WHITE DAGOBA TEMPLE

History

This temple designed by a Nepalese architect was built under the Yuan in 1271.

As a result of the blanket coating that closes it (color of lime milk), it has been called «Dagoba Blanc temple». In 1279, it was Emperor Kubilai Khan, in the framework of the construction of his capital Dadu, who ordered the first important alterations of the building and the construction just front of a great Taoist temple, the temple of Great Longevity and of the Millennial Peace (Da Sheng Shou Wan An Si). Twelve years later, the buildings were destroyed by fire, and Emperor Tian Shun of the Ming rebuilt it under the name of Miao Ying Si. Renovated under the Qing, the temple was at the beginning of the twentieth century the place of rendez-vous of the small traders at the great fair held on the 5 th and 6 th of each lunar month in the previous courses of the temple.

The temple has by far the appearance of a gigantic Tibetan-style stupa, perched on an artificial hill. It was after the earthquake of 1976, which partially cracked the Dagoba, that we discovered a true treasure, garments enriched with stony and other valuables which are now visible in the Capital Museum, at the temple of Confucius. A succession of courses leads to the third hall, the room of the Seven Buddhas, quite remarkable by the quality of its woodwork, but also by the quality of its statuary, including a superb Guanyin aux Mille Bras. There is also a beautiful collection of Tibetan style paintings (Tang Ka).

Visit

Dagoba, for its part, is a large masonry block of 50.90 m with a circumference of 30 m, which is based on a triple square square of white marble whose upper part forms lotus petals in relief. Its upper part is styled with a bronze plate where 36 bronze bells and bronze carcases are tinted in the wind. It is one of the most important Lamaisan dagobas designed under the Yuan, and certainly one of the best preserved.