As tour groups and guidebook backpackers charge off on their iron horses and four-wheeled chariots for the faded glories and grandiose follies of Chengde, there's a forgotten imperial jewel right on the doorstep of this ancient capital city.

For far longer than the celebrated Chengde or the spectacular Summer Palace, the Tan Zhe Si mountain monastery was a favored imperial retreat.

Its 1,200-year history remains shrouded in mists of myth and clouds of imperial mystery (See The Story of the Little White Dragon Temple, right). Thanks to the absence of yellow-flag tour groups or overly officious officials, Tan Zhe Si remains a humble home to quiet contemplation, where the once-weary Sons of Heaven came to escape the subterfuge, turmoil and intrigue of the big bad court.

Even now it's not a journey for the faint hearted, as the mountain curves and all that fresh air quickly conspire to create a creeping car sickness amidst our BTM tour party.

"At 1,200 years old, this is the oldest imperial temple in Beijing," says Han Linghui, his assistant and temple vice director, proudly. Zhang and Han badly want to get the word out, and Beijing This Month is their chosen messenger.

Zhang lists a long line of emperors and officials who came and rested here for centuries for much the same reasons he imagines people might want to come today: cool summer breezes, contemplative gardens and vegetarian food (See Vegetarians Find Hope at Tan Zhe Temple, 48).

"Legend has it Princess Miao Yan used to kneel here on the stone steps," he says.

Miao, daughter of first Yuan Dynasty emperor Kublai Khan (1264-) is said to have been sent to reside here as a nun until her death. Zhang then admits this story is extremely unlikely to be true. There are a lot of unlucky princess stories about. "But it's a nice story, don't you think?" he says.

"Business is sluggish due to the cold winter. I think things will pick up again after March 15," says Zhang.

With apologies to Mr Zhang and Mr Han, let's hope it doesn?. Tan Zhe Si Guest House. A

Opening hours: 10am-10 pm. Tel: 6086-2780/1.

How to get there:

Ping Guo Yuan subway. Catch bus 931 or tourist bus 7 for 20 yuan.

The Story of the Little White Dragon Pond Temple

Once upon a time, a long, long, time ago, there was a terrible drought in the mountains and farmland northwest of Yanjing, as Beijing was known in those far off days.

No rain fell for a long, long time. The crops withered, the grass turned yellow, and fields cracked under the scorching sun. Hunger and pestilence spread among the people and no end to their suffering seemed in sight.

"Please send rain quickly, God of Heaven, to give our children rice to eat," the monks prayed.

Days passed, and not a drop of rain came down. The people suffered more, some eating bark, some grassroots, some forced to eat white clay when they ran out of bark and grass roots.

Then one day, the little white dragon (xiaobailong), son of the Dragon King of the South Sea, overheard the monks' prayers. He immediately leapt into the clouds and flew straight to the Dragon Palace where he approached his father, the Dragon King. "The crops on earth are withering and dying, Your Majesty. I beg you to send rain down quickly!"

The Dragon King of the South Sea quickly agreed to dispatch a crack battalion of carp spirits (xiabingxiejiang). [Some dragons begin life as fish. Carp, who successfully jump rapids and leap over waterfalls, can change into fish-dragons. Hence the popular saying, ?he carp has leaped through the dragon's gate," means success, especially for students who have passed their exams.]

"The crops will be saved!"

People cried and leaped with joy. On the ground, the wheat stalks raised their heads and the sorghum stalks straightened up. It was over. The drought was gone.

To thank the Dragon King of the South Sea, the people decided to build a temple.

They built a Dragon King Palace of the South Sea and placed a statue of the Dragon King beside it. On its site stands the present Tan Zhe Si. Documents record Hua Yen, a master monk, came to the white dragon pond at the end of seventh century. Best estimates suggest the existing temple date backs 1,200 years.

To prevent the temple or its local people ever suffering drought again, the king ordered the small white dragon to stay in the mountains and watch over them.

The white dragon created a pond and settled into the middle of the mountain. The Dragon King also retained the services of the carp to notify him if another drought occurred.

The carp-spirits joined the white dragon in the middle of the mountain. One day, there was a loud thunder clap and the monks looked up in awe. A mighty stone fish descended from the sky. The monks knelt on the ground and bowed their heads. "It's a gift from the Dragon King, a treasure to bring rain," the head monk said. They hung the fish under the roof of the dragon king temple and prayed to it every year.

If there was a drought, the monks would rub the fish and the Dragon King would send rain. It also became apparent that rubbing the fish could cure disease.