Gautama Temple, also named Qutan Temple,  is around 21 kilometer from south of Ledu County, and about 80 kilometers from Xining downtown. As one of top things to do in Haidong Prefecture, it is famous for magnificent buildings, fine fresco and valuable cultural relics. Its architectural style is very similar to the Forbidden City in Beijing, so it enjoys the title of ‘Small Forbidden City’.

Originally built in 1392, at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), this attraction now is the only well-preserved architectural complex of that dynasty in northwestern China. It consists mainly of front, central and back courtyards, totally covering an area of 28,000 square meters. On the central axis stand the Temple Gate, Vajra Hall (Jingang Hall), Qutan Hall, Baoguang Hall and Longguo Hall. Other buildings are symmetrically laid out on both sides to achieve the effect of perfect unity, which is the traditional Chinese architectural style.

Ask Questions ?