Located near Baotou in Inner Mongolia, Meidaizhao Temple (also known as Meidaizhao Lamasery) is a unique cultural landmark that blends Tibetan Buddhism with Mongolian and Han architectural influences. This guide provides everything you need to know for an enriching visit to this historical and spiritual site.
Overview of Meidaizhao Temple
History & Significance: Built in the late 16th century, during the reign of the Ming Dynasty, Meidaizhao Temple is one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in Inner Mongolia. It was initially a palace for Altan Khan, a Mongol leader who played a key role in introducing Tibetan Buddhism to the region. The temple later evolved into a lamasery and continues to serve as a significant religious site for both monks and pilgrims.
Architecture: Meidaizhao’s architecture is a fascinating blend of Mongolian, Tibetan, and Han Chinese styles, making it stand out among other temples in the region. The complex is surrounded by a fortress-like wall, and inside, visitors will find beautifully painted murals, prayer halls, and courtyards that reflect its spiritual importance and artistic beauty.
Key Attractions in Meidaizhao Temple
Main Prayer Hall
The Main Prayer Hall, or "Sükhbaatar," is the heart of Meidaizhao Temple. This large, ornate building is used for religious ceremonies and prayers. Visitors can observe monks conducting rituals and admire the intricately painted murals that depict Buddhist stories and deities.
White Pagoda
One of the most iconic features of Meidaizhao is the White Pagoda, which stands tall against the backdrop of the vast grasslands. This stupa, a symbol of enlightenment in Buddhism, is a popular spot for pilgrims who come to offer prayers and walk clockwise around the structure for blessings.
Mongolian Fortress Walls
The temple complex is encircled by fortress-like walls that reflect its historical role as a defensive palace for Altan Khan. Walking along these walls provides stunning views of the surrounding landscape and offers a glimpse into the temple's past as a political and military stronghold.
Buddhist Murals
Inside the temple, visitors can find elaborate Buddhist murals that are well-preserved despite their age. These murals depict Tibetan Buddhist figures, scenes from religious texts, and Mongolian motifs, showcasing the cultural fusion that defines Meidaizhao.
Travel Tip: Don't miss the chance to observe monks performing traditional Tibetan Buddhist rituals in the Main Hall. These ceremonies are deeply spiritual and offer a rare glimpse into the religious life of the lamasery.
Practical Travel Information for Meidaizhao Temple
When to Visit
The best time to visit Meidaizhao Temple is during the late spring and early autumn months (May to October), when the weather is mild, and the grasslands surrounding the temple are lush and green. Summer can be warm, but it is also the peak season for local festivals, while winter is harsh and cold, making outdoor exploration difficult.
Getting to Meidaizhao
By Air: The nearest major airport is Baotou Airport, about 80 kilometers from the temple. From Baotou, you can hire a taxi or take a local bus to reach Meidaizhao.
By Train: Baotou is well-connected by train to major cities in China. After arriving in Baotou, buses or taxis can take you directly to the temple.
By Bus: Local buses operate from Baotou and other nearby towns, offering a budget-friendly option for reaching the temple. Private tours also often include transportation to the temple as part of their package.
Accommodation
There are limited accommodation options near Meidaizhao Temple. Most visitors stay in Baotou, which has a wide range of hotels, from budget to luxury. If you're interested in a more immersive experience, some guesthouses in the area offer basic lodging close to the temple grounds. It is recommended to book in advance, especially during peak seasons.
Cultural Sensitivity
As Meidaizhao is an active religious site, visitors should show respect by dressing modestly and refraining from loud conversations within the temple complex. Photography may be restricted in certain areas, especially inside prayer halls. Always ask for permission before taking photos of monks or religious ceremonies.
Local Cuisine
Inner Mongolian cuisine is known for its hearty, meat-heavy dishes. Near Meidaizhao, you can find local eateries serving traditional Mongolian food such as mutton, dairy products (such as milk tea and cheese), and a variety of grilled meats. For a unique experience, try the local "suutei tsai" (Mongolian milk tea) or "huoguo" (Mongolian hotpot).
Travel Tip: If you visit during a local festival, such as the Naadam Festival, you’ll have the opportunity to witness traditional Mongolian sports like wrestling and horse racing. These cultural events add an extra dimension to your visit.
Suggested Itinerary for Exploring Meidaizhao Temple
Day 1: Arrive in Baotou and explore the city’s museums or enjoy a local Mongolian meal. In the afternoon, travel to Meidaizhao and take a walk around the temple's exterior, exploring the fortress walls and nearby grasslands.
Day 2: Spend the morning exploring the temple complex. Visit the Main Prayer Hall to observe religious ceremonies, explore the White Pagoda, and admire the murals. Enjoy a traditional lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Baotou.
Day 3: If time allows, visit nearby attractions such as the Dazhao Temple in Hohhot or take a tour of the Inner Mongolian grasslands for a more in-depth exploration of the region’s natural beauty and nomadic culture.
FanJingShan is the highest peak of the WuLing Mountains in southwestern China, at an elevation of 2,570 meters (8,430 feet). The FanJingShan National Nature Reserve was established in 1978 and designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1986. FanJingShan is a sacred mountain in Chinese Buddhism. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018.
The first Buddhist temple in China was constructed here in SiChuan province in the 1st century A.D. The addition of other temples has turned Éméi Shān into one of Buddhism's holiest sites and is one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains of China.
All in all, there are now seventy six Buddhist temples and monasteries, most of them located near the mountain top.
The first two films focus on the most well-known - the Golden Summit and the 48 meters tall statue of Samantabhadra, known in Mandarin as PǔXián PúSà 普賢菩薩.
LuoYang is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China.
The White Horse Temple, BáiMǎSì 白马寺, was founded in 68 AD with the main building seen today dating from the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1644 - 1912) dynasties.
The temple is a 30 minute bus (No. 56) ride from LuoYang railway station.
Emei Shan (Emei Mountain, 3,099 m / 10,167 ft) is one of the four Chinese Buddhist sacred mountains.
Emei Shan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (together with the nearby LeShan Giant Buddha) as "an area of exceptional cultural significance as it is the place where Buddhism first became established on Chinese territory ... The first Buddhist temple in China was built on the summit of Mount Emei in the 1st century CE ... Mount Emei is also notable for its exceptionally diverse vegetation, ranging from subtropical to sub-alpine pine forests. Some of the trees there are more than 1,000 years old."
Included in this beautiful film : the summit of Mount Emei, WanNian Si Temple, QingYin Ge and BaoGuo Si Temple.
JǐuHuá Shān, 'Nine Glorious Mountains', is one of the four sacred mountains of Chinese Buddhism. Located in AnHui province, it is famous for its rich landscape and ancient temples.
A beautiful film ...
Picturesque DaLi is located in YunNan province, south China, about 300 kilometers (185 miles) northwest of the provincial capital, KunMing.
DaLi is surrounded by the CangShan mountains to the east, west and south, with ErHai Lake to the north. In this part of YunNan one can find 25 ethnic minorities (primarily the Bai people), which has created a unique cultural heritage bringing a charm to everyday life and a wide range of festivities.
Famous attractions include the Butterfly Spring and the Three Pagodas of ChongSheng Temple. DaLi is also known for its highly prized marble, known as DaLi Stone.
The old town is quite separate from the new city (called XiaGuan) and many buildings here, including the city walls and moat, date from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).
DaLi is a 20 minute flight from KunMing (75 minutes from ChengDu and ChongQing). There are also flights to ShangHai, BeiJing, ShenZhen, GuangZhou and GuiYuan. By rail, DaLi is connected to KunMing and LiJiang.
风景如画的大理位于云南省南部中国，约300公里的省会，昆明西北（185哩）。 大理是由苍山群山环绕，东，西，南，与洱海北部。在这部分云南人能找到25个少数民族（主要是白族人），这创造了一个独特的文化底蕴带来的魅力，日常生活和各种庆祝活动。
著名景点包括蝴蝶泉和崇圣寺三塔。大理也以其如获至宝大理石，被称为大理石。 老城区，距离新城区（称为下关）和许多建筑在这里，包括城墙和护城河，日期从明朝（1368-1644）完全分离。 大理距离昆明有20分钟的飞行（从成都和重庆75分钟）。也有航班到上海，北京，深圳，广州和桂圆。通过铁路，大理连接昆明和丽江。
Beginning with the Potala Palace in Lhasa, which lies at an altitude of 3,700 meters / 12,000 feet. Construction began in 1645.
The second video shows Jokhang Temple, said to be the most sacred; it dates from the 7th century.
Dragon Spring Temple (龙泉寺路), near FengHuangLing Nature Park.
How to get there: subway line 4 to BeiGongMen (North Gate of the Summer Palace), then bus 346 to FengHuangLing (Phoenix Ridge Park, the final stop), a bus ride of about 12-14km.
DaZhaoSì, also called the Jokhang Temple or Tsuklakang, is located by Barkhor Square in Lhasa. For most Tibetans it is the most sacred and important temple in Tibet. It is in some regards pan-sectarian, but is primarily of the Gelug school of Buddhism. The temple's architectural style is a mixture of Indian vihara, Chinese Tang dynasty and Nepalese design.
DaZhaoSì was founded during the reign of king Songsten Gampo. According to tradition, the temple was built for the two brides of the king, Princess Wencheng of the Chinese Tang Dynasty and Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal. Both wives are said to have brought important Buddhist statues and images from China and Nepal to Tibet as part of their dowries, and they were housed here. Many Nepalese artists worked to construct this temple.
During the Bon period of Tibet the temple was (and sometimes still is), called the 'Tsuklakang' (Tsulag Khang) — 'House of Religious Science' or 'House of Wisdom.' The term tsuklak refers to the 'sciences' such as geomancy, astrology, and divination which formed part of the pre-Buddhist shamanistic religion now referred to as Bon. It is more commonly known today as the Jokhang, which means the 'House of the Buddha'.
Along with the Potala Palace, it is probably the most popular tourist attraction in Lhasa. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace," and a spiritual centre of Lhasa. (Wikipedia)
The Putuo ZongCheng Temple in ChengDe, HeBei province, is a Qing dynasty Buddhist temple.
The complex was constructed between 1767 and 1771 during the reign of emperor QianLong (1735–1796). It is located just north of the ChengDe Mountain Resort. Along with the equally famed Puning Temple, it is one of the Eight Outer Temples of ChengDe (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
The temple was modeled after the Potala Palace in Tibet. The temple complex covers a surface area of some 220,000 square meters, making it one of the largest in China.
The Mountain Resort in ChengDe 避暑山庄 (BìShǔ ShānZhuāng literally means "Mountain Villa for Avoiding the Heat") was an imperial get-away. Built between 1703 and 1792 during the Qing dynasty, the vast Mountain Resort covers a total area of 5.6 square kilometers (2.2 square miles) and is surrounded by a mini 'Great Wall', which one can walk. It contains a variety of gardens, pagodas, temples and palaces representing the styles from various regions of China.
A beautiful mix of video and stills ...
Places featured include: ShangHai PuDong Airport, Magnetic Levitation Train - Maglev, the Bund, Bund sightseeing tunnel panorama, PuDong Financial District, Oriental Pearl Tower, WFC World Financial Center Tower, JinMao Tower, NanJing Road by night, World Financial Center Tower Observatory, night view of skyscrapers, Sky Arena 94th floor, People's Square, Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, Shanghai Museum, Jade Buddha Temple, LongHua Pagoda, YuYuan Market, Yu garden, Tea House, HongQiao railway station, bullet train.
With CCTV's Travelogue.
PǔTuóShān is one of many mountain islands south east of ShangHai, and one of the four sacred mountains in Chinese Buddhism. It can be reached by boat from NingBo or ShangHai, or by plane from BeiJing and ShangHai.
There are sandy beaches at the shoreline and about 30 temples on the mountain, plus a 30 meter tall statue of GuanYin, the Goddess of Mercy.
The Temple of Confucius in Beijing (KongMiao) was where people could pay homage to Confucius during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) - and still today.
The Temple of Confucius in Beijing was initially built in 1302 and additions were made during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It covers a total area of 22,000 square meters (5.4 acres). It is the second largest temple constructed for Confucius, ranking second only to the Temple of Confucius in QuFu, ShanDong Province, the hometown of Confucius.
Today, the temple is a haven of tranquility with ancient cypress and juniper trees (one of the cypress trees is over 700 years old), halls, pavilions and stone steles. Take note of the green-tiled burner for silk and paper prayer offerings. The temple is connected with the Imperial College next door.
Confucius was one of the greatest philosophers in ancient China, initially influenced by the philosophy of Lao Tzu, who advised a stable civil society based on self virtue and respect. The teachings of Confucius played a key role in imperial times and still play a part in Chinese culture today.
Confucius was deeply concerned with how to cultivate good character, and then on the interaction of people in society. He felt it was important to lead by example and this influenced his interest in education, for which ethical development was the main goal.
The influence of Taoism can be seen in Confucius' book 'Genuine Living', where he says, "Developing in accordance with one's own nature is called 'the way of self-realization'".
Referring to his own way of learning, Confucius said "To hear much, select what is good and follow it" and "Study without thought is labor lost; thought without study is dangerous".
Inside the temple one can see 198 stone tablets positioned on each side of the first courtyard, containing 51,624 names of scholars who had reached the rank of JinShi during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. A JinShi is a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations.
There are also 14 stone stele pavilions of the Ming and Qing dynasties that detail precious historical information from ancient China.
In the adjoining Imperial College are 189 steles on which are chiseled the 'Thirteen Classics'. This great work was achieved by just one man, Jiang Heng, a senior scholar at the time of emperor KangXi. It took him 12 years to complete cutting the 630,000 characters.
The nearest subway station is YongHeGong (lines 2 and 5). From the YongHeGong Lama Temple entrance (south from YongHeGong subway station), cross the street and go straight ahead (westwards) through the colourful gateway, along the tree lined lane for a few hundred meters; the Confucius Temple will be on your right.
YongHe Lama Temple dates from 1722 (Qing dynasty).
Emperor QianLong conferred it with imperial status and its roof tiles were changed to those with the imperial golden yellow color. The monastery became home to many Tibetan monks and eventually it was declared the National Center of Lama Administration.
It is open to the public in the afternoons. The nearest subway station is YongHeGong (lines 2 and 5).
Among the many fascinating features is the impressive 26 metre tall statue of the Maitreya Buddha that was carved from a single trunk of White Sandalwood.
In SiChuan province.
The Giant Buddha, which is around 70 meters in height, was carved from the cliff face during the Tang dynasty (618 - 907). It took 90 years to complete.
At 3,100 meters (10,170 feet), the nearby Mount EMei is the highest of the four sacred Buddhist mountains in China and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Set in the mountains an hour west of BeiJing, TanZhe Si is a wonderfully peaceful place.
There is a saying - 'First there was TanZhe Si, then there was Beijing'.
The Jade Buddha Temple was founded in 1882 with two jade Buddha statues imported to Shanghai by sea from Burma.
These two Buddhas were a sitting Buddha (1.95 meters tall), and a smaller reclining Buddha, representing Buddha's death. The temple now also contains a much larger reclining Buddha made of marble, that was donated from Singapore.
An informative film, made in early March 2010; there is still snow on the ground.
To see these temples at their best, visit between April and September when the mountains are green and the ancient trees give welcome shade from the heat. Fruit tree blossoms are abundant here in spring. One can take a local 'taxi' from one to the other along lovely winding roads through the hills.
Those featured in this film :
1) FaYuan Temple in south Beijing.
2) CiShou Pagoda in north west Beijing (the only surviving part of the original temple; the grounds are now a park).
3) JieTai Temple (JieTai Si) west from Beijing, situated in beautiful mountains.
The world's most dangerous hike?? Don't look down!
Don't panic - that route is an optional hike ;)
The next video is about the place as a whole, including the cable car and Taoist temple :
The National Park here is about a one hour drive from Xi'An.
