Vajra Base Stupa of Sarira

Vajra Base Stupa of Sarira

The Vajra Base Stupa of Sarira is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Vajra Base Stupa of Sarira is located in the Five Pagodas Temple in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.

The Five Pagodas Temple was originally named “Cideng Temple,” and the five pagodas are officially called the “Vajra Base Stupa of Sarira,” which is an important structure within the temple. “Vajra” means “indestructible” in Sanskrit, and the five pagodas atop symbolize the five Dhyani Buddhas. Its design originates from the Buddhist monastery in Bodh Gaya, India. The Vajra Base Stupa of Sarira in Hohhot was built between the fifth and tenth years of the Yongzheng reign during the Qing Dynasty (1727–1732), making it one of the earlier constructed among the five existing Vajra Base Stupas of Sarira in China.

The entire stupa consists of a base, the vajra base, and five delicate pagodas at the top. The stupa stands 16.5 meters tall in total. The vajra base has a convex-shaped layout. Ascending the platform via steps, you’ll find a white marble plaque embedded in the arched gateway, inscribed with the eight Chinese characters “金刚宝座舍利宝塔” (“Vajra Base Stupa of Sarira”) in Mongolian, Tibetan, and Chinese scripts. Walking around the stupa, you’ll see its surface covered in intricate carvings — including depictions of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, Buddha footprints, auspicious clouds, bodhi trees, vajras, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the thrones of the Five Buddhas — as well as 1,119 small gilded Buddha statues in various poses. These carvings are exquisitely crafted, truly masterpieces of Qing Dynasty sculpture art. Entering through the arched gateway and climbing the spiral staircase leads to a platform atop the vajra base, with a square glazed pavilion covering the exit. Stepping out of the pavilion, you’ll see five delicate pagodas: the central one stands 8.7 meters tall, while the four smaller corner pagodas are slightly lower. All feature green-glazed eaves and belong to the closely-eaved stupa architectural style. The first level features carvings of one Buddha, two bodhisattvas, a bodhi tree, and auspicious clouds. On the rear wall of the tower base, there are three circular stone carvings: a Mongolian star chart, a diagram of Mount Sumeru, and the Bhavacakra (Wheel of Life). Among them, the Mongolian star chart is the most precious.

This Mongolian star chart is assembled from eight pieces of white marble, with a diameter of 1.44 meters. The inner circle has a diameter of 18.3 cm, the equator 51.4 cm, and the ecliptic 73–76 cm. Centered on the North Star, it radiates 28 meridians marking the 28 lunar mansions, along with five concentric circles representing the Arctic Circle, Antarctic Circle, summer solstice circle, winter solstice circle, and celestial equator. It also indicates the twelve zodiac signs, twelve earthly branches, and the twenty-four solar terms. The bottom of the chart features rectangular legends and star notations. It is the only surviving ancient star map in the world annotated in Mongolian, holding significant scientific value and serving as an important physical artifact for the study of ancient Chinese astronomy. (National Cultural Heritage Administration)

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units