Xilituzhao
Temple
 Xilituzhao
Temple (Xilituzhao si, or Xiaozhao si),
containing the residence of the 11th Grand
Living Buddha, is the largest temple in
town. Originally a small Buddhist construction,
it took the temple hundreds of years to
expand to its current size. The prayer hall,
the largest one in the complex, is in magnificent
Tibetan style, with color-glazed tiles on
its four inner sides.
The temple is similar to the
Dazhao Temple in terms of architecture and
shape, originally built in the Ming Dynasty
(1468-1644 AD) as well. It was, however,
razed to the ground by fire and then rebuilt
in the nineteenth century, then partially
destroyed in the Cultural Revolution (1966-76
AD), before again being restored. The new
restoration is a work of art, with much
of the temple structures left with attractive
bare wood or painted in quiet reds and greens,
that differentiates it from the other temple
and many temples of its type around China.
Xilituzhao remains active, and
has, since 1735, always acted as the official
residence of the Living Buddha, who reins
over Buddhist religious affairs in the city.
On entering nowadays you may come across
Tibetan monks and followers in prayer, you
may get the chance to see one of the temple
festivals, where traditional instruments
are played, or you may get the chance to
head underneath the temple, where caverns
contain graphic depictions of the tortures
that will be metered out for those who are
sinners in this life, a sort of Tibetan
Buddhist version of hell. It is sometimes
possible to find a monk who can speak English
and can take you around.
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