Last month, I returned to Beijing for work, staying two sweltering weeks in late July. When the air conditioning broke down, I seized the chance to escape to the Western Hills and visit the White Waterfall Temple—a place I’d long yearned to see.

Nestled in the mountains of Mentougou, this ancient temple dates back to the Liao Dynasty. Its name, White Waterfall, recalls two cascades that once adorned the hillside, now long vanished. Like many historic temples, White Waterfall has seen cycles of decline and restoration; today, most of its buildings are modern, save for a solitary Liao-era stone pagoda that has weathered a thousand years of change.

The temple’s striking, vividly painted sculptures evoke Khitan artistry, unusual for temples in northern China. The Yunlei Pavilion stands out with its golden child figure upon a lotus, surrounded by four dragons and two phoenixes—a rare depiction of Shakyamuni. From the east-side path, leading to Guanyin Cave, you can admire its grand form.

As I lingered near the colossal, fierce-faced Horse-Headed Guanyin by the temple’s exit, I learned it is said to protect travellers. Only a day later, heavy rainstorms caused floods in the mountains, sparing only a few places. Perhaps, after all, there was something to that blessing.