Dazhao Temple

Dazhao Temple (大召寺), built in 1579 by the Tumut Mongolian ruler Altan Khan, is the oldest Buddhist lamasery in Hohhot and the spiritual heart of its Mongolian community. The temple follows the Tibetan Gelug school and is still actively used for worship — the main hall is thick with incense and the sound of monks chanting in Tibetan is a constant presence during morning and evening prayer hours. The complex is large, covering several courtyards, subsidiary halls, and a large thangka collection. The gilded statues in the main sanctuary are outstanding examples of Qing-period Buddhist metalwork.

The approach to Dazhao through the surrounding market streets is part of the experience. The area around the temple is Hohhot's most characterful quarter, with Mongolian and Hui Muslim food vendors, jewellery shops, and dairy product stalls occupying a streetscape that retains more of its historical character than most Inner Mongolian city centres. Entry fee applies; the complex is busiest on weekends and during Buddhist festivals when additional rituals are performed.

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A story
Dazhao Temple houses a silver Buddha cast in 1602 by the Tumut Mongolian ruler Altan Khan, who founded the temple as part of his project to establish Tibetan Buddhism as the official religion of the Mongol tribes. The Khan invited the Third Dalai Lama to visit in 1577 — the meeting at which the title "Dalai Lama" was first formally used. The silver statue survived the Cultural Revolution because local families reportedly hid it behind a false wall; it was restored to its place in the temple in the 1980s.

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