Beijing

Hidden gems in Beijing

Beijing’s historical landscape extends beyond the Forbidden City to include these significant yet quieter landmarks. This collection features the Ming-era Zhihua Temple, known for its rare architecture and traditional music, and the Five Pagoda Temple, which showcases distinct Indian-style stone carvings. The list covers critical timekeeping history at the Bell and Drum Towers, the scholarly legacy of the Confucius Temple, and revolutionary milestones at the Red Building of Peking University and the Monument to the People's Heroes.

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Confucius Temple

Beijing Temple of Confucius is the second-largest Confucian temple in China, after the one in Confucius's hometown of Qufu.

Zaptel / CC BY 2.0

Bell Tower

The Drum Tower of Beijing, or Gulou, is situated at the northern end of the central axis of the Inner City to the north of Di'anmen Street.

Charlie fong / Public domain

Monument to the People's Heroes

The Monument to the People's Heroes is a ten-story obelisk that was erected as a national monument of China to the martyrs of revolutionary…

用心阁 / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Temple of Wisdom Attained (Zhìhuà sì)

The Zhihua Temple is a Ming dynasty-era Buddhist temple in Beijing, China.

Clithering / CC BY-SA 2.5

Dazhong Temple

The Big Bell Temple, or Dazhong Temple, originally known as Juesheng Temple, is a Buddhist temple located on the North 3rd Ring Road in…

Zaptel / CC BY 2.0

Drum Tower

The Drum Tower of Beijing, or Gulou, is situated at the northern end of the central axis of the Inner City to the north of Di'anmen Street.

Antigng / CC BY-SA 4.0

Red Building of Peking University

Completed in 1918, this red-brick structure served as the main building for Peking University's Faculty of Letters. It was the epicenter of the May Fourth Movement and the New Culture Movement, housing the office of Li Dazhao and the library where Mao Zedong worked.