I live near Beijing's Lama Temple or Yonghegong. Built in 1694 the facility first served as residence for the Qing Dynasty prince who later became the Yongzheng Emperor. It became a Tibetan lamasery or monastery in 1744. Many Chinese visitors to Yonghegong burn incense as an offering. I searched a bit to discover the significance of incense burning, but found rather different explanations. This freed me to chose the one I liked best. To wit: "The fragrance of incense symbolizes the fragrance of pure moral conduct, reminding people to cultivate good behavior". The air at Yonghegong is indeed fragrant, giving a visit to the lamasery a unique charm. |