Bayin Valley Chenghua Temple

Bayin Valley Chenghua Temple

Bayin Valley Chenghua Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Bayin Valley Chenghua Temple

Known in Mongolian as "Chahan Geggen Kure," meaning "White Temple," it is located in Yuetai Village, Bayin Valley Pasture. In the 15th year of the Guangxu reign (1889), under pressure from Tsarist Russia, the Qing government ordered the relocation of the temple’s religious leader, Gunka Zhaercan, along with his followers—who had been resisting Russian incursions in areas such as Altay—to Bayin Valley in Kuluketuxu. In the 18th year of the Guangxu reign (1892), a new temple was built and named "Chenghua Temple." It covers an area of 36,000 square meters and includes the Bodhisattva Temple, Medicine Buddha Temple, Sax Temple, and Dula Temple. The complex also features: (1) the Daxiaersuman (five-story building and ten single-story rooms); (2) the Saksong Suman (five single-story rooms); (3) the Quejin Suman (seven single-story rooms); the Zanggan Yamen (30 single-story rooms, serving as the administrative office of the temple); (4) the Zhasake Yamen (27 single-story rooms, used as the residence and scripture-recitation site of Chahan Geggen). Additionally, there were 169 monks’ quarters, housing up to 480 monks at its peak.

Chenghua Temple held a special status within Xinjiang’s Buddhist community. Its founder, Chahan Geggen, was honored by the Qing court with the title of Hutuktu for his contributions to the defense of the Altay border region, making him one of the three most prominent lamas in Xinjiang. A royal decree established the Thousand Buddha Temple and bestowed upon it the name "Chenghua Temple." When it was relocated to Bayin Valley, soldiers were deployed to construct the temple complex, and 50 households were transferred from the Eleet tribe in Tacheng to provide logistical support. After completion, the counties of Suilai and Kuluketuxu were tasked with providing quarterly food supplies for the monks, a practice that continued into the Republican era. In the early years of the People’s Republic of China, the temple’s holdings included one pasture spanning over 130 kilometers in length and 50–60 li in width, over 2,000 mu of arable land, more than 40 horses, 13 cattle, and an unspecified number of sheep and camels. The organizational structure comprised three great lamas, three vice-great lamas, 18 deyimbe, 18 goyik, and 102 darga (leaders), totaling 1,014 monks. By 1954, there were 54 lamas. During the Cultural Revolution, some buildings were repurposed, while others fell into disrepair due to age and neglect. In 1985, all buildings were returned, and the county government demolished the old temple, raising funds to rebuild a new one with a main hall and side rooms covering 120 square meters. By 1990, there were 13 lamas.