The Temple of Successive Emperors is a national AA tourist attraction, and a key historic site under national protection. It lies at No. 131 Fuchengmen Inner Street, Xicheng District, west of the Fujing Cultural Street, and is close to White Dagoba Temple and Guangji Temple. It is accessible by many buses. With grand and well-preserved buildings, it is a well-known place of historical and cultural tourism.
The temple was built 470 years ago in 1530, or the 9th year of Emperor Jiajings reign in the Ming Dynasty. It was the only imperial temple in the Ming and Qing dynasties for worshiping the Three Sovereigns and the Five Emperors, distinguished emperors, ministers, and generals of Chinese in successive dynasties. As time passed by, more and more honored persons were enshrined. During Emperor Qianlongs reign in the Qing Dynasty, Jingde Chongsheng Hall housed the tablets of 188 emperors, and the east and west wing halls housed those of 79 ministers and generals, Guandi Temple was built to worship Guan Yu, a hero of the Three Kingdoms period. By then the temple had housed the greatest number of tablets in the country. The fact that great leaders of all dynasties were enshrined in this temple suggests an important trait of Chinese civilization–continuity.
After the Republic of China was founded, the temple was diverted into non-sacrificial uses, serving first as Peking Ladies Preschool Teachers Schooland then as No.3 Girls High School of Peking. After the founding of the Peoples Republic of China, it was renamed No.3 Girls High School of Beijing. In 1972, it merged into No. 159 High School of Beijing. In 2000, governments at various levels began to finance a three-year renovation. It was officially opened to the public in April 2004.
