Kundulun Monastery

Kundulun Monastery

Kundulun Monastery is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

When the First Dongjugamsusangbu visited the capital, Emperor Qianlong bestowed upon it the name "Faxi Temple." As the temple is located by the Kundulun River, it is commonly known as Kundulun Monastery. Most of the monastery buildings are in Tibetan style, nestled against the mountain and near the water. Centered around the Great Scripture Hall, it consists of an irregular layout supplemented by several individual halls and shrines. Originally, there were 27 halls and pavilions and over 60 residential buildings, covering an area of more than 160 acres. The largest structure is the Qiaqin Dugong (Great Buddha’s Hall), spanning 1,161 square meters, with 60 pillars, eight bays and 81 rooms. The entire hall is resplendent and magnificent in grandeur.

On the west side of the main gate are painted murals of the Four Heavenly Kings and 0. Inside the hall, there are colorful Buddhist story murals, and statues of Sakyamuni, Tara, and Tsongkhapa are enshrined. The ceiling is decorated with vivid patterns including animals, dragons and phoenixes, flowers, and the precious cloud motif. Other structures include the East and West Residences, the Yellow Temple, the Catholic Chapel, the Small Dugong, the Scripture Tower, the Gabaa (Houlechu) Tongyin Temple, and small corner pavilions. In addition to ancient Tibetan scriptures, the monastery also houses a number of Mongolian-language scriptures.

Located at the foot of the Wula Mountains in the northwest of Kundulun District, Baotou, it was first built in the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign during the Qing Dynasty (1729 AD) and took over 20 years to complete. When the First Dongjugamsusangbu visited the capital, Emperor Qianlong bestowed upon it the name "Faxi Temple." As the temple is located by the Kundulun River, it is commonly known as Kundulun Monastery. Most of the monastery buildings are in Tibetan style, nestled against the mountain and near the water. Centered around the Great Scripture Hall, it consists of an irregular layout supplemented by several individual halls and shrines. Originally, there were 27 halls and pavilions and over 60 residential buildings, covering an area of more than 160 acres. The largest structure is the Qiaqin Dugong (Great Buddha’s Hall), spanning 1,161 square meters, with 60 pillars, eight bays and 81 rooms. The entire hall is resplendent and magnificent in grandeur.

On October 7, 2019, Kundulun Monastery was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units