Hohhot Dazhao Wuliang Temple

Dazhao, also known as "Wuliang Temple" in Chinese, is called "Yikezhao" in Mongolian, meaning "Great Temple". It is located on the west side of Danan Street, Yuquan District, Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Dazhao was called "Hongci Temple" in the Ming Dynasty, and has been known by many names throughout history, including "Silver Buddha Temple", "Dacheng Falun Temple", "Ganzhur Temple", and "Emperor Temple". Dazhao is a large Tibetan Buddhist temple, the earliest Yellow Sect temple built in Hohhot, and one of the large temples built by Mongolians in the early period of their conversion to the Yellow Sect, second only to Meidaizhao in the Mongolian region. It belongs to the Gelug Sect (Yellow Sect). It covers an area of about 30,000 square meters, with a building area of more than 8,000 square meters. The temple faces south, and its overall layout is in the form of a seven-hall monastery, consisting of three courtyards: the main courtyard, the east warehouse, and the west warehouse. Each of the east and west warehouses has a warehouse door, and the north end is connected to form a corridor around the temple. The main axis consists of the mountain gate, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Bodhi Hall, the Mahavira Hall, and the Nine-room Building. Dazhao has a rich collection of cultural relics, including the "Three Wonders of Dazhao" (the Silver Buddha, dragon carvings, and murals), various colored sculptures and gilt bronze statues in the Buddha Hall, the giant thangka displayed during the Buddha Exhibition Festival, 108 volumes of the Ganzhur Sutra, and various ritual instruments and masks used in religious activities, all of which are precious historical and artistic treasures.