White Pagoda Temple

White Pagoda Temple (Baita Si) is located at the Western District inside Beijing City. It got its name from a white old pagoda inside the temple. This 13th-century Tibetan Stupa, the largest of its kind in China, dates from Kublai Khan's reign and owes its beauty to a Nepalese architect (name lost to history) who built it to honor Sakyamuni Buddha.

The White Pagoda is 35.9 meters high and sits amidst luxuriant trees and a host of temple halls on Jade Islet in the center of Beihai Park. The temple was completed under the supervision of a Nepalese architect and it was considered an aesthetic masterpiece. Originally known as Miao Ying Si, after it was rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), the temple has undergone numerous reconstructions, usually as a result of fire. The common people call the Temple by its more popular name, the White Pagoda Temple.

There are altogether three Halls in the temple. The first one is exhibits on the history of the temple, as well as a display of several of the priceless Buddhist treasures that were discovered when the Pagoda was being renovated in 1978. The second Hall is an impressive display called the Hall of 10,000 Buddha although there are only 7,000 of them. Walking into the Hall is a breathtaking sight; the place is literally covered in Buddha statues on all four walls. Behind this Hall is the Hall of Seven Buddha, Which is home to seven large Buddha statues. Although visitors are not allowed to go up on the Pagoda itself, there is really not much to go up on, there are no doors leading into the structure.