Dazhao Temple is located in the old city of Hohhot. Built in 1580 and reconstructed in the early years of the Qing Dynasty, the temple consists of a number of halls and a nine-room building, storing many precious cultural relics. Usually, the local people call it Silver Buddha Temple because there is a rarely seen silver statue of Sakyamuni (the founder of Buddhism) with 2.5 meters in height.
Why the Dazhao Temple is special
Dazhao Temple is the largest and oldest Lamaism temple of Inner Mongolia, the temple got famous when the third Tibetan Dalai Lama visited the temple in 1586, when he came to dedicate the Silver Buddha statue. As a consequence Hohhot became a religious center for people from all over Mongolia who came to worship at the temple. Another notable event in the temple's long history was a visit by Emperor Kangxi during the early part of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Splendid statues, delicate frescos, and great collection of Buddhist scriptures, these are the major features of the temple.
Dazhao Temple highlights
Inside the Dazhao Temple, except for the main hall most of the existing buildings feature Han style. The main hall is a lamasery combines both Tibetan and Han styles of architecture. The hall is divided into three sections, which is typical architecture style of a lamasery. The central part of the temple is Fo Tang (The Hall for Worshiping Buddha), where the Silver Buddha lies and it has been already 400 years.
Three Marvelous Treasures
Perhaps the most notable religious relics are the 'Three Marvelous Treasures', the Silver Buddha, the carved dragons on the huge golden pillars and the murals commemorating the Emperor's visit.