Author(s)

Chengjun Jiang

Corresponding Author

Chengjun Jiang

Abstract

This article examines the cultural and architectural significance of Beijing’s Yonghe Temple, a legacy of Tibetan Buddhism and Qing Dynasty. The study explores the temple’s twofold function as a place of worship and a political instrument that promotes interethnic cooperation, and findings are explained by drawing on firsthand accounts, interviews with resident monks, and historical documents. Specifically, this paper will argue that Qing government’s approach to racial and ethnic integration could be traced from the conversion of Yonghe Temple from a Qing royal home to a Tibetan Buddhist temple, and the “three wonders of wooden sculptures,” which serve as the architectural centerpiece of Yonghe Palace, exhibiting a blend of Manchu, Tibetan, Han, and Mongolian cultural aspects. This paper shall go on to explore the relationship between ancient religious practices and recent challenges, by examining the temple’s recent development into a sought-after tourist destination , through in-person interviews with the monks. It draws attention to the ways that monastic routines have been disturbed by commercialization and an unprecedented increase in tourists, endangering the maintenance of its spiritual and cultural purity. The monks respond by calling for more stringent visitation control and public education in order to maintain the temple’s somber ambiance. However, despite those challenges, Yonghe Temple’s ongoing appeal, particularly among young people, demonstrates the importance of Buddhist concepts like compassion and generosity in resolving contemporary problems. This study emphasizes the need of combining cultural preservation with current demands, providing insights into how ancient religious traditions adapt to modern circumstances.

Keywords

Yonghe Temple, art history, architecture, cultural integration, heritage preservation, sociology