万寿寺 — Temple of Longevity
万寿寺，曾称聚瑟寺，虽坐落于喧嚣闹市中，却是一处难得清幽、肃穆之地，且比我想象中的要大得多，是一个集寺庙、行宫、园林于一体的皇家佛教胜地，有“京西小故宫”之誉，曾是清代皇家祝寿庆典的重要场所。
For those have already visited 永和宫 (Yǒnghé Gōng) also known as Lama Temple and wants to know if there's something a bit more subtle but still authentic, visiting 万寿寺 (Wànshòu Sì) might be a choice. No crowds, no rush, no noise. Very calm and quite beautiful temple.
寺庙前，有一条奔流的长河，旧时这里设有码头，每当春末夏初，帝王太后从紫禁城走水路到颐和园避暑时，均在此驻跸下船稍事休息。
Getting here could be one part of a route 五坮寺 — Wutaisi — 动物园 — Beijing Zoo — 紫竹院 — Purple Bamboo Park. And there're 黄帝船 (Huáng Dì boats) plying between all of those sites might be fun to take, especially from or to Wanshousi because it's a terminal station, more time to enjoy your ride. Keep in mind that temple is only open till 4:30 PM. We got here once at 430-something and were rather rudely dispatched back to where we came from.
寺庙内格局虽简单，却甚是大气，细节处透着精致，目光流连间，已不禁按下指尖快门。深庭广厦，琼楼玉宇，御书碑亭，假山叠石，古道地宫，苍松翠柏…… 执手漫步其中，寺内庙外，叹岁月悠悠。
Temple hosts The Beijing Art Museum exhibition, and so, I suspect, there's no any Buddhist school there at the moment. Therefore the most spiritual experience usually being achieved at this place is signing a red plate and hanging it on a fence.
北京艺术博物馆亦“藏身”于这座著名的古刹内，现收藏各类古代艺术品近五万件，主要包括历代书法和绘画、碑帖及名人书札，宫廷织绣、宫室瓷器、古代家具、历代钱币及玺印等。其它如青铜器、玉石器、竹木牙角器、佛造像、鼻烟壶等，不胜枚举，藏品门类广泛。
The place itself is lovely though. It doesn't have the usual disproportion syndrome (very common in China, when an object is either excessively huge or ridiculously small), not too stuffed with buildings, nor too empty, has traditional garden, pretty looking pavillions, in a word, harmonious.
