It’s not easy to find a peaceful temple in China, so when you happen upon one it’s important to seize the chance to enjoy a moment of quiet contemplation.

This is exactly what I found myself doing on a visit to Jietai Temple (戒台寺) in the western suburbs of Beijing on a cool, clear, early-autumn day.

Jietai Temple itself is distinctive for its layout, which differs from most traditional temples in China. In keeping with Buddhist tradition, its main gate faces east, as opposed to the majority of ancient Chinese temples, which point south, in order to embrace the path of the sun.

Moreover, most temples have a gate hall that serves as the main entrance, but Jietai opens onto a courtyard (like the traditional hutong courtyard houses found in central Beijing), before extending upwards across a series of terraces that fit snugly in the lap of the mountain, and offer an unfolding view of the surrounding buildings, woods and the distant smudge of Beijing itself.

The grounds also house several wonderful millenary trees, which add a touch of grandeur to the scene; one even looks like it is reaching out to touch the pagodas with the tip of a branch.

Turning back to view the haze of the capital from this elevated position, I felt a sense of peace and spiritual contentment as I gazed at the distant and austere-looking backdrop of the city.

I also count not help but reflect on the depth of the temple’s history, and the host of differing traditions it embraces: Buddhist imagery, Liao Dynasty pagodas, Ming and Qing dynasty architecture.

All said, this is a special place and worth taking the time for a visit, but for the time being, I hope these photos give a sense of its symmetry, color and contextual sensitivity.

[nggallery id=48]

Background:

Jietai Temple is located 25 kilometers away from downtown Beijing, and was first constructed in the Kaihuang period of the Sui Dynasty (581 A.D. to 600 A.D.). During the Xiayong period of the Liao Dynasty (1065 A.D. to 1074 A.D.), a monk named Fajun erected an altar here, and eminent monks of the Jin, Ming and Qing dynasties all came to Jietai in order to initiate people into the monkhood, and to reconstruct the temple many times over. Along with Zhaoqing Temple in Hangzhou and Kaiyuan Temple of Quanzhou, it is one of the Three Grand Temples of China. In 1997, a ban on religious activities at the temple was lifted and various Buddhist rituals are now performed there on the first and 15^th days of every lunar month.