The Five-Pagoda Temple is located about 200 meters to the northwest of Beijing Zoo. It was initially called the Temple of True Awakening-ZhenJueSi in Chinese, then renamed the Temple of Great Righteous Awakening—DaZhengJueSi. Later today’s name: Five-Pagoda Temple was adopted.

The structure of the five pagodas is known as the "diamond throne pagoda" style in Buddhist way, wherein five small pagodas stand on a large square foundation known as the "throne."