Xilitu Lamasery

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Hohhot, China

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Inside the Lamasery Photo - Xilitu Lamasery, Hohhot, China

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Real Life Lamas

by TianjinPaul

Rotherham, United Kingdom

March 7, 2010

Best of IgoUgo As I unpacked in my hotel upon arriving in Hohhot, I was mortified to discover that I had committed the cardinal sin of leaving my camera at home. This meant that all my pictures on the trip would have to be taken on my 2million megapixel cellphone ...Read more As I unpacked in my hotel upon arriving in Hohhot, I was mortified to discover that I had committed the cardinal sin of leaving my camera at home. This meant that all my pictures on the trip would have to be taken on my 2million megapixel cellphone camera. Generally, my little Lenovo performed admirably and helped me capture Hohhot very well. However, the one place in which I genuinely wished I had something more powerful to help me snap images was at the Xilituzhao Lamasery, where we encountered some wonderful images and fantastic colours.

Xilituzhao is literally right across the street from the larger and busier Dazhou Temple. We arrived on a bitingly cold morning. The temperatures was close to 15 degrees below zero. So, as we passed through the gates, the first order of the day was to stop at one of the shrines where worshippers were burning incense. One reason for this was to be respectful to local culture, the other was to enjoy the heat generated by the plethora of burning candles.

As we breathed in the tangy fumes and warmed our numb fingers, I could not help but admire the main building within the lamasery. For a Buddhist structure, its lines were surprisingly blunt. There were far more horizontal and vertical lines than you would ordinarily expect. However, it was a blaze of differing colours and designs. The majority of the main building is covered in wonderful glazed tiles in fantastic shades of green, blue and turquoise. Even though the winter sun was providing precious little heat, it was producing a delicate yet powerful light that was dancing across the tiles to create some fantastic reflections

From the outside, the main building looked fantastic. However, it was far more interesting on the inside. Unlike most of the temples and other such buildings around China, Xilitu is actually a fully functioning lamasery, which means it is populated by scores of young lamas going through their religious schoolings. This meant that there was more than just the architecture for us to see. Inside the main building, it was possible to see the young students taking lessons going about their studies, which was truly fascinating. I also could not help but feel sorry for the poor boys as they were wearing the traditional robes in frighteningly cold temperatures. It seemed to show a commitment that would certainly have been beyond me.

The other main sight in Xilitu was a giant white Dagoba similar in style to the one that dominates Beihai Park in Beijing – only a little smaller. I found it to be a stunning sight. The main body of the Dagoba was a pristine white, but it was adorned with a fantastic array of Buddhist silks in a variety of bright colours.

Xilitu is situated in the centre of Hohhot, across the street from Dazhou temple. A visit to both is certainly worth an afternoon out. Tickets for Xilitu cost a reasonable 20rmb. Close

From journal Exploring the Milk Capital of Northern China

Xilitu Lamasery

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