Qingchu Four Stupas

CHINA, Liaoning, Shenyang

They are also known as the Shenyang Four Stupas and are located at the four cardinal points in Shenyang. Built on the orders of Emperor Taizong (reigned 1626–1643) of the Qing dynasty, their construction was started in 1643 and completed in 1645. Along with the stupas, four Tibetan Buddhist temples were also constructed and they are known collectively as the Four Stupas and Four Temples. The north stupa was listed as a Provincial Cultural Heritage Site in 1962.
The four Tibetan stupas are identical in style, being constructed in brick and 26 m in height. They consist of three parts: the base platform, the stupa body, and the spire. The base platform is 16 m long with multiple corners and is shaped like a Sumeru throne. It is decorated with intricate carvings of lions, floral and cloud patterns, and flaming jewels. On top of the base there is the inverted-bowl shaped body with a niche on the south side. Inside the niche there is a wooden board engraved with mantras in Sanskrit. The spire consists of 13 stacked rings, a bronze canopy, and the jeweled finial representing the sun, moon, and fire. Wind chimes can be found hanging under the canopy.
In 1968, when the west stupa was being dismantled, a number of relics were discovered in the underground palace, including a gilt bronze statue of Yamantaka. The north, east and south stupas were repaired during the 1980s and the west stupa was rebuilt at the end of the 1990s.