Exploring the Five Pagoda Temple in Inner Mongolia: A Treasure of Tibetan Buddhism in an Ancient Temple

✅Overall Structure: The Five Pagoda Temple consists of three parts: the base, the Vajra seat, and the top of the pagoda. The top of the pagoda is made up of five square stupa towers, with the central stupa tower having seven eaves and the four corner stupa towers having five eaves. ✅Vajra Seat: The Vajra seat is a waist-constricted Sumeru seat, with carvings of lions, elephants, Garuda birds, and vajras on its waist. Above the waist are seven layers of short eaves. The south side of the Vajra seat features an archway, with a plaque above the door inscribed with "Vajra Seat Stupa" in Mongolian, Chinese, and Tibetan. Flanking the door are the Four Heavenly Kings. ✅Pagoda Body Decoration: The body of the pagoda is built with glazed bricks. The lower layer is inscribed with the Diamond Sutra in three languages, while the upper layer features thousands of gilded small Buddha statues, exquisitely crafted and elegant. The entire body is adorned with Buddhist-themed carvings, including 1,560 relief Buddha statues, exuding a strong religious atmosphere. ✅Precious Artifacts: The most valuable artifact in the Five Pagoda Temple is the Mongolian astronomical chart stone carving near the north wall. This astronomical chart has a diameter of 144.5 cm, with the celestial sphere centered on the North Celestial Pole, depicting the ecliptic positions of the 28 constellations and five concentric circles representing the North Polar Circle, Summer Solstice Circle, Celestial Equator, Winter Solstice Circle, and South Polar Circle. It is the only known astronomical chart annotated in Mongolian, holding significant scientific value. 📍Location: No. 48, Wuta Temple Back Street, Yuquan District, Hohhot. 🕑Opening Hours: Year-round, Tuesday-Sunday 09:00-17:00; Closed all day on Mondays. 🎫Tickets: Free 🚌Transportation: Take bus No. 27 (Ruyi Community East Gate - Tianjiaying Bus Terminal) and get off at Mengxi Cultural Square, then walk about 420 meters to reach the temple. Alternatively, take the Dangdang Bus Line (City Hall - Inner Mongolia University Entrepreneurship College) and get off at Dazhao Xilituzhao, then walk about 970 meters to reach the temple.