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Baita Temple and Its History
Miaoying Temple Baita is located in Fuchengmennei Street, Xicheng District, Beijing. It is the oldest and largest bowl-covered tower in Beijing, and it is also one of the largest bowl-covered towers in China history.
After Kublai Khan, the capital of Yuan Shizu, made Beijing its capital, in the eighth year of Yuan Dynasty (127 1), a giant stupa symbolizing the capital of China was built, and Anika, a Nepalese expert in this field, was appointed to be responsible for the design and construction. Eight years later, the White Pagoda was built. In the same year, a temple was built around the White Pagoda. In the 25th year of Zhiyuan (1288), a temple was built, named "Great Sage Shouwan 'an Temple".
The halls are luxurious, numerous and resplendent. During the nearly 100 years of the Yuan Dynasty, incense was at its peak. According to the regulations of the Yuan Dynasty government, any major ceremony must be rehearsed in the Great Sage Shouwan 'an Temple three days before it is held. Even the major sacrificial ceremonies held after Kublai Khan's death were held in this temple, and its status has already exceeded the scope of a religious temple.
In the 28th year of Yuan Dynasty (1368), a huge thunder and fire struck the temple, which destroyed all the temples in the temple, and only the White Pagoda survived. The temple was rebuilt on the site during the Tianshun period of Ming Yingzong (1457- 1464) and was built during the Chenghua period of Ming Xianzong (1468), hence the name Miaoying Temple. The White Pagoda was placed at the highest place behind the temple and became the most important landmark building of Miaoying Temple.
The Baita Tower is nearly 5 1 m high and consists of six parts: tower foundation, tower foundation, bowl cover, wheel, canopy and Tasha. It is a typical Tibetan Buddhism bowl-building tower. The whole White Pagoda is magnificent in appearance, white all over, solemn and holy, and has a strong charm of ancient Indian pagodas. On the day of the completion of the historical tower, the capital shook and worshippers came in an endless stream.
The White Pagoda is not only an important historical relic, but also a symbol of Sino-Nepalese friendship. Nepalese tourists come to Beijing, including the king, queen, prime minister, other important Nepalese officials and state dignitaries, and visit the White Pagoda as souvenirs.
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Temple incense, fireworks.
In the past, the expenditure of temples, in addition to the donations from pilgrims, largely depended on government funding. Therefore, many famous temples in Beijing spontaneously started commercial transactions, held flower parties, sold trinkets made by monks, and subsidized investment.
At the end of the Qing Dynasty, many temples began to hold temple fairs to subsidize their livelihood by attracting investment and collecting rent, and Baita Temple was no exception. In the history of Baita Temple, there was a very lively temple fair. In the Notes on Old Beijing in the late Qing Dynasty and summer, it was said: "The four temples in Beijing are Wednesday Land Temple, April 5th Baita Temple, July 8th Huguo Temple and Ninety Temple, which are collectively called the Four Temple City."
According to the survey, Baita Temple Fair was formed in Ming Dynasty and flourished in Qing Dynasty, which is quite large. Every temple fair and festival, Baita Temple and its two sides are lined with vendors, and a stage is set up in the courtyard. There are not only folk seasonal markets, but also various snacks and entertainment techniques.
Actually, to be precise, Baita Temple Fair should be regarded as a temple fair, because when it was open, there were no sacrificial activities in the temple, and tourists did not worship Buddha. It was purely shopping, playing and entertainment. 1926 "World Journal" once described the scene of Baita Temple during the Republic of China:
This crowded and lively temple fair lasted until the early liberation and did not disappear until the Cultural Revolution. 1997, Baita Temple demolished the shopping mall and rebuilt the mountain gate and the buildings in the temple. Today, the white pagoda in the temple stands tall and magnificent, but the temple fair is no longer held. However, we don't have to sigh. With the changes of the times, temple fairs are no longer necessary in people's lives. But a more fresh blood is slowly injected into this place.
In recent years, with the exploration and implementation of the "Baita Temple Regeneration Plan", through the innovation and design of planners, the hutongs under Baita are being subtly updated. The street life under the White Pagoda is also booming in the increasingly rich style of the ancient capital.
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Baita Temple Regeneration Plan
The block where Baita Temple is located, as one of the 25 historical and cultural protection areas in the old city of Beijing, how should it be protected and updated? This topic has been discussed by all walks of life in recent years.
Baita Temple was founded in Yuan Dynasty, and gradually formed its regional structure and hutong texture in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Hutongs have unique shapes and unique landscapes. Compared with the regular and grand quadrangles, the quadrangles here have limited area, different shapes and fine overall texture, but they truly reflect the daily life patterns of ordinary people.
In 20 15, the transformation plan of "Baita Temple Regeneration Plan" was officially launched, and the plan put forward a new model of old city protection and renewal. With the progress of society, the original demolition and construction method is no longer applicable in the core area of the city. Microcirculation and organ renewal model have been paid more and more attention and applied. The regeneration planning of Baita Temple, while maintaining the unique texture of hutong and the original residential functional attributes of the traditional quadrangle residential area in old Beijing, creates a new cultural block integrating tradition, creativity and fashion by implanting new elements such as design, cultural creation and display. While improving residents' housing and living conditions, it will inject fresh vitality and industrial genes into the community.
The above photos are from the WeChat platform of "Baita Temple Regeneration Plan" and official website. If you are interested in the cultural creativity of Baita Temple, exhibitions, small quadrangles and hutongs, you can go to the online platform to explore the road first ~
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The White Pagoda in Beijing
After talking about the White Pagoda in our hutong, Silver has come to test you. How many white pagodas are there in Beijing? There is a saying that there are countless Yinshan pagodas. There are many historic sites and white pagodas in Beijing. The most famous one, besides the White Pagoda of Miaoying Temple, is the White Pagoda of Beihai Park.
The White Pagoda in Beihai is 35.9 meters high and is located on the east coast of Qionghua Island in Beihai Park. Anji is located at the southern foot of Qionghua Island, built on the mountain. Its predecessor was Wanshou Mountain (Qiongdao) in Xiyuan in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, and there are Renzhi, Fu Jie and Yanhe on the south slope. In the early Qing Dynasty, Lama Norbu Khan was stationed in Wuxi. In the eighth year of Shunzhi in Qing Dynasty (165 1), the Lama Temple was built on the former site of the Three Great Halls, and the White Pagoda in Tibet was built on the former site of Guanghan Temple on the top of the mountain, named as "Baita Temple", and later renamed as "Ai 'an Temple" in the seventh year of Qianlong (1742).
In addition, there are several white pagodas, which are not as majestic and famous as the first two, but because of their exquisiteness and beauty, they are remote and have their own profound meaning.
University hall Baita
Opening hours: 9:00- 17:00 (open all year round, except in special circumstances). Tickets close at 16:30.
Address: No.9 Daxue Road, Sujiatuo Town, Haidian District, Beijing.
Tel: 010-62456163,62461284.
Baita Anta
Baita Tower, located in China National Painting Academy, can be visited during the exhibition held by the Academy.
"Haidian County Records" has the following introduction to this ancient pagoda: "... the history of this pagoda is not recorded, and its age cannot be verified. In the 1940s (referring to the 20th century), there was a buddhist nun, which was famous for its towers. According to legend, Wen Jian, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, escaped from Nanjing in the Battle of South Beijing, cut his hair and became a monk, and came to Beijing in his later years. After his death, he was buried in Xishan Mountain and built a mantle tower, which was mistakenly called the mantle tower of Emperor Wen Jian. The tower is 25 meters high, and the tower base is a single-story Xumishan pedestal ... 1983 was rebuilt by the Chinese Painting Research Institute and turned into a courtyard site. "
Opening hours: See the exhibition.
Address: No.54, Northwest Third Ring Road, Haidian District, Beijing
Tel: (86- 10)684 12606
Tallinn of Tanzhe Temple
Tanzhe Temple was founded in the Western Jin Dynasty with a history of 1700 years. It is the oldest temple in Beijing. Numerous monks practice chanting here and die here, thus leaving a large number of pagodas with different shapes near the temple.
Opening hours: 8:30- 16:30 (open all year round, except in special circumstances). /kloc-admission is closed at 0/6: 30.
Address: Tanzhe Temple Scenic Area, Tanzhe Temple Town, Mentougou District, Beijing
Tel: 0 10-6086 1699
reference data
[1] Beijing Institute of Ancient Architecture. Beijing ancient architecture culture series bridge tower [M]. Beijing Fine Arts Photography Publishing House, 20 14.
[2] City life under the White Pagoda [N]. Beijing Daily Map of Old Beijing, 2021-01-12.
[3] Wu,,. From the perspective of urban cultural development, the protection and development of historical and cultural blocks are viewed by means of urban design —— Taking the renovation of Baitasi block in Beijing as an example [J]. Huazhong architecture, 1998(03):94-99.
[4] Xing Zhao. A systematic study on the protection and organic renewal of historic residential blocks in the old city of Beijing [D]. Tsinghua University, 20 10.
[5] Urban renewal series XIX | Baita Temple regeneration plan, exploring the renewal mode of historical and cultural blocks [M]. Planning Natural Resources in Beijing, 2019-11-08.
[6] Zhang Fan, Tian Xue. Beijing temple [M]. Peking University Publishing House, 20 16.
[7] Academy Culture | The Fifth Hospital of Zhongzhou Road: stupa, Longwangtang and Lingyaoting [N]. Beijing Xishan University Hall, 20 19-09-25.
[8] The origin of the ancient pagoda in Tanzhe Temple [N]. Mentougou district culture and tourism bureau, 202 1-07-22.