[2025 Beijing Attraction] Travel Guide for Beijing Huoshen Temple (Updated Apr)

The Imperial Fire God Temple (commonly known as the Fire God Temple) is one of Beijing's oldest Fire God temples. Originally built in 632 during the Tang Dynasty's Zhenguan period, it boasts nearly 1,400 years of history. Its main gate plaque, inscribed with "Imperial Fire God Temple" in Emperor Qianlong's calligraphy, faces south, adjacent to Shichahai. It stands as a testament to the prosperous canal era. 📍Address: North of Wanning Bridge, Di'anmen Outer Street, Xicheng District, Beijing (East Bank of Shichahai) 🚗Getting There 1. Bus: Take bus No. 82 or 124 to "Di'anmen Outer Street" station and walk for about 5 mins. 2. Subway: Take Subway Line 8 to "Shichahai" station, exit from Exit A, and walk along the east bank of Qianhai Lake for about 10 mins. 3. Car/Taxi: Navigate to "Shichahai Fire God Temple." Parking is limited, so public transport is recommended. 👍️Must-See Attractions 1. Main Gate and Yellow Glazed Tiles The east-facing main gate, featuring yellow glazed tiles with green trim and a hip-and-gable roof, reflects its imperial designation. Originally, two memorial archways stood inside and outside the gate, but only their foundations remain. The plaque "Imperial Fire God Temple," inscribed by Emperor Qianlong, offers a classic photo opportunity. 2. Hall of the Fire Ancestor The main hall enshrines the Southern God of Fire (Yinghuo Xīngjūn). The hall's ceiling boasts exquisite gold-painted coffered decorations, and the protruding front porch showcases a unique design. Preserved Qing Dynasty incense burners and bronze bells contribute to the rich Taoist atmosphere, where incense has burned for millennia. 3. Bell and Drum Towers and Stone Inscriptions Inside the main gate, a bell tower houses an iron bell cast during the Guangxu period. The drum tower has been destroyed. Several Ming and Qing Dynasty stone inscriptions within the temple record its history of renovations, providing valuable insights into Beijing's religious culture. 🎟️Tickets Admission: Free, no reservation required. Opening Hours: 8:30 am–5:00 pm (Open year-round, subject to change during holidays or Taoist events). 💗Other Tips 1. Best Time to Visit Suitable year-round: Enjoy the green willows of Shichahai in spring, the golden leaves in autumn, and the tranquil snowscape in winter. Special Festivals: During the "Fire Ancestor's Birthday" on the 22nd day of the sixth lunar month, Taoist ceremonies are held, offering a glimpse into traditional rituals. 2. Nearby Attractions Shichahai: A 5-min walk away, perfect for boating or cycling. Nanluoguxiang: About 1.5 km from the Fire God Temple, experience old Beijing hutong culture and trendy snacks. Prince Gong's Mansion: A 10-min bike ride away, explore Qing Dynasty princely architecture and the "Fu" character stele. 3. Important Notes Respect religious customs. Avoid loud noises or taking photos of the deities' faces. The Imperial Fire God Temple is not only a landmark of Beijing's Taoist culture but also an epitome of Shichahai's millennial history. It blends the legacy of the Tang Dynasty with the imperial grandeur of the Qing Dynasty, offering a taste of the ancient capital's vibrancy and tranquility. A 1–2 hr visit is recommended, combined with nearby attractions for a half-day itinerary, to fully experience the beauty of old Beijing's culture and nature.

🌸When visiting Beijing, Houhai and Drum Tower are must-see places. Follow my one-day tour route and I guarantee you will have a great time! 🔖Early in the morning, head straight to Drum Tower from Shichahai subway station🚇. The vermilion gate and ancient city walls exude a unique historical charm and create a great atmosphere for taking photos. Remember to wear retro clothes, and every photo you take will be a blockbuster. 🔖Walk slowly from the Drum Tower to Houhai, shuttle through the alleys of old Beijing, and feel the unique charm of time. Arrive at Houhai, and you will see the sparkling lake and willows swaying in the wind on the shore. Sit down on a bench and enjoy the breeze on your face. 🔖Then go to the free Huode Zhenjun Temple, burn incense and pray, and feel the peace of mind. Then you can go boating in Shichahai, or take a rickshaw and listen to the driver's narration about the changes of the imperial city. 🔖When night falls, enjoy delicious food at the nearby Huaiyang Mansion (Shichahai Branch). The national banquet's braised lion's head has delicate meat and rich soup; the scallion-flavored poached chicken has tender chicken and a strong scallion aroma; the dry-fried large yellow croaker is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a salty, fragrant and slightly spicy taste. Each one is amazing, a perfect end to this journey~

In Beijing’s winter, encountering Shichahai is a wonderful journey through time and space. Get your camera 📷 and curiosity ready, follow this route and find out! 🚶‍♀️🚇【Exploration route revealed】🗺️ 🚇 Subway: Shichahai Station Exit A2🚗➠ Yandaixie Street🌳 ➠ Drum Tower & Bell Tower🏯 ➠ Lingdang Hutong & Yinding Bridge🌉 ➠ Shichahai Natural Ice Rink⛸️ ➠ Lotus Market Snack Street🍢 & Fire God Temple🏯 🕒 Tour duration: half a day😌, depart in the afternoon🌞, enjoy the beautiful scenery at dusk🌆. 【Yandaixie Street】🍭 Taste the sweetness of candied haws while walking🍭 and the warm winter sun🌞, full of happiness💕. 【Drum Tower & Bell Tower】🏰 Wandering in the ancient alleys, with red walls and white snow🎆, you can feel the perfect blend of tranquility and ancient charm. 【Yinding Bridge & Houhai】🌅 Houhai under the setting sun🌅, the frozen lake dances with the setting sun, full of romance✨. 【Shichahai Natural Ice Rink】⛸️ A classic way to play in winter - skating⛸️! With family and friends, there were lots of laughter and memories. 【Lotus Market & Fire Temple】🍜 A steaming hot meal will be the perfect end to your winter trip. ❄️【Exclusive winter experience】🎉 👉🏻 Ice skating, snow viewing, and candied haws🍭, you can’t miss any of them! 📸【Recommended photo spots】📸 Yinding Bridge and Tangfang Coffee Observation Deck to capture the most beautiful winter scenery. 🌟【Practical Tips for Winter】🧣 Warm gear🧣, gloves🧤, essential for keeping warm! The light in winter is soft, and the best photos are taken in the early morning or evening📸. In Shichahai, ice and snow, alleys, lights and old Beijing style, weave a unique winter picture. Come and experience it! 🎈🎆

The "Temple of the Fire God" is also known as the Fire God Temple. It is located at No. 77, Di'anmen Outer Street, Beijing. It is a long-established Taoist temple. It was originally the Western Medicine King Temple, which was built in the 6th year of Tang Zhen Guan (632 AD). In the 38th year of Ming Wanli (1610 AD), it was rebuilt as the Temple of the Fire God. In the 24th year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1759 AD), it was given the title of the Royal Fire God Temple. The Temple of the Fire God faces south and is a three-entry courtyard. The main buildings are distributed on the north-south central axis, including the mountain gate, the Lingguan Hall (Longen Hall), the Yinghuo Baodian (Fire Ancestor Hall), the Doumu Pavilion, the Wansui Jingming Pavilion (Jade Emperor Pavilion), and the Three Officials Hall.

🌈Highlights: Located on the east bank of Shichahai, this Huoshen Temple is the largest and oldest in Beijing. It was originally built during the Tang Dynasty, renovated in the Yuan Dynasty, upgraded to an imperial temple in the Ming Dynasty, and granted yellow glazed tiles for the rear hall by the Qing Dynasty, still showcasing its royal grandeur. Today, it is a protected cultural heritage site in Beijing. 🕐️Opening Hours: Open year-round from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM 🏝️Recommended Route: Enter through the east gate on Di'anmen Street, passing through the colorful archway ➡️ along the north-south central axis 1️⃣ Lingguan Hall 2️⃣ Yinghuo Hall 3️⃣ Zhenwu Hall 4️⃣ Wanshou Jingming Pavilion (the main hall enshrines the Southern Fire Deity Yinghuo Xingjun, with plaques and couplets inscribed by Emperor Qianlong) ➡️ East side halls 5️⃣ Yue Lao Hall 6️⃣ Fox Immortal Hall 7️⃣ Cihang Hall ➡️ West side halls 8️⃣ Three Officials Hall 9️⃣ Dharma Circulation Hall 🔟 Wealth God Hall and Tai Sui Hall, etc. 💗Other Tips: The Huoshen Temple has a history of nearly 1400 years, while Beijing has been the capital for only over 800 years. Hence, the saying "First there was the Huoshen Temple, then there was Beijing" is popular, indicating its deep cultural heritage. The temple is renowned for its thriving incense offerings, exquisite decorations, and majestic architecture, harmonizing beautifully with the scenic lake and trees of Shichahai. A visit here is truly rewarding.

📜🔍 The Huode Zhenjun Temple is located at No. 77 Dianmen Outer Street on the east bank of Shichahai, originally established in the sixth year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (632 AD), nearly 1400 years ago, which is 13 years earlier than the famous Fayuan Temple, also known as the Tang Minzhong Temple, and was initially the Western Medicine King Temple; 📜🔍 🕰🔨 In the Yuan Dynasty's Zhi Zheng sixth year (1346 AD), the Western Medicine King Temple was renovated; 🕰🔨 🏛🔧 In the 38th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1610 AD), the Huode Zhenjun Temple was rebuilt on the site of the Yuan Dynasty's Western Medicine King Temple, with glazed tiles bestowed to suppress fire, and a double-eaved roof with green tiles was added; 🏛🔧 👑📜 In the first year of the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty (1621 AD), the emperor ordered officials from the Ministry of Rites to worship Huode Zhenjun on the 22nd day of the sixth lunar month every year; 📜👑 🐲🔨 In the 24th year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1759 AD), the Huode Zhenjun Temple was renovated again, changing the buildings such as the Jade Emperor Pavilion to yellow tiles; 🐲🔨 💼🏠 After liberation, the Huode Zhenjun Temple was classified as public property, used as a guesthouse and dormitory; it was not until 2002 that the temple started the relocation and restoration project; 🏠💼 🎉🔑 On December 12, 2010, the Huode Zhenjun Temple was officially opened to the public as a direct temple under the Chinese Taoist Association. 🔑🎉 🚶‍♀👀 Every time I passed by Dianmen Outer Street, I would notice this ancient complex with red walls and green tiles. After learning about its history online, my curiosity grew, and today, after visiting the lotus market to see the giant dragon lanterns and passing by the lake, I finally couldn't resist entering the famous Taoist temple through the mountain gate to explore. 👀🚶‍♀ 🧭🏯 The Huode Zhenjun Temple faces south with its mountain gate facing east. Inside the gate, there is a colored archway, with 'Shouguo Shanlin' written on the east side and 'Dantian Shengjing' on the west. 🏯🧭 👳‍♂🏛 In the temple, the southern hall is the Lingguan Hall, which enshrines the Taoist protective deity Lingguan; the central hall is the Yinghuo Treasure Hall, with a plaque written by Emperor Qianlong himself, dedicated to the Fire Virtue Star Lord; to the north is the two-story Zhenwu Hall and the Wansui Jingming Treasure Pavilion, which enshrine the Emperor Zhenwu and the Jade Emperor respectively; the back courtyard to the north is not open to the public and houses the Doumu Pavilion. 🏛👳‍♂ 👀🏯 Additionally, there are side halls such as the Three Officials Hall, the God of Wealth Hall, the Tai Sui Hall, the Compassionate Ferry Hall, the Fox Fairy Hall, and the Old Man under the Moon Hall on the east and west sides, which means there are indeed many deities enshrined here. 🏯👀 🔥🙏 The incense burning in the Fire God Temple is very prosperous. Although the Spring Festival holiday has passed, the temple is still crowded with people, and each hall has devout worshippers. The area for religious items is also packed with people. Perhaps nowadays, most people have many dreams and wishes, and they seek help from the deities, or at least for inner peace. 🙏🔥 ☁🌞 The weather today is superb, with the red walls and green tiles under the blue sky and white clouds being particularly refreshing. The rising incense smoke adds to the sense of tranquility. 🌞☁

Do your homework before you go. I have long heard of the Fire Temple (it seems to be quite popular this year 🔥), and finally went there at the end of 2023. I found that I still didn’t do enough homework. So record it for other friends to refer to👀 ✔️Address: Next to Shichahai, the whole route is the Imperially Built Huode Zhenjun Temple. When I took a taxi, I found that there seemed to be two more places. Don’t make the wrong location. ⏰ Time: 9-17 o'clock (winter), one hour longer in summer, please see the picture for details👀 🎫 Tickets: Free admission, no ID required🆔 Just go in. I was worried about not bringing my ID before I went, but they didn't check it at all. 🙏 Worship: The Fire God Temple is a Taoist temple, which is different from the Buddhist practice of praying with hands folded together. Please refer to the guide on the picture. I thought there would be instructions at each door, but after searching around I finally saw a small picture at the door of the God of Wealth. I suggest you check it out before you go, don't learn it after you arrive... Lesson... 🙏 There is a ritual at the Fire God Temple at around 2 o'clock (the time varies every day, you can ask when you go there), which lasts about 1 hour, during which the main hall is closed. You can register in advance to perform rituals, and you can visit before or after. 🙏 If you have a specific question in mind, you can first recite the question silently, then draw the lot with your left hand and get the lot on the spot. Some temples will have a lot book 📖 for interpretation, and you can also ask on the spot. I saw fortune buckets in the main hall (overall fortune), Yue Lao Hall (marriage), God of Wealth Hall (wealth), Zhenwu Hall (career and studies), and Cihang Hall (safety and health). I don’t think I saw it in the Fox Fairy Palace (Nobleman). Children are not allowed to draw lots, they can only worship. After visiting the temple, you can go for a stroll along the way to Shichahai, which is very close. In short, sincerity is the key to success🙏 I also like what a master I met on the spot said, everything depends on human effort🙏