The White Pagoda of Yong’an Temple, also known as the Beihai White Pagoda, is a Tibetan-style stupa located in Beihai Park, Beijing. It was built in 1651 during the eighth year of Emperor Shunzhi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty. As a landmark of Beihai Park, the pagoda stands atop the hill behind the Shan Yin Hall of Yong’an Temple.
The pagoda consists of three parts: the base, the body, and the top, reaching a height of 35.9 meters. It is supported by a white stone Sumeru pedestal and has an inverted-bowl shape with a maximum diameter of 14 meters. On its front, a niche-style door is carved with Tibetan mantras. Above the main body, a slender structure known as the “thirteen heavens” and a gilded bronze canopy add to its elegance. At the top, a golden flaming jewel finial symbolizes Buddhist enlightenment. The pagoda also features 306 ventilation holes, and within it stands a 9-meter-tall central pillar, holding a golden reliquary containing sacred relics. The underground chamber beneath the pagoda houses Buddhist scriptures, statues, ritual objects, and offerings.
The top of the pagoda is adorned with two-tiered gilded bronze canopies. The lower canopy, known as the “earth plate,” weighs over 2,000 kilograms and is secured to the pagoda with four iron rings. Sixteen bronze wind bells, each weighing about 8 kilograms, hang below it, engraved with Tibetan inscriptions. The upper canopy, or “heaven plate,” has a diameter of approximately 3 meters and weighs about 1,500 kilograms. It is decorated with auspicious Buddhist symbols, such as the wheel, conch, parasol, canopy, lotus, vase, fish, and knot, which signify good fortune. The gilded finial above the canopy features a sun and moon motif, symbolizing the eternal radiance of Buddhist teachings.
Since its completion, the White Pagoda has stood as a symbol of Beihai Park and a masterpiece of royal Buddhist architecture in China. It also represents the introduction of Tibetan Buddhism into the imperial capital and marks the fusion of Han and Tibetan Buddhist traditions during the Qing Dynasty.
