Beijing Day 5: Yonghegong Lama Temple (Last Day) 北京第五天：雍和宫（最后一天）

This temple was really big. One of the biggest I have been to in China so far. But then again I haven't been to many temples. This temple was comissioned by "Dragon Lady" (a.k.a. the Dowager Empress). The weather that day was so cold! Too much wind. Before that the weather in Beijing had been only mild. It was a rude awakening. But a breakfast of hot coffee, and mantou 馒头 did the trick!
As soon as we were finished seeing the temple we hopped into a taxi and made our way to the airport. That day I would depart for Urumqi, directly opposite from Beijing. In the wild/"dangerous" west.


(Buddha in a store front that we passed on our way to the temple. He looks so happy!)

(One of the halls on the grounds of the temple.)

(It was absolutely bone chilling that morning. This is our AFS coordinator, Ms. Ma all bundled up. She is more sensitive to the cold than us it appears.)

(The main hall.)

(A prayer wheel, this is very Tibetan. Inside the wheel are many prayers, and when you spin the wheel in the correct direction the prayers will be sent to heaven. You can see that there is a little plaque telling people exactly which direction to turn the wheel.)

(The sign above me is written in four different languages: Tibetan, Chinese, Manchu, and another one that I can't remember. I can't see it quite clearly in this photo either.)

(Courtyard.)

(One of the hallways through a temple building. Photography is forbidden inside. So I couldn't take any photos.)