Imperial Handwriting Pavilion 
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In the pavilion there is a stone stele erected in 1792. On the stele are inscriptions in four languages: Manchu on the front side; Mongolian on the eastern side; Tibetan on the western side and on its back Han language written by Emperor Qianlong. It records the origin of Lamaism and the emperor's attitude towards it. That's why the pavilion is called Imperial Handwriting Pavilion. The inscriptions are in four languages, so it is also known as the Pavilion of Four Languages.
Lamaism was quite popular in the Qing Dynasty. Lama means "teacher" or "superior being." At the very beginning only the monks on the top ranks were called lamas. Later it became an honourable title for all the monks.
Mount Sumeru* (Mount Xumi)
Mount Sumeru, a Ming bronze sculpture, is a representation of the Buddhist world outlook. According to Buddhist tradition, Mount Sumeru is supposed to be the center of the world. On the top of it lies the legendary paradise where Sakyamuni and men of moral integrity live after death. The position of the stars near the peak roughly corresponds to the findings of modern astronomy. On the slopes are the dwellings for mankind and the Heavenly Kings. At the bottom, the floral design stands for sea waves. Below the seas evil spirits, devils or criminals abide in Hell.
Four Study Halls
On either side of the courtyard are four subsidiary halls devoted to the lamas' studies of specialized subjects: medicine in the Medicine Hall; mathematics in the Mathematics Hall; esoteric in the Esoteric Hall; Buddhist philosophy in the Esoteric Hall. Twenty-six students of Tibetan and Mongolian nationalities were sent from Inner Mongolia, Qinghai and Liaoning. They came to study at Yonghegong Lamasery in spring 1981 and have taken part in Buddhist ceremonies. The youngest was 20 years old and the oldest 34. They all came from Buddhist families. The courses are: Tibetan language, the religious discipline of the Yellow Sect, the traditional sutras and religious rituals. Half of their time is spent in classroom studies and the rest in services in the compound. They follow monastic discipline and are expected to become successors to the elder lamas staffing the temple at present.
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