Lingyue Temple

CHINA, Inner Mongolia, Chifeng

Lingyue Temple is located in Harqin Banner, Chifeng, and was built during the early Qing dynasty (1644–1911). It is the only surviving Buddhist temple built and renovated by a Mongolian duke. It was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 2006.
The temple occupies an area of 6,100 sq m. Along the central axis there are the main temple gate, Heavenly King Hall, Prayer Wheel Hall, Great Hero Hall, assembly hall, and sutra repository. At the sides there are the bell and drum towers and subsidiary halls. The roofs of the buildings are in various styles: the main temple gate has a hip roof, the Heavenly King Hall has a flush gable roof, and the Prayer Wheel Hall has a conical roof, while the assembly hall has a double-eave hip-and-gable roof. The temple is a fusion of styles: the architecture is in traditional Chinese style, while the interiors have decorations, sculptures, and murals in Chinese, Tibetan, and Mongolian styles.