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Azure Clouds Temple (portions from 1366, 1516, & 1748 onward)

The Azure Clouds temple is a stunning jewel of Chinese Buddhist architecture. First built in 1366 in the Yuan dynasty, it served first as a mountain convent. The temple was expanded in 1516 during the Ming Dynasty and again in 1748 in the Qing dynasty under the reign of Emperor Qianlong, who added the Hall of Arhats, containing 500 Buddha statues. He also erected the main temple building, known as the Diamond Throne Pagoda, a towering Indian "stupa" ringed with miniature stupas. Even in modern days the temple has seen active use. When Dr. Sun Yat Sen died in 1925 his coffin was briefly on display here before being moved to Nanjing, but a permanent memorial hall remains at Azure Clouds. The temple has some of the most beautiful gardens in the Beijing area.