Must-visit in Hohhot - Vajra Throne Stupa

The Five Pagoda Temple was originally an important building within the Lama Temple Cideng Temple, built in the fifth year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1727 AD). After the decline and collapse of Cideng Temple, only the Five Pagodas remained standing independently. Because the Five Pagodas stand tall and can be seen from afar, people believed that a temple still existed beneath the pagodas. For centuries, the Five Pagodas have been holding up the facade of the temple. The original name of the Five Pagodas was Vajra Throne Stupa, named for the five square-shaped stupas on the throne. The body of the stupa and the Vajra Throne are adorned with exquisite stone carvings. On the back wall of the stupa, there are three carved panels: the 'Map of Mount Sumeru', the 'Six Paths of Reincarnation', and the Mongolian 'Astronomical Map'. The 'Mongolian Astronomical Map Stone Carving' is particularly valuable and serves as important material for the study of the history of astronomy. The Five Pagoda Temple is somewhat similar to the Five Pagoda Temple in Beijing's Zhenjue Temple, giving a sense of familiarity and intimacy.