Chagan Obo Temple

Chagan Obo Temple

Chagan Obo Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Chagan Obo Temple is located in the northwest of Chagan Obo Sumu, Sonid Left Banner (Mandula Town), Xilin Gol League, about 20 kilometers east of the China-Mongolia border, 90 kilometers from Erenhot City, and 180 kilometers from Mandula Town. It is one of the more well-preserved temples among the 13 temple ruins in Sonid Left Banner. The temple was first built in the 53rd year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1714) and was granted the name “Fuyou Temple” (Temple of Blessing) by imperial decree in the 40th year of the Qianlong reign (1775). Covering an area of approximately 3,718 square meters, it is a typical Mongolian-Tibetan quadrangle-style temple complex. - The temple complex was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, leaving only extensive ruins. The existing “Fuyou Temple” hall and the western corridor wing rooms have been restored, and normal religious activities have resumed. Adjacent to the temple is a military border camp of the People’s Liberation Army.

Chagan Obo Temple was originally one of the famous ancient temples in Sonid Left Banner, Xilin Gol League. The temple was first built in the 53rd year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1714) and has a history of 290 years. In the 40th year of the Qianlong reign (1775), it was bestowed the name “Fuyou Temple” by imperial decree. Due to its proximity to Xiling Chagan Obo (a white hill in Mongolian), it is commonly known as Chagan Obo Temple. Covering an area of approximately 3,718 square meters, it is a typical Mongolian-Tibetan quadrangle-style temple complex. It is located in the northwest of Chagan Obo Sumu, Sonid Left Banner, Xilin Gol League. It is 180 kilometers from Mandula Town and 20 kilometers east of the China-Mongolia border.

The region where the temple is situated is a desert steppe, characterized by harsh winters, dry summers, short frost-free periods, frequent seasonal winds, concentrated northwest winds in winter and spring, low annual precipitation (about 180 mm per year), mainly concentrated in July and August, and a lack of groundwater resources.

Chagan Obo Temple was first built in the 53rd year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1714). In the 40th year of the Qianlong reign (1775), the Qing court bestowed upon the temple a plaque inscribed with the name “Fuyou Temple,” engraved in gold in four languages: Mongolian, Tibetan, Manchu, and Chinese. However, due to its geographical name, it has been commonly known as Chagan Obo Temple ever since. Until 1957, the temple went through five generations of Living Buddhas (Gegen). The fifth-generation Living Buddha, Chagan Gegen, passed away in 1957 and had served as the chairman of the Inner Mongolia Buddhist Association.

At its peak, the temple complex covered a construction area of 150,000 square meters, housed 1,217 lamas, and included nearly 2,000 main structures such as Buddha halls, temple storehouses, monk dormitories, and other buildings, along with over 17,000 livestock. The temple once operated a Mongolian language school, a Mongolian medicine clinic, an iron and wood workshop, a felt cooperative, an art studio, a printing shop, a leather processing department, a textile department, and a brick and tile factory. Its influence extended across Inner and Outer Mongolia. The 9th Panchen Lama stayed at the temple for three days in June 1932 (the 9th day of the 5th month of the Ren Shen year) to conduct Buddhist rituals, greatly enhancing the temple’s fame.

In 1937, when the Japanese puppet regime occupied the Xilinhot grassland, Chagan Obo Temple declined, with only 335 monks remaining.

Before the founding of the People’s Republic of China, it was an important site for Buddhist activities in both China and Mongolia, as well as one of the early locations for revolutionary activities of the Chinese Communist Party. During the Cultural Revolution, Chagan Obo Temple suffered severe damage, with only the Fuyou Temple hall remaining intact. In 1988, the local party committee and government, in accordance with central and autonomous region directives, restored the temple’s historical reputation and repaired the lower level of the existing western corridor wing rooms, allowing normal religious activities to resume. In modern and contemporary history, the temple was not only a sacred site of Tibetan Buddhism in the Mongolian regions north and south of the desert but also a renowned center for the dissemination of various cultures. The fifth Living Buddha, Jamyan Legshi Dazhamusu, was a noted patriot who used his unique status and courage to protect and rescue Chinese military and political cadres as well as wounded soldiers, mobilize many lamas to join the People’s Liberation Army, and provide substantial supplies and warhorses.

Chagan Obo Temple suffered devastating destruction during the Cultural Revolution. A large number of cultural relics and literary works were destroyed or stolen, and over 80% of the buildings were razed, leaving only the current main and auxiliary halls of Xilaburen.

Starting in 1988, Sonid Left Banner began restoring the Xilaburen halls of Chagan Obo Temple and collected some scattered cultural relics, resuming normal religious activities. In 1995, the temple was listed as a county-level cultural heritage protection unit. The main hall was repaired in 1995, but due to funding shortages, it could not be fully restored. In 2003, with the help of the banner government, the Living Buddhas carried out protective repairs on the side halls.

In 1996, the temple was listed as a regional key cultural heritage protection unit by the People’s Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In the same year, it was designated as a “Patriotic Education Base” by the People’s Government of Sonid Left Banner.

Chagan Obo Temple currently has 10 lamas and regularly conducts religious activities during the spring, summer, and autumn seasons. Due to its proximity to the border city of Erenhot (90 kilometers away), it attracts a continuous stream of visitors and pilgrims from all over.

Mandula Town: A town under the jurisdiction of Sonid Left Banner and the seat of the banner government. “Mandula” is a transliteration from Mongolian, meaning “prosperity.” In 1945, it was the Second Sumu; in 1962, it was renamed Beilemiao Sumu; in 1968, it became Mandula Town; in 1981, it was changed to Chengguan Town; and in 1982, it reverted to its current name. Located in the central part of the banner, it covers an area of 325.6 square kilometers and has a population of 11,000. The Hohhot-Xilinhot and Xilinhot-Erenhot highways pass through the town. The town is divided into new and old districts. It administers Bayanbaolage, Shugaitu, Bayanmengke, Saihan, Hugjiltu, Da... More detailed information about Mandula Town++