As 2024 draws near, the Miaoying Temple, also known as the White Stupa Temple in Beijing, has become a focal point for visitors seeking spiritual solace and blessings. Adhering to traditional practices, people can be seen circumambulating the pagoda clockwise, a ritual believed to bring blessings from the Buddha. This ritual, particularly performing it an odd number of times, is a draw for many seeking peace and health.
A visitor from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, on a Beijing tour, shared her admiration for the temple’s unique architecture, divergent from typical Chinese Buddhist designs. She discovered at a recent exhibition that the temple’s tower was designed by a Nepalese artist during the Yuan Dynasty, a testament to the long-standing cultural exchange between China and Nepal.
In a bid to further share the history of the Miaoying Temple and the rich cultural interactions between China and Nepal, the “Sino-Nepal Friendship Across the Himalayas, A Better Understanding Through Bilateral Cultural Communications” exhibition was recently inaugurated at the temple. This exhibition combines textual narratives, visual imagery, and artifacts to showcase Nepal’s cultural charm and the 1600-year history of Sino-Nepalese cultural exchanges.
A highlight of the exhibition is the segment dedicated to the Nepalese artisan Arniko, featuring an engaging comic strip format that chronicles his life and artistic accomplishments. Arniko, renowned for his skills in architecture, sculpture, and painting, has left an indelible mark on history, with the Miaoying Temple standing as a prominent symbol of his legacy.
Gu Ying, the deputy director of the management department of the Miaoying Temple, notes the annual visits by Nepalese visitors and officials, who express pride in the temple and admiration for Arniko’s work. She remarks on their amazement at the temple’s excellent upkeep over the years.
Through this exhibition, Gu Ying hopes to educate more visitors about the historical Sino-Nepalese cultural exchanges and Arniko’s significant contributions. She also underscores the positive impact of ongoing cultural interactions between China and Nepal. With China’s evolving cultural heritage conservation efforts, international collaborations in preserving cultural relics have become crucial, as exemplified by the restoration of the earthquake-damaged Nuwakot palace in Nepal.
The Miaoying Temple, a former monastery of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism, now serves as a museum open to the public. The temple’s white pagoda, built in 1279 during the Yuan Dynasty, holds the distinction of being the oldest and largest Tibetan Buddhist pagoda in China. This site is not just a place of worship; it is a cultural bridge that connects past and present, China and Nepal, through its rich history and architectural splendor.
READ MORE: