Tiānníng Sì Pagoda 天宁寺塔

天宁寺前街乙3号
Part of A Better Guide to Běijīng’s coverage of West of the Imperial City

For centuries the 13-tier pagoda here has been one of the most visible landmarks of the capital, striking and knobbly, the dozens of small bells hanging from the corners of its eaves sending out a tinkling drowned out by traffic in modern times. It now sits right next to the concrete chimneys of a generating station, and was off-limits for many years.

It re-opened to the public in October 2007, although with very little left visible of the extensive temple that once surrounded it (although there’s a map of its original layout to the right inside the courtyard).

One of the two remaining halls is said (by the pious attendants, for whom this is now a functioning temple) to be Northern Wei (北魏, Běi Wèi, 386–534). It’s very unlikely that any of what now stands is of this antiquity, although the most recent restoration has left ceiling beams attractively unretouched.

The pagoda itself is generally thought to be Liáo (辽, 907–1125), which makes it by far one of oldest surviving buildings in Běijīng, being of brick, stone, and tile. It’s a pleasantly squat, plump tower, its lower registers carved with various animals and decorative patterns in relief, with martial figures above a row of lotus leaves. Its shallow upper layers have eaves of green tile trimmed with yellow. Some of the figures are intact or repaired, others were probably smashed or beheaded in the Cultural Revolution. It once housed many relics, and ghostly lights were said to hover around it at night.

▶ Tiānníng Sì Tǎ, Tiānníng Sì Qián Jiē 3B, 9am–4pm. Free. m Cháng Chūn Jiē (Line 2) exit D2. b to 广安门北: 19, 40, 42, 46, 49, 80, 运通102线, 390, 456, 676, 691, 697, 717, 732, 741, 844, 937.

At the T-junction to the south of the entrance there’s a restaurant popular with cabbies, whose parked machines line the street. As ever, don’t go with any that call out to you, but walk a little distance and flag one down that’s leaving (one that’s arriving will not pick you up — the driver’s here for a meal). Lunch here and you’ll be sure of picking up a great deal of opinionated gossip if your Mandarin’s up to it. Related: The Císhòu Tǎ in Línglóng Gōngyuán is said to be based on the Tiānníng Sì Pagoda. The Tōngzhōu Pagoda is of similar style and antiquity.

Next in Northwest Beyond the Zoo: Introduction to Northwest Beyond the Zoo
Previously: Daoism
Main Index of A Better Guide to Beijing.

For discussion of China travel, see The Oriental-List.