[2025 Beijing Attraction] Travel Guide for Dazhong Temple Ancient Bell Museum (Updated May)

Beijing's attractions are full of hidden gems. Today, we'll introduce a lesser-known but impressive attraction—the Big Bell Temple. It houses the Yongle Bell, the heaviest and most intricately inscribed bell in ancient China. Officially known as the Big Bell Temple Ancient Bell Museum, the main attraction here is the Yongle Bell, cast during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty. Weighing 46.5 tons, it far surpasses other large bells in history, such as the Tang Dynasty's Jingyun Bell (6 tons) and the Jin Dynasty's Jinding Bell (approx. 15 tons). Furthermore, with 230,000 characters of Buddhist scriptures cast inside and outside, it's the ancient bell with the most inscriptions in the world. Remarkably, the Yongle Bell is still functional, rung every New Year, its sound carrying up to 45 km away. As an ancient bell museum, it houses not only a wide variety of large and small ancient bells from different periods in Chinese history, but also many foreign bells, showcasing the wonder and charm of bell culture. Besides admiring the bells, you can also appreciate the beauty of ancient Chinese architecture. The main building, the Big Bell Tower, features a unique design with a round top and square base. The magnolia blossoms in mid-to-late March add to the charm of this ancient temple.

#newyearnewtrip Beijing in autumn is absolutely magical. The weather during this time was perfect—cool enough to be comfortable but still sunny enough to enjoy being outside. What truly made the season stand out were the trees. Everywhere I looked, the leaves were turning golden yellow, creating a beautiful contrast against the clear blue sky. It felt like the entire city was painted in warm hues, adding a special charm to every corner. It was also heartwarming to see so many kids out and about, playing in the parks and enjoying the pleasant weather. The energy in the city felt lively and joyful, with families and locals soaking in the natural beauty. There’s something so peaceful and captivating about the city during this time of year—perfect for exploring, walking around, and simply appreciating the stunning autumn scenery. If you’re ever in Beijing during the fall, it’s a sight you won’t want to miss.

Ring the Bell for Good Luck! 🧩 Dazhong Temple, originally called Juesheng Temple, was built in 1733, the 11th year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing dynasty. After 1787, the 52nd year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty, it became one of the places where the royal family prayed for rain. It is a Buddhist temple with a long history. After many dynasties, it is now a museum with ancient bells as its theme. It has more than 400 pieces (sets) of bells, including musical bells, morning bells, Buddhist bells, Taoist bells, and vajra bells. The most famous bell in the Dazhong Temple Ancient Bell Museum is the Yongle Bell, which was cast during the Yongle reign of the Ming dynasty. It is 6.75 meters high, 3.3 meters in diameter, and weighs 46.5 tons. It is known as the "King of Bells" and is famous for its long history, deep and distant sound, numerous inscriptions and mantras, ingenious hanging structure, and superb casting technology. The Yongle Bell is not only the treasure of the Dazhong Temple Ancient Bell Museum, but also a national first-class cultural relic. Its sound can travel far and has high historical and cultural value. 📍 Location: No. 31, North Third Ring West Road, Haidian District, Beijing ⏰ Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm 🗺️ Tickets: CNY 30 for adults, CNY 15 for students, free for people over 60, minors, and union card holders 🚆 Transportation: Take Line 13 to Dazhong Temple (Exit A, Northwest) and walk about 900 meters ⚠️ There are stamps inside, so you can bring your own notebook

In Beijing, there are thousands of voices hidden here㊙️ A place where you can calm down and listen to the echoes of history👂 📍 Dazhong Temple Ancient Bell Museum Originally named Juesheng Temple, it was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty and was an important place for the royal family to pray for rain and hold Buddhist events Now it is open to the public in the form of a museum👀 🔹 The temple houses a variety of ancient bells, the most famous of which is the Yongle Bell, which weighs 46.5 tons and is known as the "First Bell in the World". It is the treasure of the museum👍 🔹 The Yongle Bell is not only large in size, but also has a melodious tone. Whenever it rings, the sound can spread tens of miles away. Imagine, close your eyes and listen to this voice that travels through time and space, as if you can feel the solemnity and tranquility of ancient times 🔹 The temple also displays many precious ancient bell cultural relics, each of which has a unique historical background and cultural value, and it seems to be walking in the long river of history 🔹 The Ancient Bell Museum not only can see ancient bells, but also can learn about the history and production process of bells This niche museum does not have the experience of people crowding people, it is too suitable for a person to stroll slowly Listening to the sound of the ancient bell, it seems that the whole world has slowed down, and the soul has been baptized 🕐Opening hours: 9:00-16:30 (closed on Monday) 🎫 Ticket price: 30/person 🚇Line 10 Dazhong Temple Station Exit A

Address: No. 31 Jia, North Third Ring West Road, Haidian District, Beijing Ticket: 30 yuan Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (ticket sales and admission stop at 16:00) Closed on Mondays Juesheng Temple, a Buddhist temple built by the decree of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty, is also known as the 'Big Bell Temple' because of the large bell cast during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty hanging in the temple. The entire ancient architectural complex consists of the Mountain Gate, Bell and Drum Tower, Hall of Heavenly Kings, Mahavira Hall, Guanyin Hall, Sutra Library, Big Bell Tower, and the East and West side halls and corridors. It is now an Ancient Bell Museum, vividly showcasing the complete history of ancient bell development. In the Mahavira Hall, there is a complete set of replicas of the Zenghouyi chime bells, along with an introduction to the ritual and music system. In the center of the Guanyin Hall, there is a 'Qianlong Bell,' which is very exquisite. The bell skirt has eight 'Qian' hexagrams, and the bell body is carved with twenty-two flying dragons, together forming the meaning of 'Qianlong,' a truly ingenious design! It is over 2 meters tall. Is this the bell referred to in the saying 'People pass by the Big Bell Temple, the temple bell is bigger than people'? No! There is an even bigger one behind it! This hall also has the Jiajing Earth Altar Bell, Yuan Dynasty Geng Bell, etc., showcasing the status and role of ancient bells in ancient social life. The Sutra Library is under renovation and not open. The world-famous Yongle Bell is hanging in the Big Bell Tower. Although it is known that this bell is 6.75 meters tall and weighs about 46 tons, seeing it in person is still astonishing! The bell is over 600 years old, with scriptures engraved all over its body, more exquisite than cumbersome, without a single flaw. It is said that the bell mouth is about twice as thick as the bell waist and significantly flared, so the bell's sound is clear and melodious. At the bottom of the bell is an octagonal pit, which is a sound-dispersing pool. How is this bell struck? It is said that it requires eighteen tight, eighteen slow, and eighteen neither tight nor slow strikes, repeated twice to make a total of 108 strikes. In Buddhism, it is said that a person's life has 108 kinds of troubles, so the bell rings 108 times to cleanse worldly troubles, hence it is also called the Hundred and Eight Bell. The side hall also introduces how this bell was cast. If you have time, you can visit the side hall to see various bells and their historical backgrounds. Among them is a crooked bronze bell of Wei Zhongxian, which cannot be set straight no matter what, truly proving that one must be a good person before making a bell!

In the early summer, I took advantage of the Museum Day event to revisit the Ancient Bell Museum at the Great Bell Temple. It's been nearly nine years since my last visit. I noticed some changes in the museum. There is now an introduction in the Hall of Heavenly Kings. The west side hall of the Mahavira Hall serves as an exhibition room for a brief history of the Great Bell Temple, also known as Juesheng Temple. The west wing room of the Guanyin Hall has been turned into an exhibition hall introducing the ancient Chinese bell casting technology. It seems I didn't enter the Guanyin Hall last time, but now it is the 'Dignified Vessels' exhibition room. The west side hall of the Guanyin Hall is an activity room with a free stamping service. The final bell tower and the replica of the Marquis Yi of Zeng's chime bells in the Mahavira Hall remain unchanged. However, the exhibition halls in the east side wing rooms and the Sutra Tower were not open, but according to the introduction, they should be the same as before. The east side hall of the Sutra Tower, which displays foreign bells and was not open during my last visit, remains closed this time as well. The Hall of Heavenly Kings: resonating bell sounds; The Mahavira Hall: 'Echoes of Ritual Music' exhibition hall - mainly displays the replica of Marquis Yi of Zeng's chime bells and introduces the ritual music system. The west side hall of the Mahavira Hall: 'Imperial Juesheng' exhibition hall - introduces the history of the Great Bell Temple, also known as the Imperially Commissioned Juesheng Temple, built during the Qing Dynasty and one of the important royal sites for praying for rain. In the exhibition hall, you can see unearthed blue and white porcelain fragments, temple boundary steles, carved stone windows, murals from the Republic of China period, and a rather large reconstructed sand table model. It also details the three times the huge Yongle Great Bell was moved: during the Yongle era from the bell foundry to the Hanjing Factory, during the Wanli era to the Wanshou Temple, and during the Qianlong era to the Juesheng Temple, which is the Great Bell Temple. It is said that the bell was moved in the winter when water was sprinkled on the road to freeze into ice. The Guanyin Hall: 'Dignified Vessels' exhibition hall - displays the status and role of ancient bells in social life from the perspective of bell classification, including court bells, altar bells, Buddhist bells, Taoist bells, and watch bells. Five large bells are hung in the hall, with the beautifully cast dragon-patterned bell from the Qianlong era in the center, taller than a person. There are also altar bells from the Earth Temple and others. One display case on the east side also introduces the differences between bells and chimes, as well as various chimes, such as vajra bells, eaves bells, wind chimes, etc. The west wing room of the Guanyin Hall: 'Golden Fire and Flowing Light' exhibition hall - mainly introduces the casting technology of ancient bells, including the clay mold method and the lost-wax method. There is also a display of a bell casting mold site unearthed in Henan in 2003. The Great Bell Tower: home to the famous Yongle Great Bell. I happened to catch a volunteer guide who said that the great bell is struck every year on December 31st before the New Year, ringing 108 times. The method of ringing is also particular: eighteen fast, eighteen slow, and eighteen at a moderate pace, for two rounds, making exactly 108 times. One interpretation of the 108 bell strikes is that they represent the 108 troubles of life. Another interpretation is that they correspond to the 12 months, 24 solar terms, and 72 pentads, which add up to 108. Learned something new. The west side hall of the Sutra Tower: activity room - has a rather large free stamping service, with up to 36 different stamps available at no cost, which is really nice. Revisiting the Great Bell Temple, I also saw the large peony flowers between the Sutra Tower and the Guanyin Hall, the wisteria in front of the Great Bell Tower, and the white lilacs in front of the Mahavira Hall. There were still not many visitors, offering a different kind of tranquil scenery compared to the winter of several years ago. Nice.

The Ancient Bell Museum in Dazhong Temple, originally named Juesheng Temple and commonly known as Dazhong Temple due to the presence of the Yongle Grand Bell, is located at No. 31 Jia, West Road of the North Third Ring, Haidian District, Beijing. It was founded in the eleventh year of Emperor Yongzheng's reign (1733) as a royal Han Chinese Buddhist temple and was converted into the Ancient Bell Museum of Dazhong Temple in 1985. In 1996, Juesheng Temple was listed by the State Council as a national key cultural relics protection unit. Juesheng Temple was established in the eleventh year of Emperor Yongzheng's reign (1733), by imperial decree, and was officially named Juesheng Temple in the winter of the twelfth year of Yongzheng's reign (1734). The plaque 'Imperially Commissioned Juesheng Temple' above the temple's mountain gate was inscribed by Prince Guo, the seventeenth son of Emperor Kangxi, with the seals: 'Respectfully inscribed by imperial order' and two seals at the end: 'Zide Jushi' and 'Prince Guo's treasure'. According to the 'Imperially Commissioned Juesheng Temple Stele Inscription' erected by Emperor Yongzheng in the twelfth year of his reign (1734), the emperor chose the site outside Xizhimen, formerly Zeng's village (now within Haidian District), for the temple's construction, due to its high and dry location, lush forests, and the fact that it was 'separated from the noisy dust of the market on the right and surrounded by the beautiful mountains and rivers on the left', making it suitable as a 'quiet and pure place for cultivation'. The inscription also records Emperor Yongzheng's words: 'With the awakening of the unawakened, and the birth of the unborn... this is what is called Juesheng', hence the emperor named the temple Juesheng Temple, hoping to use the Buddhist temple to 'promote the great path of awakening and achieve the purpose of true enlightenment'. In the eighth year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1743), the Yongle Grand Bell from Wanshou Temple was moved to Juesheng Temple, hence the temple was also commonly known as 'Dazhong Temple'. During Emperor Qianlong's reign, he visited Juesheng Temple several times to pray for rain, and in the fifty-second year of his reign (1787), he ordered Juesheng Temple to be one of the places for praying for rain, and the rain prayer activities continued until the end of the Qing Dynasty. Juesheng Temple was one of the most important temples in the capital during the Qing Dynasty. According to the 'Detailed Account of Temples in the Capital' from the Qing Dynasty, there were 291 temples in the capital, and Juesheng Temple was only listed after Wanshan Hall and Wanshou Temple. The cultural relics originally in Dazhong Temple have mostly disappeared, so apart from the Yongle Grand Bell, the bells displayed in the Ancient Bell Museum are not from Dazhong Temple. The Yongle Grand Bell is the most important collection in Dazhong Temple. It was cast during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty (around 1420-1424), with more than 230,000 characters of Buddhist scriptures inscribed on the bell's surface and inner wall, weighing 46.5 tons, standing 6.75 meters tall, with an outer diameter at the shoulder of 2.4 meters and an outer diameter at the rim of 3.3 meters, making it the largest Buddhist bell in the world. After the Yongle Grand Bell was cast in the bell foundry in Zhonggu Hutong to the west of Beijing's Bell and Drum Towers, it was moved to the Hanjing Factory east of Jingshan, then to Wanshou Temple outside Xizhimen in the fifth year of the Wanli reign (1577), and finally to Dazhong Temple in the eighth year of Qianlong's reign (1743), where it has been preserved to this day. The Yongle Grand Bell was moved to Dazhong Temple because at that time, geomancers claimed that 'the capital should not have the sound of metal', and the location of Dazhong Temple happened to be situated among the positions of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise, avoiding the taboo of 'it is not suitable for the bell to ring in the emperor's city where the White Tiger is divided'. Moreover, Dazhong Temple is located to the north of the capital, and the north belongs to earth, while the bell belongs to metal, symbolizing the 'generation of metal by earth', hence Dazhong Temple became the ideal place to house the Yongle Grand Bell.