Tanzhe Temple

An ancient Buddhist temple in the wooded western hills, traditionally reckoned the oldest in the Beijing area and said to predate the city itself. Its terraced halls climb a mountainside among towering ancient trees, including a celebrated gingko planted more than a thousand years ago. Pagodas of former abbots dot the surrounding slopes in a striking forest of stupas. The temple takes its name from a nearby pool and a species of tree once grown there. Its remote setting and great age make it a favored escape from the city.