First impressions of Wanshou Temple (now housing the Beijing Art Museum)
Wanshou Temple, also referred to The Temple of Longevity, had some pleasant surprises. Although the site is not as large as other locations in Beijing, there were some beautiful architectural features, as well as the opportunity to participate in arts and crafts activities. The only drawback to visiting this location was that many explanations were not written in English. So, some understanding of Chinese, or having an interpreter would be helpful at this site.
Introduction to Wanshou Temple
Wanshou Temple can be found in Haidian District. It is currently being used to exhibit artistic and cultural artifacts by the Beijing Art Museum. The temple was built in 1577 during the Ming Dynasty. Considered to be one of the key temples in Beijing, it was originally used to house Buddhist scriptures. During the Qing Dynasty, it became a location for the imperial family to host celebrations or drink tea while cruising up and down the canal. Following 1912 Wanshou Temple fell into disrepair. It was later restored and in 1987 the Beijing Art Museum was opened at the Wanshou Temple.
Exhibitions hosted by the Beijing Art Museum at Wanshou Temple
Many cultural artifact of ancient artistic value are displayed at this site. These include ceramics, earthenware, jade, calligraphy, wood carvings, ivory, enamel, and carved lacquerware. Some of the key artifacts here include Buddhist artwork from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. There are also exhibitions of jade and ceramics from the same period. At the rear of Wanshou temple is a pagoda from the Ming Dynasty.
Fun activities for the family at Wanshou Temple
I was pleasantly surprised to find three of the historical buildings had been converted for craft based activities. When I visited, the first was a room for dying cloth and creating a toys or other items that had been dyed. Classes could be booked and a teacher was on site to conduct these activities. At the time of writing, the prices for these classes ranged from 128 RMB to 198 RMB.
Two other rooms I visited were being used for embroidery and weaving classes. The students’ work was on display. Classes were able to be conducted individually, or in groups. Weaving equipment was available to facilitate a relatively large group of students.
Wanshou Temple, now renamed the Beijing Art Museum, seems to be a hub for cultural arts and crafts activities. To book any of these courses online, scan the Wechat QR code shown to the right.
A selection of other arts and crafts classes that can be taken at Wanshou Temple
Classes change month by month. For November, 2024, classes are held from Tuesday to Sunday. Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Classes are taught in Chinese.
Punk robots: Traditional wordwork, filing, and sandpaper techniques are being used in combination with modern mechanical components.
DIY cloisonne enamel bookmarks: This class shows the process of how to make an item using enamel, but does not undergo the enamel firing process. Line drawings are made, silk it attached to the drawing, colored sand, and a spray used to attach all items.
Learning to make the ancient “linghua” window: This class has a teaching and practical component. Structures and patterns of ancient Chinese windows are taught. The geometric structure is identified. Students are taught how to use tools for woodwork when making a snowflake ornamental pattern.
Yanqing Temple: a short walk east from Wanshou Temple
How is Longevity Temple (Wanshou Temple) written in Chinese?
The name for Wanshou Temple is 万寿寺.
Attractions close by:
Beijing Zoo, Zizhuyuan Park
Wanshou Temple price and opening hours
Price: 10 RMB
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 14:30. The ticket sales end at 16:00. Wanshou Temple is closed on Monday. Admission is free for the first 200 visitors on Wednesdays.
Getting there
Address: Wanshou Temple, Wanshousi Road, Haidian, Beijing (北京市海淀区万寿寺路).
Closest subway: Wanshousi Station, Line 16, Exit C (万寿寺地铁站，16号线，C出口).
