If any Beijing sight can vanquish the dreaded "temple fatigue," it's Wuta Temple (五塔寺, Wǔtǎ Sì; 24 Wutasi Cun, 五塔寺村24号). This little-known gem is eminently worthy of a pilgrimage, not just for its remarkable design, which owes more to India than imperial China, but also for the magnificent scatter of ancient stonemasonry – statues, stelae, altars and thrones – salvaged from ruins around Beijing.
Built in 1473 for a visiting Indian lama, Zhenjue Temple, as it was then called, was one of many temples that lined the canal linking the capital with the imperial gardens. Inspired by the Mahabodhi Temple in India, the boxlike Wuta is pockmarked on all four sides by hundreds of images of the Buddha, each with unique mudras (hand gestures). This temple was a particular favorite of the Qing rulers – the Qianlong Emperor threw two lavish birthday parties here for his mum and had a similar pagoda built at the Azure Clouds Temple. But by the end of the dynasty, neglect, fire and general upheaval had seen off its six wooden halls, and so it became known for its remaining standout feature, the all-stone Wuta (Five Pagodas).
In lieu of its long-lost temple halls, foundations of which can still be seen, the relatively empty grounds have been given over to the Beijing Art Museum of Stone Carvings, and are full of inspiring slabs of sculpture and stonework, many dating back to the Mongol Yuan dynasty and some as far back as the Eastern Han.
The temple is east of the National Library subway station and closed on Mondays.