The Xilitu Zhao (when written in Chinese-character Buddhist syllabary 席力圖召), also known as Shiretu Juu or by formal Chinese name Yanshou Temple (延壽寺) is an ancient Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Gelugpa sect in

Hohhot Hohhot,; abbreviated zh, c=呼市, p=Hūshì, labels=no formerly known as Kweisui, is the capital of Inner Mongolia in the north of the People's Republic of China, serving as the region's administrative, economic and cultural center.''The Ne ...

, the capital of Inner Mongolia,

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

. The original temple was built in 1585, but was later destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the 19th century. It is located East of Dana Street in the

Yuquan District Yuquan District (Mongolian language, Mongolian: Юйчюань тойрог ''Iui čiuvan toɣoriɣ''; ) is one of four District (China), districts of the prefecture-level city of Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, Inner Mongolia Autonomous ...

, just across the road from the Da Zhao Temple. The monastery which covers an area of 13,160 square meters is a distinct blend of

Han Han may refer to: Ethnic groups * Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group. ** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...

and Tibetan architecture, reflecting its intercultural influences. This temple has acted as the official residence of a Living Buddha, the English translation of the Chinese term for an incarnate lama, since 1735 and remains so this day, housing the 11th Grand Living Buddha. The complex suffered damage during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) but has since been completely restored. While open to the public, the temple remains an active place of worship for Mongol monks and their disciples.

References

{{Inner Mongolia topics 1585 establishments in Asia Religious organizations established in the 1580s Tibetan Buddhist temples in Inner Mongolia Gelug monasteries Buddhist temples in Hohhot Hohhot 16th-century establishments in China