Situated in the center of Beihai Park, acclaimed as one of the earliest imperial parks in the world, Jade Islet epitomizes the brilliance of Chinese gardens, architecture, calligraphy and culture. The Islet’s principal site is the Tibetan style White Dagoba. In front of the dagoba is the Hall of Good Cause, where a statue of Yamantaka is enshrined and the exterior walls are embellished with 455 small glazed Buddha images. Temple of Eternal Peace (Yong’an), a main building on the same north-south axis as the dagoba, stands to the south of the White Dagoba Hill. Within the temple grounds are the Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Hall of the Wheel of Dharma, Hall of True Enlightenment and Hall of Universal Peace. The halls are dedicated to the Sakyamuni Buddha, Tsongkhapa—the first patriarch of Tibetan Buddhism, the Eight Great Bodhisattvas and the Eighteen Arhats, respectively. These structures constitute a Tibetan monastery complex. To the west of Temple of Eternal Peace is the Tower of Celebration and the Hall of Felicity where the emperors of the Qing Dynasty attended to urgent state affairs when visiting the garden. The Tower of Celebration was frequented by Emperor Qianlong and his empress during the winter Laba Festival to watch games on the frozen lake. Four distinctive, ingenious pavilions named Enchanting Scenes (Yinsheng), Refreshing Mist (Di’ai), Cloud Embracing (Yunyi), and Gazing Afar (Yiyuan) enhance the charm of the islet.
