The Tanzhe Temple (Chinese: 潭柘寺; pinyin: Tán Zhè Sì) is a Buddhist temple, situated in the Western Hills, lies 45km west of Beijing. The temple dates back 1,600 years, although its name has changed on numerous occasions. Covering an area 41,600 sq meters, this temple is one of the largest in the area and most important temples in the nation.
Buddhist monks regularly perform chanting here, to the accompaniment of woodblocks, cup gongs, and bells. Despite the age of the temple, most of the statuary and paintings are fairly new.
The bed of its former Dragon Pool, which has dried up sits on the hill at the back of the temple. The zhè trees (Cudrania tricuspidata), now few in number, are located in the temple as well. Their number has dwindled shockingly from the original thousand or so. There are also persimmon trees, as well as a stand of bamboo.