Temple of the White Pagoda

Introduction
The Miaoying Temple also known as the "White Stupa Temple", is a Chinese Buddhist temple on the north side of Fuchengmennei Street in Xicheng District of Beijing.

There were temples built on the sites since the Liao and Yuan dynasties. The temple's famous white stupa also dates to the Yuan Dynasty. However, the present-building dates to the Ming dynasty as well as its given name, "Miaoying Si", meaning "Temple of Marvellous Response".

The temple is composed of Tianwang Hall, Yizhu Xinjing Hall, Qifo Hall, Jvliu Shentong Hall and the temple courtyard. Jvliu Shentong Hall retains its original pattern, inside which there are wooden carvings of Sakyamuni, Amitabha, and Medicine Buddha.

History & Background
In 1961, then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai signed a Proclamation stating that the Temple was to be protected as a National Treasure. This Proclamation kept the White Stupa safe during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s.

In 1976, the temple was seriously damaged by the Tangshan earthquake. The top of stupa tilted to one side, the bricks and mortar supporting the stupa crumbled off, and many relics were broken.

In 1978, the Beijing Department of Cultural Relics undertook the task of repairing and renovating the temple. The courtyards, the four corner-pavilions, the Hall of the Buddhas of the Three Ages, the Hall of the Heavenly Kings (Tianwang dian) in front of the stupa, the Hall of the Seven Buddhas and the stupa itself were repaired and renovated.

The complex was again renovated in 2010.

Architecture & Structure
On the east and west walls, there are eight portraits of Buddha dharma protectors in Tibetan Buddhism. The white dagoba is 50.9 meters high, exquisite and spectacular.

At present, the gate of the temple has been renovated and there is an exhibition on precious cultural relics housed in the temple.

Many precious cultural relics found at the top of the dagoba, 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.

All the cultural relics are of best quality and extraordinary techniques. The art exhibition on Tibetan Buddha statues displays nearly ten thousand of bronze, gilded statues made in Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

Imformation
Address: No.171 Fuchengmennei Street, Xicheng District, Beijing

Bus Route: Bus No. 13, 42, 101, 102, 103, 409, 603, 709, 812, 814, 823, 846, 850 to the stop of White Pagoda Temple or subway to Fuchengmen Station

Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00 (16:30 stop selling tickets)

Tel: 8610-66133317, 8610-66176164