Badachu Park is located at No. 3, Badachu Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, surrounded by the remaining ranges of the Taihang Mountains, including Cuiwei Mountain, Hutou Mountain, and Qinglong Mountain. The park covers an area of 284.68 hectares, with the highest peak at an altitude of 464.8 meters. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction, as well as one of the first batch of historical and cultural gardens in Beijing and the first batch of municipal cultural relics protection units in Beijing. Badachu Park is a Buddhist temple garden with a long history and profound cultural heritage. It is named after the eight ancient temples: Chang'an Temple, Lingguang Temple, Sanshan Nunnery, Dabei Temple, Longquan Nunnery, Xiangjie Temple, Baozhu Cave, and Zhengguo Temple, integrating culture, leisure, fitness, and entertainment.
History and Culture
The history of Badachu Park can be traced back to the Zhengguo Temple built during the Renshou period (601-604) of the Sui Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, Pingpo Temple was built on Pingpo Mountain, and Longquan Temple was completed at the eastern foot of Cuiwei Mountain during the Dali period (766-779) of the Tang Dynasty. During the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, the number of temples continued to increase. The Yinsu Temple was newly built in the Yuan Dynasty. In the first year of Hongxi (1425) of the Ming Dynasty, Pingpo Temple was rebuilt and renamed Dayuan Tong Temple. In the fourteenth year of Chenghua (1478) of the Ming Dynasty, Jiaoshan Temple was rebuilt and renamed Lingguang Temple. During the Hongzhi period (1488-1505) of the Ming Dynasty, Chang'an Temple was built.
During the reigns of Kangxi and Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty, Longquan An (Longquan Nunnery), Dabei Si (Dabei Temple), Xiangjie Si (Xiangjie Temple), Baozhu Dong (Baozhu Cave), etc., were successively constructed. By then, all eight temples of "Badachu" had been established. In 1956, Badachu Park was initially completed and officially opened to the public. After 1978, the Beijing Gardening Department carried out comprehensive renovation on Badachu, gradually restoring each temple. In 2001, Badachu Park was selected as a national AAAA-level tourist attraction. In 2017, Xishan Badachu was announced as one of the first batch of municipal cultural relics protection units in Beijing.
Main Attractions
Chang'an Temple
As the first site of Badachu Park, it is located on the flat land at the southwest corner of Hutou Mountain. It was initially built in the 17th year of the Hongzhi Period of the Ming Dynasty (1504) and renovated in the 10th year of the Kangxi Period of the Qing Dynasty (1671). The temple gate faces east, with a two - courtyarded layout. The front hall is the Sakyamuni Hall, and the rear hall is the Goddess Hall. In history, it was renowned for its rare flowers and precious trees. Currently, there are two white - barked dragon - claw pines (said to be planted in the Yuan Dynasty), along with precious plants like Chinese redbuds and crape myrtles. At present, Chang'an Temple is temporarily closed to the public.
Lingguang Temple
As the second site of Badachu Park, it is located at the eastern foot of Hutou Mountain. It was first built during the Dali period (766-779) of the Tang Dynasty, originally named Longquan Temple. It was rebuilt and renamed Jiaoshan Temple in the second year of Dading (1162) of the Jin Dynasty, and again rebuilt and renamed Lingguang Temple in the fourteenth year of Chenghua (1478) of the Ming Dynasty. It was damaged by war in 1900 and later rebuilt. The temple has a 51-meter-high, octagonal thirteen-story eaves Buddha Tooth Relic Pagoda, enshrining the "Sakyamuni Tooth Relic" from the 11th century, which holds extremely important religious status in the world Buddhist community.
Sanshan Nunnery
It is the third temple of Badachu, founded in the third year of Tiande of the Jin Dynasty, with a history of more than 900 years. The mountain gate faces northeast, and it is a well-arranged and exquisitely constructed quadrangle courtyard. The mountain gate hall has three bays, with one corner door on each side; the main hall has five pillars and is equipped with two side rooms; the two side halls are opposite to each other and arranged on both sides of the main hall. Since ancient times, it has attracted many literati and scholars, leaving a lot of poems and paintings.
Dabei Temple
Located in the northwest of Sanshan Nunnery, in the fifty-first year of Kangxi (1712) of the Qing Dynasty, Yinsu Temple was rebuilt and renamed Dabei Temple. In the Mahavira Hall, there are Eighteen Arhats sculpted by Liu Yuan, a famous sculptor of the Yuan Dynasty, which are vivid and lifelike.
Longquan Nunnery
Located in the west of Dabei Temple, it was built at the northwest of Yinsu Temple in the eleventh year of Kangxi (1672) of the Qing Dynasty. The spring eye has less water, and the spring water is crystal clear, gushing out from the cave and slowly dripping through the dragon's mouth, known as Longquan, one of the best springs in Beijing.
Xiangjie Temple
Located in the northwest of Longquan Nunnery, in the thirteenth year of Qianlong (1748) of the Qing Dynasty, Shenggan Temple was rebuilt and renamed Xiangjie Temple. The layout is strict, and the Buddha statues and sacrificial vessels are complete. Under the Mahavira Hall, there are two imperial steles with dragon heads and turtle bases, on which are engraved the calligraphy of Kangxi, Qianlong, and Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty respectively.
Baozhu Cave
Located in the northwest of Xiangjie Temple, it was built on Cuiwei Mountain in the forty-sixth year of Qianlong (1781) of the Qing Dynasty.
Zhengguo Temple
Located in the east of Badachu Park, northeast of Sanshan Nunnery, it was first built during the Renshou period (601-604) of the Sui Dynasty and is the oldest temple in Badachu. To its west is the Secret Cliff.
Food
Roasted Red Trout
A special food in farmhouses and restaurants around Badachu Park, with fresh and tender fish meat and golden crispy skin. The price varies according to the size of the fish, generally around 50-100 yuan.
Farmhouse Stew
Including stewed free-range chicken, stewed pork ribs, etc., with rich taste, and the price of one portion is about 30-50 yuan.
Tickets
The ticket price is 10 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "北京市八大处公园" in WeChat to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
The park opens at 6:00, stops ticket sales at 17:30, and closes at 18:30.
Tour Route
It is recommended to enter from the park gate, first go to the second site Lingguang Temple to visit the Buddha Tooth Relic Pagoda and other attractions, then successively visit the third site Sanshan Nunnery, the fourth site Dabei Temple, the fifth site Longquan Nunnery, the sixth site Xiangjie Temple, the seventh site Baozhu Cave, and finally reach the eighth site Zhengguo Temple. If time permits, you can also go to the first site Chang'an Temple (if open) and attractions such as Hutou Mountain and Cuiwei Mountain.
Transportation
- Bus: Take bus No. 347 or 958 and get off at "Badachu" station.
- Subway: Take Subway Line 6 to "Xihuangcun" station, transfer to bus No. 389 or 958 to "Badachu" station.
- Self-driving: Drive west along Fushi Road or Lianshi Road from the West Fourth Ring Road, exit at Badachu Road, and drive along Badachu Road to reach.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Lingguang Temple: It has the Buddha Tooth Relic Pagoda, enshrining the Sakyamuni Tooth Relic, which is of great religious significance in the Buddhist community. The temple also has landscapes such as the Arhat Wall and the Heart Sutra Wall.
- Dabei Temple: In the Mahavira Hall, there are Eighteen Arhats sculpted by Liu Yuan in the Yuan Dynasty, which are vivid and precious.
- Xiangjie Temple: With a strict layout, there are imperial steles of Kangxi, Qianlong, and Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty under the Mahavira Hall, with high historical and cultural value.
Tour Tips
- It is recommended to buy tickets online in advance to avoid queuing on site.
- There are many temples in the park, so please keep quiet and respect religious beliefs when visiting.
- The park covers a large area, so it is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes for better sightseeing.
- When visiting in summer, pay attention to sun protection and heatstroke prevention measures.
Notes
- Real-name ticket purchase is required to enter the park.
- Preferential groups such as children and the elderly should carry relevant documents as required by the scenic area to enjoy ticket discounts.
- Please do not smoke or litter in the park and take care of the environment.
- Abide by the park's opening hours and leave the park on time.