Visitors tour the Rear Hall of the City God Temple of Beijing.

[Photo by Wu Yibin]

On June 30, the more than 700-year-old City God Temple of Beijing (Rear Hall) opened to the public, nestled amid the skyscrapers of Beijing's Financial Street.

Originally built during the Yuan Dynasty, this ancient structure was once the highest-ranked City God Temple in China. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it hosted some of Beijing's liveliest temple fairs, attracting merchants from China and abroad with antiques, calligraphy, paintings and rare treasures from overseas.

As awareness of cultural heritage preservation grew, the temple underwent phased conservation efforts, including the relocation of existing occupants, restoration work, and improvements to its surrounding environment. Now reopened after years of closure, the temple's existing rear hall has been transformed into an exhibition hall. Covering about 420 square meters, the "City God Temple of Beijing Historical and Cultural Exhibition" features precious cultural relics, including steles from Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Shizong of the Qing Dynasty and Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty, as well as couplets inscribed by Emperor Shengzu and Emperor Shizong of the Qing Dynasty. These relics provide valuable historical evidence for the study of the urban layout of Dadu, the Yuan Dynasty's capital.

(Source: Beijing Daily)