The Temple of the Great Awakening is located at the foot of the Yangtai Hill, northwest of Haidian District, Beijing. Built in the fourth year (1068) of the reign of Emperor Xianyong of the Liao Dynasty, it was originally called Qingshui Monastery. Later, it was renamed the Lingquan Temple. In 1428 during the reign of the Ming Emperor Xuande, the temple was reconstructed and adopted its present name Dajue.

The temple, which faces east, is built conforming to the terrain. Arranged from east to west are a series of four courtyards featuring the Heavenly King,  Mahavira, Amitayus and Dabei (Great Mercy) Halls. In addition, there are the Siyi Hall, Qiyun Veranda, Lingyao Pavilion and Longwang (Dragon King) Hall. This magnificent Temple is neatly laid-out.

Dajue Temple is famous for its long history and a site of great historic interest and scenic beauty. The Buddhist statues in the halls are exquisite and life-like.  The temple boasts a large number of cultural relics, among which the most valuable is a stone stele inscribed with the story of the sutra stele created by the Qingshui Monastery at the Yangtai Hill.

The temple setting is sylvan and quiet, with a stretch of fertile level land in the front and densely wooded peaks behind. A crystal-clear stream flows through the temple all the year round. Its courtyards are graced with extraordinarily tall trees of different varieties -- Agingko and a yulan magnolia are the oldest of their kinds in Beijing.