Ruins of Heidi Temple

　　Heidi Temple, also known as Xiahui Temple, is located in Bayan Hushuo Town and was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. It is a structure with a rigorous layout, magnificent architecture, splendid halls, and serene surroundings. The exterior of the temple is built with stone, featuring white walls with red trim. It combines Han-style pitched roofs, bracket sets, square pavilions, with Tibetan-style flat roofs, trapezoidal windows, and uniquely shaped columns. The overall image is vivid and harmonious, forming an artistic style that blends Han and Tibetan architectural elements. The entire roof is covered with gold-plated tiles, shining brilliantly in the sunlight. At the four corners of the temple top are copper-plated, gold-inlaid scriptures pillars, symbolizing reaching up to the heavens and down to the earth. At the center of the front wall’s top is a copper-plated, gold-inlaid "0" and facing each other are statues of sacred deer, symbolizing longevity. Inside the halls, all the columns are painted red, wrapped with various silk streamers, banners, and prayer flags. The ceiling is painted with ancient dragon and phoenix patterns. The painted beams and carved rafters depict Buddhist scripture stories. Above the main gate of the central hall hangs a plaque inscribed with the name “Xiahui Temple” in four languages—Chinese, Mongolian, Tibetan, and another—while a “Grand Scripture Hall” is located at the front part of the main hall, serving as the central space for collective scripture chanting. The inner walls on both sides of the hall are hung with silk-woven or painted Buddha images. Adjacent to the walls are placed a sandalwood throne used by Bogda, cushioned with yellow python satin, and in front of it are four rows of carpeted scripture seats (called Zhaerdeng in Tibetan), where followers chant scriptures.

　　The back section of the scripture hall is the Buddha Hall. At the center above hangs a brocade umbrella canopy, symbolizing the radiance of Buddha’s light. On the central lotus platform sits a 120-tael silver statue of Sakyamuni Buddha. On both sides, in accordance with the hierarchical order of Buddhas, are arranged dozens of copper and gold-plated Buddha statues including the founder of the Yellow Sect Tsongkhapa, the Three Buddhas of the Past, Present, and Future, Yama, the Heavenly Mother, the Longevity Buddha, Mahakala, the Rakshasa King, Vajradhara, the Thousand-Armed Buddha, White Tara, and the Medicine Buddha, among hundreds of others, all with lifelike and natural expressions. In front of the Buddha statues, the offering table is filled with silver and copper bowls and incense burners, with incense burning continuously and the Buddha lamps always lit, along with vessels filled with dairy offerings and symbolic fruits.

　　On both sides of the entrance gate of Xiahui Temple stand large clay sculptures of the Four Heavenly Kings, each in different poses and vividly lifelike. Behind the main hall is the majestic and grand Scripture Repository, the sister hall to the front scripture hall, which houses treasures such as the Kangyur and Tengyur (the Tibetan Buddhist canon), along with thousands of volumes of various scriptures.

　　Behind the courtyard stands a tall white stupa

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　　structure (21 meters high). It is said that this stupa was built to commemorate the 95th birthday of Naiji Tuoyin I in 1651, with a Buddhist ritual instrument embedded at its top, including a copper model of the sun and moon. The temple and stupa complement each other beautifully, creating a spectacular sight.