Dazhao Temple

Dazhao was founded in 1580 by Altan Khan, the Tümed Mongol ruler who invited the Tibetan hierarch later recognised as the third Dalai Lama and did much to establish Gelugpa Buddhism among the Mongols. The temple's principal image is a Sakyamuni Buddha cast in silver, from which its Mongolian name, the silver Buddha temple, derives, and it is one of the few Mongolian monasteries to have avoided serious damage over the centuries. The complex mixes Han Chinese hall architecture with Tibetan decoration and Mongolian elements. Around it the rebuilt old town streets hold shops and the neighbouring Xilituzhao temple, and the Five Pagoda Temple with its carved Buddha reliefs is a short walk.

History

The Tümed Mongol ruler Altan Khan built the temple as the first building of what became Hohhot, the city growing up around it, and it was completed around 1579-1580, when the Ming Wanli Emperor named it Hongci Temple. In 1586 the third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso, came and consecrated its three-metre silver Sakyamuni, and Hohhot became a centre of pilgrimage for Mongols; Hong Taiji had the temple rebuilt and enlarged in 1640, when it took the name Wuliang Temple, a Dalai Lama stayed here on his way through in 1652, and under the Kangxi Emperor its halls were reroofed in yellow glazed tiles (Wikipedia, Dazhao Temple - Hohhot).

The main sights

• The silver Buddha - the 1580s Sakyamuni image at the heart of the temple.
• The mixed architecture - Han halls with Tibetan and Mongolian detailing.
• The murals and carvings - decorative work through the halls.
• The old town - the rebuilt streets and neighbouring temples around it.

When to go

May to October for comfortable weather; Hohhot winters are cold and dry. Buddhist festival days bring worshippers and ceremonies. The temple is active and busy in the morning.

Things to know

The old town around the temple is largely reconstructed for tourism. Photography inside the halls is restricted. The complex is compact and takes about an hour unless a ceremony is under way.

Nearby

The Five Pagoda Temple is a short walk; Wudangzhao lies far north near Baotou.

Key facts