temple is the largest one in China. The temple is famous for three features, i.e. Abstinence Altar, fantastic pines and ancient caves.

Facing the east, temple buildings were built at the foot of Mountain, rising and falling along with terrain. The Abstinence Altar was built in the Liao Dynasty, and was known as one of the Three Largest Abstinence Altars in China with the other two respectively in the Kanyuan Temple in Quanzhou, Fujian, and in the Zhaoqing Temple in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Moreover, the Abstinence Altar is larger than the other two. So it is called the No. 1 Altar under Heaven. Some karst caves in the mountain behind the temple were built into Buddhist grottos ashrams, in which some eminent monks of the temple practiced austerities in ancient times. Such densely distributed grotto ashrams cannot be seen elsewhere in Beijing area.

The Jietai Temple holds an important position in China's Buddhist circle. Since the Abstinence Altar is authorized to teach the supreme Buddhism precepts - the Bodhisattva Precept Section of the India's Net Sutra, it becomes one of the highest Buddhism institutions in China. The attractions outside the temple are Cliffside Buddha Figures, Cliffside Inscriptions, Stone Archway, Tomb Pagoda Forest and many mysterious caves.

The Jietai Temple is characterized by both grandness of the temples in north China and elegance of the gardens in south China, combining thick religious culture with beautiful natural scenery. It is a famous Buddhist temple, and also a reputed tourist result. It is a national cultural heritage under special protection.