White Dagoba Temple

White Dagoba Temple, also called Miaoying Temple, got its name because there is an exquisite and spectacular white dagoba in the temple, which is 50.9 meters high . It has become a famous travel spot in Beijing. On the east and west walls, there are eight portraits of Buddha dharma protectors in Tibetan Buddhism. Beijing's White Dagoba Temple is a Lamaist Temple. Lamaism, a school of Buddhism founded particular popularity in Tibet, was introduced to China during the Tang Dynasty. White Dagoba Temple is the oldest of its kind. It was built during the Yuan Dynasty, some 700 years ago. The temple was first built in 1096 during the Liao Dynasty, according to historical records. In the year 1271, Mongolian leader Kublai Khan united the

country and started the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368); he became known as emperor ShiZu. To enhance the relationship between his empire and the religious power in Tibet, Kublai Khan granted imperial permission to build the lamaist White Dagoba. In 1271 the original pagoda was dismantled and a new Lamaist dagoba, on a larger scale, was erected. Construction was overseen by the Nepali architect Aniko and it was completed in 1279. This is the dagoba we see today. The White Dagoba temple functioned as an imperial temple during the Yuan Dynasty (when Beijing was known as Dadu) and a ceremony for Kublai Khan was held there when he died. Three dagobas of the same type, built in China at the time, the other two are located in Tibet and Wutai Mountain in Shanxi Province. There is an exhibition on precious cultural relics housed in the temple, such as sutras written by

Emperor Qianlong, an exquisite golden Buddha statue, a Buddha coronet and a cassock decorated with over a thousand of jewelries and a colorful hada etc. White Dagoba Temple is composed of five main sections: a terrace platform, a lotus bud shaped body painted white with lime and holding sealed religious artefacts, a steeple of thirteen shrinking layers (known as the 'thirteen heavens'), a beaten bronze canopy with 36 bronze bells hanging from its rim, and a spire. Unlike most dagobas which have a crescent moon or a precious bead at the top, this dagoba has for a spire a small bronze Lamaist sutra mounted on the steeple's canopy. Here are some guide information for your tour to White Dagoba Temple: Address: 171 Funei Street, Xicheng District,Beijing. Admission Fee: CNY 10, Openning Hours: 09:00 – 16:30. Contact Number: 86-10-66066099