Pule Temple


This peaceful temple was built in 1776 for the visits of minority envoys from the west (Kazakhs and Uyghurs among them). At the rear of the temple is the unusual Round Pavilion, modelled on the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven Park. Inside is an enormous wooden mandala – a geometric representation of the Buddhist universe.

Admission also includes entry to Hammer Rock (磬锤峰; Qìngchuí Fēng) and Anyuan Temple. It’s a 60-minute walk to the club-shaped rock, which is visible for miles around and said to resemble a kind of musical hammer. It's a pleasant hike offering commanding views of the area. If you don't fancy walking, there's also a chairlift.

Bus 10 (¥1) from the Mountain Villa Hotel will drop you at Anyuan Miao (安远庙) bus stop, near the approach road to Hammer Rock.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Anyuan Temple

0.3 MILES

A copy of the former Gurza Temple on Xinjiang's western border, this rarely visited complex dates back to 1764, built to commemorate the Qianlong emperor…

2. Pushan Temple

0.32 MILES

Built in 1713, this temple was destroyed in the 1920s. Only some ruins and old trees remain.

3. Puren Temple

0.41 MILES

Built in 1713, this is the earliest temple in Chengde, but is not open to the public.

4. Yongyousi Pagoda

0.59 MILES

This wonderfully elegant 250-year-old pagoda soars above the fragments of its vanished temple in the northeast of the imperial summer resort of Bishu…

5. Chengde Museum

0.78 MILES

This new, ultra-modern, strikingly good-looking museum wasn't quite finished at the time of research, but will be opening very soon and is set to showcase…

6. Misty Rain Tower

0.92 MILES

The double-storey Misty Rain Tower, on the northwestern side of the main lake at the summer resort of Bishu Shanzhuang (避暑山庄; Imperial Villa), served as…

7. Wenjin Pavilion

0.97 MILES

Built in 1773, this pavilion sits in the grounds of the imperial summer resort of Bishu Shanzhuang (避暑山庄; Imperial Villa).

8. Temple of Sumeru, Happiness & Longevity

1.16 MILES

This huge temple was built in honour of the sixth Panchen Lama, who stayed here in 1781. Incorporating Tibetan and Chinese architectural elements, it’s an…