White Stupa at Miaoying Temple

White Stupa at Miaoying Temple

The White Stupa at Miaoying Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Miaoying Temple, originally known as Wan’an Temple in the Yuan Dynasty’s capital Dadu.

When it comes to white stupas, many people often think of Beihai Park, but the white stupa at Miaoying Temple is actually the one with the highest historical and artistic value in Beijing. This Yuan Dynasty stupa in the shape of a stupa (dagoba) stands atop a double-layered, angled square Sumeru pedestal and lotus petals. Both the precious vase and the thirteen-tiered wheel are stout and thick, while the diameter of the inverted bowl is nearly as wide as the base of the thirteen-tiered wheel. Standing beneath the stupa, one can’t help but feel a sense of oppression and sacredness. In contrast, the thirteen-tiered wheel of the Qing Dynasty white stupa at Yong’an Temple in Beihai is much more slender, adding a more aesthetic touch to the top of Qionghua Island. From this, one can easily appreciate the architectural philosophy of adapting to local conditions, as well as the evolution of the stupa style across different eras.

Compared to the stupa, the temple’s main hall courtyards are all Qing Dynasty structures, with not many highlights. The Tibetan Buddhist statue exhibition and the exhibition on the three great capitals of the Yuan Dynasty in the two main halls are worth a look.

Admission Fee

20 RMB

Location

No. 171, Fuchengmennei Street, Xicheng District, Beijing

Further Reading:

· First Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units