White Pagoda of Yong’an Temple in Beijing’s Beihai Park

White Pagoda of Yong’an Temple in Beijing’s Beihai Park

Beihai Park (北海公园) is a public park and former imperial garden immediately northwest of the Forbidden City in Beijing.

White Dagoba or White Pagoda (白塔) is a Tibetan-style stupa placed on the highest point on Jade Flower Island in Yong’an Temple (永安寺), built to honor the visit of the 5th Dalai Lama in 1651.

It is 40 meters (131 ft) high and made of white stone. It houses reliquaries with Buddhist scriptures, monks’ robes and alms bowls, and relics, the ash and bones of monks left after their cremation.

Sun, moon, and flame engravings decorate the surface of the tower. Destroyed by the 1679 Sanhe-Pinggu earthquake, it was rebuilt the following year. Damage from the 1976 Tangshan earthquake was repaired the same year.

Video Source: Early Morning by the Forbidden City in Beijing from taovid.com