Photos of Ih Juu Temple

Ih Juu Temple in downtown Hohhot was built in the 8th year of the Ming Emperor Wanli (1580) by Altan Khan, the leader of the Mongolian Tümed. The temple belongs to the Gelug (or Yellow) School of Tibetan Buddhism. Priceless cultural relics not to be missed on a visit to Ih Juu Temple include a silver statue of the Buddha Sakyamuni, the dragon columns and the colorful wall murals. The pure silver statue of the Buddha Sakyamuni in the temple’s main hall weighs 1,500kg. Immediately in front of the Buddha Sakyamuni are two golden dragons entwined around the columns, aptly named the Dragon Columns. Because the murals were painted with mineral-based colors, the colors remain bright and vibrant even today. The murals’ content is mostly classical stories from Buddhist scripture.