Lama Temple Ⅰ

As the largest and best-preserved lamasery in Beijing, the Lama Temple (Yonghegong) is located in the northeast part of the city, on the eastern side of Lama Temple Street. Yonghegong, meaning 'Palace of Eternal Harmony', was built in 1694 originally as a residence for Prince Yongzheng before he ascended the throne. After Yongzheng's death in 1735, his coffin was placed in the temple. Emperor Qianlong, his successor, upgraded Yonghegong to an imperial palace with its turquoise tiles replaced by yellow tiles (yellow was the imperial color in the Qing Dynasty, 1644 - 1911). During the 9th year of Emperor Qianlong's region (1744), it was converted into a lamasery and became a residence for large numbers of monks from Mongolia and Tibet.