The Little Potala Palace of Northeast China… Introduction to Ruiying Temple Scenic Area in Fuxin, Liaoning

The Ruiying Temple Scenic Area in Fuxin, Liaoning has many highlights, as detailed below:

- Rich Historical and Cultural Heritage: Founded in the eighth year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1669), in the 42nd year of Kangxi’s reign (1703), Emperor Kangxi personally bestowed the plaque inscribed with "Ruiying Temple" in Manchu, Mongolian, Tibetan, and Han scripts, and honored the first living Buddha Sandan Sangbu as the "Great Qing Eastern Mongolian Old Buddha." By the Daoguang period, the temple reached its peak, covering 18 square kilometers, with 97 temples, over 3,000 rooms, and more than 3,000 monks. It was the only temple in Northeast China to implement a "theocratic" system, and is considered one of the three major monasteries outside Tibet alongside Ta'er Monastery in Qinghai and Labrang Monastery in Gansu.

- Unique Architectural Style: Built in the style of the Potala Palace in Tibet with certain variations, it fully reflects the architectural style of Tibetan Buddhism temples that integrate Manchu, Mongolian, Tibetan, and Han cultures. Outside the Mahavira Hall are the Four Great Zha Cang and Dedan Que Ling. Temples around the main hall are built on mountain tops or slopes to the east, west, south, and north, forming a symmetrical layout both inside and out. Outside the hall is a 6-kilometer-long circular temple road, lined with tens of thousands of stone Buddhas, earning it the nickname "Ten Thousand Buddhas on the Circular Temple Road."

- Strong Religious Atmosphere: Ruiying Temple belongs to the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and is a famous pilgrimage site in the eastern Mongolian region, known as the "Little Potala Palace." The main hall, Mahavira Hall, is a two-story building, square in shape, covering 81 square zhang, supported by 64 large round columns with beams. On the roof of the second floor stands a gilded copper Dharma wheel, flanked by a pair of golden deer facing each other. Copper bells hang from the four corners, and golden dragons on the ridges appear ready to take flight.

- Rich Religious Culture: The Four Great Zha Cang of Ruiying Temple have cultivated many talents in Mongolian medicine, philosophy, astronomy, and calendar studies. Among them, Mamba Zha Cang is the birthplace of Mongolian medicine. Additionally, Dansen Nima, the founder of the Mongolian national intangible cultural heritage Horqin storytelling, was a lama of Ruiying Temple. Enketegus, the author of the great Mongolian literary work "The Five Biographies of Xing Tang," was a high monk at Ruiying Temple. Traditional art forms such as Chama dance and scripture box music in religious ceremonies are also important cultural heritages of the Fuxin area.

- Beautiful Natural Scenery: Ruiying Temple is surrounded by mountains on three sides and lies in a ten-li valley. The magnificent and grand Tibetan Buddhist architectural complex harmonizes naturally with the temple reservoir and surrounding landscape. Visitors can enjoy both the temple architecture and the charm of the natural scenery.

Post by L1ghtning_3ch0 | Oct 16, 2025