Tanzhe Temple: Information and Guide

Tanzhe Temple is located in Tanzhe Mountain, Mentougou District, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the city. Constructed during the Jin Dynasty (256-316), Tanzhe Temple enjoys a history stretching back 1,700 years and is the earliest Buddhist Temple in Beijing.

In former times its name was changed several times, but because there is the Dragon pool behind and wild mulberry (cudriana) trees on the mountain, local people always called it Pool and Mulberry Tree Temple or ‘Tanzhe Temple’ (Tan refers to the pool while Zhe refers to cudrania trees), and as time passed by this name was fixed upon.