Miaoying Temple（妙应寺）

Get off at Fuchengmen Station and walk eastward along Fuchengmenwai Street. Soon, the towering white stupa of the Miaoying Temple will come into sight. All along, this white stupa stands as a tribute to the capital of the Yuan dynasty. Built during the first year to the eighth year (1271) of the Yuan dynasty, Miaoying Temple enjoys a history of 700 odd years and honors itself as one of Major Sites Protected for their Historical and Cultural Value at the National Level. The temple's white stupa is a prime example of Yuan-era temple stupa construction. Fitting to the typical architectural style, its Temple Gate, Bell Tower and Drum Tower, Hall of Heavenly Kings, Buddhas of Three Ages, Buddhas of Seven Ages and Tower Courtyard clearly spread along a south-north central axis. Notably, the Tower Courtyard is designed with four corner-pavilions. Inside rises a white stupa that shares the same long history as the temple. With a length of 51m, it is a Lama stupa and consists of tower base, tower body, metal surface, tower canopy and tower spire.The diameter of its Lama-style tower body is 18.4m long, making this stupa China's existing oldest and largest one.