Fahai Temple

Fahai Temple is located at the southern foot of Cuiwei Mountain in Moshikou, Shijingshan District of Beijing. It was constructed in Ming Dynasty and the decoration was funded by Li Tong, a wealthy eunuch who attracted artists from the Imperial court to produce stunning murals and statuary. A great deal of vivid and spectacular murals were painted on the walls of the main hall of the Temple. But the statues didn't survive the Cultural Revolution. What remained up to the present are only Daxiongbaodian (the Precious Hall of Sakyamuni) and nine murals inside it. These murals, miraculously preserved intact, were modeled on the art of the Tang, but show influences of Song dynasty landscape painting, and later Ming innovations in the use of perspective and depth in portraiture. The brushwork, particularly in the depiction of robes, clouds, and flowers, is extraordinarily fine.

• Location: No.28, Moshi Kou Dajie, Shijingshan District, Beijing
• Transportation: Take Bus no. 959 or 746 from left of Pingguo Yuan metro stop to Shougang Xiaoqu (from bus stop, continue up the rise and take a right after 5 min.; pass Tian Yi Mu, take a left turn, continue uphill to a T-junction, and take a right turn; the temple is a further 5 min. up the hill)
• Phone Number: 010/8871-5776
• Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm
• Admission: RMB20