Tanzhe Temple Scenic Spot

This guide to Tanzhe Temple in the hills outside Beijing tells the story of Miaoyan, a Mongol princess and daughter of Kublai Khan, who traded a warrior's life for vows of devotion inside the Hall of Guanyin. You'll hear about the temple's origins centuries before Beijing itself existed, the ancient ginkgo tree the Qing emperor Qianlong once named, and the fate of a certain worn brick that was once carried off to the imperial palace. Look for the hollowed brick near the hall's entrance as you listen.