Five一Pagoda Temple and Other Temples in Hohhot
Natural Features
Five-Pagoda Temple
Five-Pagoda Temple(Wuta Si),which is also called Jingangzuo Sheti Baota,is located in Hohhot City. As there are five small dagobas on the pedestal of the pagoda,it is named Wuta Si. Wuta was originally a building of the temple construtted during 1727一17.32. Now the temple has disappeared,but the pagoda has remained.
The construction of the temple began in the 5th year of the reign of the Emper or Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty. The Pagoda is 16. 5 meters high and looks like a Buddha's Warrior Attendant's seat,with a base under it and five exquisite pagodas on the base. As more than 1 560 relief sculptures of Buddha are engraved on the five pagodas,the temple enjoys the reputation of being“a 10 000一Buddha Tower".In addition,there are images of Bodhisattva,the four Devarajas ,Buddhist Saint,Heavenly Ladies,holy birds and animal,bodhi trees and the engraved scriptures in Mongolian,Tibetan and Sanskrit on the wall of the pagodas. On the wall facing the temple there are 3 marble relief sculptures,including a planisphere marked with Mongolian inscriptions. The pagodas are not only peculiar buildings, but also a huge exquisite carving.
On the northern wall of the pagoda,three sculptures are inlaid. The Mongolian Astronomical Map is the only one labeled in Mongolian so far in the world and it is of great importance to scientific research.