弘慈廣濟寺位於北平內城之西、大市街北，東望西華門，西接阜城門，地敞而境幽，近市而塵隔，雖非山林，實山林也。寺始創於宋末，原名「西劉村寺」；元末兵燹之後，已廢為荊榛瓦礫之墟。至明憲宗時，潞州僧喜雲法師因土人掘得石佛，即於其地重建今寺，賜額「弘慈廣濟」；清康熙間，湛祐禪師建大悲壇，並創修新志，發凡起例，廣輯文獻，後經然叢法師編輯，釐為三卷，前繪寺圖一幅，下分繪十景：中庭放鶴、經台夜月、院樹秋陰（原書缺此景左頁，又缺梵閣春雲全景及海棠晚色景右頁）、花開方丈、大椿團蓋、別室馴猿、香裊深窗、仙棗垂瓔。廣濟壇前絢彩蒸霞、陸離璀璨、花木垂陰、雲烟繚繞、猿鶴聞經之佳趣，躍然圖上。次錄康熙「御製弘慈廣濟寺碑」，以次則分建置圖、碑銘頌、傳記序、賦贊跋、尊宿、塔院、下院、題咏等八門。建置門記本寺之建置沿革，本寺主要建築有山門、天王殿、東雲水堂、延壽堂、大雄寶殿、東伽藍殿、祖師殿、普門殿、大藏經閣（內貯大藏尊經六百七十七函）、戒壇、毘盧殿、大悲壇、地藏閣等。碑銘頌門所錄諸文，皆有關建置。傳記序門錄有喜雲慧大師、恒明羔律師、滿月清法師、玉光壽律師、萬中祿律師、德光祥律師、道光會律師、復初仍律師、天孚祐禪師之傳記；另有大悲壇記、旃檀佛記、廣濟戒壇記，則有關建置；又錄「金陵印藏序」乙篇。賦贊跋門僅收「廣濟寺賦」、「觀音三十二變相贊跋」二篇。尊宿門記本寺之僧侶。塔院、下院二門亦建置之屬。題咏門收歷代文士之詠詩。後附「廣濟舊志跋」。按是志所收，泰半為編者湛祐之所撰，靈光片羽，亦可珍寶。茲據國立臺灣大學圖書館所藏清康熙四十三年（一七〇四）大悲壇刊本景印。
Hongci Guangji Temple is located in the western part of Beijing’s inner city, north of Dashi Street. To the east lies Xihua Gate, and to the west, Fucheng Gate. Its location is open and quiet—close to the market yet removed from its dust. Though not set among mountains and forests, it truly possesses the spirit of one.
The temple was first built at the end of the Song Dynasty and was originally called "West Liu Village Temple." After a war at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, it fell into ruin, becoming a wasteland of thorns and rubble. During the reign of Emperor Xianzong of the Ming Dynasty, Dharma Master Xiyun from Luzhou discovered a stone Buddha unearthed by locals and rebuilt the temple on its present site. The emperor granted it the name "Hongci Guangji." During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, Zen Master Zhanyou built the Great Compassion Altar and compiled a new temple record. He established the framework, gathered extensive documents, and later edited these into three volumes under Dharma Master Rancong. The records begin with an illustration of the temple, followed by ten scenic depictions: Releasing Cranes in the Central Courtyard, Moonlit Nights at the Sutra Platform, Autumn Shade of Courtyard Trees (the left page of this scene is missing from the original text, as are the full scenes of Spring Clouds over the Buddhist Pavilion and the right page of Evening Beauty of the Begonia), Flowers Blooming at the Abbot’s Quarters, The Spreading Canopy of the Big Tree, Taming Monkeys in the Side Chambers, Fragrant Smoke Wafting Deep in the Window, and Fairy Dates Hanging Like Tassels. In front of the Altar, vibrant colors shimmer like rainbow-hued clouds, dazzling and magnificent. Blossoms and trees cast their shade, clouds and mist swirl about, and monkeys and cranes delight in hearing the Dharma—scenes vividly brought to life in the illustrations.
Next follows the Kangxi-era "Imperial Stele of Hongci Guangji Temple," after which the records are divided into eight sections: Architecture, Inscriptions and Eulogies, Biographies and Records, Songs and Praises, Eminent Monks, Stupa Courtyard, Branch Temples, and Inscribed Poems. The Architecture section records the temple’s construction and history. Its main buildings include the Mountain Gate, Heavenly King Hall, Eastern Cloud Water Hall, Longevity Hall, Mahavira Hall, Eastern Sangharama Hall, Patriarch Hall, Universal Gate Hall, Sutra Library (housing 677 cases of the Great Canon Sutras), Precept Altar, Vairocana Hall, Great Compassion Altar, and Earth Treasury Hall. The Inscriptions and Eulogies section collects texts related to these structures. The Biographies and Records section includes biographies of Master Xiyun Hui, Preceptor Hengming Gao, Dharma Master Manyue Qing, Preceptor Yuguang Shou, Preceptor Wanzhong Lu, Preceptor Deguang Xiang, Preceptor Daoguang Hui, Preceptor Fuchu Reng, and Zen Master Tianfu You. It also contains the Great Compassion Altar Record, Sandalwood Buddha Record, Guangji Precept Altar Record concerning the architecture, and a preface to the "Jinling Printing of the Canon." The Songs and Praises section includes only two pieces: "Ode to Guangji Temple" and "Praise and Postscript to the Thirty-Two Manifestations of Guanyin." The Eminent Monks section records the temple’s monastics. The Stupa Courtyard and Branch Temples sections also pertain to its structures. The Inscribed Poems section collects verses from scholars across different dynasties, and an "Old Guangji Record Postscript" is appended.
Most of the content in this record was written by its editor, Zhanyou, and even these fragments are treasured. This edition is a photolithographic reproduction of the 1704 (Kangxi 43) Great Compassion Altar imprint held by the National Taiwan University Library.