Follow an ancient pilgrims' trail through the hills and forests of Mentougou District, finishing up with a BJH-style picnic and a look about Dajue Temple.
On this hike we’ll be following what we call an ‘incense trail’, an old pilgrim’s path between temples in the mountains west of Beijing city. We call it an incense trail because many of those pilgrims would have been carrying incense to burn as an offering in the temples. The paved sections of the pilgrim’s trail date back to the Qing Dynasty, and it’s likely the trail was in use well before then.
Dajue Temple – the Temple of Enlightenment – was founded in 1,068 A.D., during the Liao Dynasty (916-1,125 A.D.). Since then, it has been expanded, repaired, and renamed several times. The majority of what can now be seen dates back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1358-1644 A.D. and 1644-1911 A.D.). The Qing-era construction was reputedly overseen by a reformed eunuch – not reformed in the sense that he was ‘restored,’ moreso that he grew tired of his role in the intrigues of the court of Empress Dowager Cixi, found faith, and became a patron of local Buddhists.
Cost: ¥390 / ¥350 for members
See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/277/walk-down-the-incense-trail-to-dajue-temple/
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