Xihuang Lamasery

Xihuang lamasery (West Yellow Lamasery) was founded in 1652 by the Yellow Sect of Lamaism. Since the monks of the temple all wore yellow robes, the local people called the lamasery Yellow Temple, but as there was another lama temple to the east, this one was called West Yellow Temple to avoid confusion. Now the East Yellow Temple had long since disappeared.

In 1780, the sixth Panchen Lama (1738-1780) came to Beijing from Tibet to celebrate the birthday of Emperor Qianlong, and he lodged in this temple. Unfortunately, he died in the temple in the same year. Emperor Qianlong ordered the construction of a stone stupa in the temple to bury his clothes and hat. The stupa, 20 m high, is in the style of a combination of Indian, Tibetan and central China architectures.

The China Tibetan-Language Academy of Buddhism is in the temple, and Mongolian high monks study Tibetan there.