Magnolia flower

   Time: Early April to early May

               Place: Tanzhe Temple

The best place to enjoy magnolia flower in Beijing is Tanzhe Temple. [Photo by simio/China.org.cn]

As a typical Buddhist temple, Tanzhe Temple stands on Tanzhe Hill in the western outskirts of Beijing. Its origins certainly predate the formation of much of Beijing, as the first reference to the site was noted in the Western Jin Dynasty (265－316), but most of what forms the temple today was constructed in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Covering an area of over 41,000 square meters, the temple consists of some pavilions, prayer halls, group of pagodas, courtyards and gardens dating from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The gardens contain various kinds of trees and flowers, but the magnolia flower is the most famous, some of which are of 300-year-old history.

Travel tips:

Admission: 35 yuan

Getting there: Bus No. 931 to Tanzhe Temple.