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Posted on 2024-11-25 14:21

As a child growing up in Beijing, I am too familiar with the White Pagoda Temple. I remember my childhood, my great-grandfather's home in Jinshifang Street, not far from the north mouth, every time the family to the great-grandfather's home to visit relatives, always passing by the White Pagoda Temple, but in my memory, the White Pagoda Temple has never been open. Therefore, for me, always feel the temple is very some mystery.

Gate of the White Pagoda Temple in Myoying, Beijing (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Time flies, a few decades have passed, although I do not know when the White Pagoda Temple was opened to the public. However, I finally in the afternoon of November 20, 2024, for the first time made a special trip into this both familiar and unfamiliar temple, for a visit. Therefore, also left an unforgettable memory.

White Pagoda Temple in Liangzhou, Wuwei (Photo: Jue Wang)

The reporter does not know exactly how many White Pagoda Temple in the country, but not long ago on September 7, 2024, had just been to the White Pagoda Temple in Liangzhou, Wuwei, Gansu Province, and remembered that on November 18, 2018, to participate in the Green China Line wind activity held in Zhongjiang, Sichuan Province, and admired the White Pagoda Sacred Temple there.

Sacred Temple of the White Pagoda in Zhongjiang, Sichuan (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

In front of the White Pagoda Temple located in Fuchengmennei Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, on the right wall, a national key cultural relics protection unit plate announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China on March 4, 1961, and set up by the Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Relics in July 1981, with "Myo Ying Temple White Pagoda" in green letters on a white background, is clearly visible. The White Pagoda of Miao Ying Temple" is clearly visible in green letters on a white background.

White Pagoda Temple cultural relics plate (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

The building of Myo Ying Temple, where the White Pagoda of Myo Ying Temple is located, consists of two parts: the Temple and the Pagoda, with the central axis from south to north: the Mountain Gate, the Bell and Drum Tower, the Heavenly King's Palace, the Hall of the Great Awakening Treasure, the Hall of the Seven Buddhas, the Hall of the Three Buddhas, and the Pagoda. To the east and west, there are a series of buildings such as supporting halls and monks' houses.

Hall of Heavenly Kings (Photo: Jue Wang)

After entering the gate of the White Pagoda Temple, you can directly see the Hall of the Heavenly King. The Hall of the Heavenly King is also the first hall after entering the White Pagoda Temple of Miaoying Temple. It is a hermetically roofed building with a solemn and elegant shape, reflecting the artistic charm of traditional Chinese architecture, harmonizing with the architectural style of the whole temple, and displaying an atmosphere of simplicity and serenity.

Sitting Statue of Maitreya Buddha (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

Walking into the hall, a Maitreya Buddha is enshrined here, whose image usually shows a bare chest and a smiling face, giving people a feeling of compassion and joy. On either side of the Maitreya Buddha are the mighty Four Heavenly Kings, who are the Eastern Heavenly King of Kingdom Holding, the Southern Heavenly King of Growth, the Western Heavenly King of Wide Eyes, and the Northern Heavenly King of Many Wonders, each holding a different dharma weapon and guarding the Dharma and sentient beings.

Statue of the Four Heavenly Kings (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

The Hall of the Heavenly Kings is an important part of the temple, serving as a transition linking the mountain gate to the other halls of the temple, and also providing a place for believers and visitors to pay homage to Buddha and pray for blessings. The Hall of Heavenly Kings has witnessed the rise and fall of the temple and carries rich historical and cultural connotations, which is of great value for the study of Buddhist culture, architectural art and historical evolution.

A corner of the bell tower from the Hall of Heavenly Kings (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

Entering through the west side gate of the Hall of Heavenly Kings, you can reach the second courtyard. Walking into the left wing of the second courtyard, an exhibition on the history and culture of the White Pagoda Temple is being held. The exhibition introduces in detail the intricate history of the White Pagoda Temple through a series of documents.

White Pagoda Temple History and Culture Exhibition (Photo: Jue Wang)

Looking back at the history of the White Pagoda Temple, during the Liao Dynasty, the Miao Ying Temple was located in the northern suburb of Nanjing, Liao. In the second year of the Liao Shouchang era (1096), a pagoda was erected to enshrine Buddhist relics and other Buddhist relics, which was later destroyed in a war. Yuan Shizuizu Kublai in the construction of the metropolis, in the first eight years of the Yuan (1271) ordered the construction of the White Pagoda at the site of the Liao Pagoda.

Documentation in the exhibition hall (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

In the eighth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1271), Emperor Kublai ordered the rebuilding of the Lama Pagoda on the site of the Liao Pagoda, and personally surveyed the site, which was presided over by the Yuan Dynasty's State Master, Yiren Zhen, and Nepalese craftsman, Anigo, and after eight years of design and construction, the White Pagoda was completed in the sixteenth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1279), and the Buddha's relics were enshrined and hidden in the pagoda.

Anigo's portrait exhibition (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

In the 16th year of the Yuan Dynasty (1279), a large temple with an area of about 160,000 square meters was built with the White Pagoda as the center, named Daishangshou Wanan Temple. This place became a central place for the royal family to conduct religious activities and for all officials to practice rituals. To the twenty-eighth year (1368), heavy rainfall, Da Sheng Shou Wan An Temple suffered a lightning fire, only the White Pagoda was spared.

Exhibition of information on the restoration of the White Pagoda Temple (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

In 1433, Emperor Xuanzong ordered the restoration of the White Pagoda. In the first year of Tianshun (1457), it was rebuilt. In the 27th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1688), the temple was rebuilt and two imperial monuments were made. When Emperor Qianlong rebuilt the White Pagoda, he hid the handwritten mantras and dazang sutras at the pagoda's brake.

Historical Photo Exhibition (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

In 1900, the Eight-Power Allied Forces invaded Beijing and plundered the treasures and scriptures enshrined in the temple through the ages. In the first year of Xuantong (1909), the temple was renovated, and after 1949, the White Pagoda was repaired several times. 1978, the White Pagoda was repaired and strengthened. 2021, June 10, after two years of repair, the White Pagoda Temple was officially opened to the public.

Da Jue Bao Dian (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

After visiting the exhibition and walking out, in the middle of the second courtyard is the Dajue Baodian. Dajue Baodian is five rooms wide, with a platform in front of it. The overall architecture is magnificent, highlighting its important position in the temple. Its ceiling is decorated with three dragon wells, beautifully modeled, exquisite craftsmanship, adding a solemn and magnificent atmosphere for the hall.

Stone lions outside the hall (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

In front of the Hall of Treasures, there is a pair of Yuan Dynasty stone lions, with the male lion in the west and the female lion in the east, a placement that reflects the Yuan Dynasty ceremonial culture of honoring the right (west). This pair of stone lions has a unique shape with curved backs and robust muscles, which is more realistic and differs greatly from the stone lions of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and has high artistic value and historical and cultural significance.

A corner of an ancient tree outside the temple (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

Dajue Treasure Hall is an important place for believers to worship Buddha, and since it is under renovation, it has not been entered to have a look. However, as an important part of Miaoying Temple, Dajue Baodian witnesses the inheritance and development of Buddhist culture in China, carries rich religious and cultural connotations, and is of great value to the study of Buddhist art, architectural style, and history and culture. There is also an ancient tree on the side outside the hall, which is very eye-catching.

Seven Buddhas Treasure Hall (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

Passing through the Hall of Great Consciousness, we come to the Hall of Seven Buddhas at the back of the temple. This hall is also one of the important buildings on the central axis of the temple. It was built in the Ming Dynasty with a five-room face and hipped roof, and is the largest hall in the Myo Ying Temple. In front of the hall there is an iron incense burner cast in the first year of the Ming Jiajing era, and inside the hall there is a beautifully crafted dragon well.

Buddha statues enshrined in the hall (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

The history of the Hall of Seven Buddhas can be traced back to the Yuan Dynasty, when the Da Shengshou Wan'an Temple was built. Later, after it was destroyed by a lightning fire at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the temple was rebuilt in the first year of Tianshun in the Ming Dynasty, forming the present-day Miaoying Temple and the Hall of Seven Buddhas. Seven Buddha statues were originally enshrined in the hall, and now enshrines the three golden Buddha statues of Sakyamuni Buddha, Medicine Buddha and Amitabha Buddha in the thirty Buddhas in the whole hall of nanmu wood of the Yuan Dynasty which was moved from the Guoguo Temple, as well as the eighteen statues of the heavenly beings on both sides, all of which are the cultural relics of the Ming Dynasty. The back door of the main hall also enshrines eleven faces of the Thousand Hands and Thousand Eyes Buddha.

Thousand-handed Guanyin Statue (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

Beyond the Seven Buddhas Hall is the Pagoda Courtyard of the Myo Eng White Pagoda Temple. Outside the courtyard is a statue of Anigo, red in color with a confident and resolute face. Come to the center of the Pagoda courtyard entrance to climb the stone steps up into the face of the temple is the last three Buddha Hall. The hall is located in the south end of the pagoda courtyard, also known as the Hall of the Six Divine Powers.

Statue of Anigo (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

The Hall of the Third Buddha is three rooms wide, with a hermetic roof, which is the oldest building preserved in the Myo Ying Temple, and also the only undamaged hall, basically maintaining the early Qing Dynasty's setting and pattern. Walking into the hall and looking up, there is a black lacquer horizontal plaque "with six divine powers" written by Emperor Qianlong.

Head of the Pagoda Courtyard (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

Inside the temple enshrines the Three Buddhas, the middle of the Shakyamuni Buddha, the east side is the Medicine Buddha, the west side is Amitabha Buddha, are carved wood and gold statues, both sides are also hung with more than 200 years of history of the thangkas, color and lustre, is the treasure of the temple town hall. Outside the north wall of the temple there are sitting south to north of the Buddha's lamp niche three rooms, built in the shape of steps for burning lamps.

A corner of the hall of the Third Buddha (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

Out of the Hall of the Three Buddhas, you will come to the small area of the Pagoda Courtyard, where you can only look up at the White Pagoda because there is no close proximity to the White Pagoda. White Pagoda by the Sumeru-style abutment, mantle-shaped tower and thirteen days phase wheel tower brake three major components, is China's earliest surviving years, the largest mantle lama tower, but also a more primitive form of the stupa "Rustling wave" on behalf of the style.

Pagoda courtyard front view of the White Pagoda (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

Myo Ying Temple White Pagoda stands in the center of the Myo Ying Temple Pagoda, 51 meters high, the area of the tower 810 square meters. Pagoda seat is divided into three layers, the lower layer for the retaining wall, the middle and upper layers are folded corner of the Sumeru seat, each layer of the four sides are symmetrical left and right within the two folded corners, so that the pagoda seat zigzag changes, rich and colorful.

Another view of the White Pagoda (Photo: Jue Wang)

The pagoda body is a huge mantle body with a diameter of 18.4 meters, a majestic and plump shape, surrounded by seven iron hoops. The phase wheel has 13 layers, one in the shape of a cone, named "Thirteen Heavens", symbolizing the thirteen heavenly realms of Buddhism. At the top of the wheel is a circular cover with a diameter of 9.7 meters, surrounded by 36 pieces of copper tassels and 36 wind chimes with Buddhist and Sanskrit characters carved in relief.

Taking a picture under the White Pagoda (Photo: passer-by)

Above the Huagai is the highest part of the White Pagoda, the pagoda brake, which is 5 meters high, has eight floors, and is designed as a small gilt-copper pagoda. Throughout the White Pagoda, beautifully modeled, majestic and towering. Under the White Pagoda, I also come here with the many incense burners, clockwise around the White Pagoda around the circle, turn the circle always look up with the movement to see the different angles of the White Pagoda, at the moment there is a sense of calmness of the heart as still water.

Viewing the Pagoda in the Temple (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

From the small courtyard where the White Pagoda is located, there is also a very informative "Friendship Across the Himalayas - Sino-Nepalese Cultural Exchange Exhibition" in the side room on the east side of the temple.

China-Nepal Cultural Exchange Exhibition (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The White Pagoda of Beijing Miaoying Temple was designed and built by Nepalese craftsman Anigo over a period of eight years, and is a historical testimony to the friendly exchanges between China and Nepal. 2023 is the 10th anniversary of the "Belt and Road" Initiative, and against this backdrop, the administration office of the White Pagoda Temple is launching this exhibition in order to enhance the exchanges of civilizations between China and Nepal.

A corner of the exhibition hall (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The whole exhibition is divided into three units: "Mountains - Pearl of the Himalayas" shows the humanities of Nepal, including its unique natural scenery, folk culture, traditional art, etc.; "Ridges --The "Ridge" presents the 1600-year history of humanistic exchanges between China and Nepal, such as ancient trade, cultural dissemination and personnel exchanges, etc. The "Peak" focuses on the close cooperation between China and Nepal in order to scale new heights. The "Peak - Closer Together" focuses on the new chapter of cultural exchanges between China and Nepal in the new era, showing the results of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of culture, education, science and technology.

Anigo Exhibition (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The exhibition also has a special presentation of Anigo. Anigo was 17 years old when he built a pagoda in Tibet, and 28 years old when he constructed the White Pagoda of Yuandadu. A special area has been specially designed in the exhibition hall to introduce the life of Nepalese craftsman Anigo and his artistic achievements in the form of vivid and easy-to-understand comic strips, as a way of commemorating his great contribution to the friendly exchanges between China and Nepal.

Corner of the red walled mezzanine (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

After the successful conclusion of the restaurant veneration at the White Pagoda Temple in Miaoying, we stepped out of the temple and saw that many young people were taking photos outside the red walled mezzanine, where we could view the stark contrast between the red wall and the white pagoda, with its wide field of vision and varied perspectives, and the perspective here in particular could appreciate the elegant landscape of the white pagoda, which is even better than the close-up view of the white pagoda.

One last look at the White Pagoda (Photo: Feng Gan Yong)

Visiting the White Pagoda of Beijing Miaoying Temple can be very rewarding. I learned that the original White Pagoda Temple is the only remaining ground-level building in the Yuan Dynasty capital, witnessing the rise and fall of the Yuan Dynasty capital, witnessing the unity of the Han, Mongolian, and Tibetan nationalities as well as the friendly exchanges between the two countries, and having high historical, cultural relics, and artistic value. At the same time, I also deeply experienced a period of time and space dialog between classical and modern, which made me linger and have a deep recollection. (Photo: Feng Ganyong)