The 108 Dagobas — Yibailing Ta in Chinese — occupy a terraced hillside above the Yellow River gorge a few kilometres south of Qingtongxia, arranged in a vast triangular formation that covers the slope in concentric rows. The stupas vary in form: the lower ranks are broad and vase-shaped, those in the middle rows are more pyramidal, and the upper ranks are smaller and more elongated. Each is whitewashed and rises between two and four metres tall. From a distance, especially in low raking light, the effect is extraordinary — less like a religious site than a piece of large-scale earthwork art.
The origin of the site is debated among historians. The structures are generally attributed to the Yuan dynasty, though local tradition links them to the earlier Western Xia kingdom that controlled this region before the Mongol conquest. The existing white plaster renders date from later repairs and restorations. What is not disputed is that the site served as a place of Buddhist pilgrimage for centuries, its position above the river giving it both spiritual elevation and dramatic natural framing.
The best time to visit is late afternoon, when the westerly light catches the white stupas against the tawny hillside and the Yellow River reflects the sky below. Mornings are also good; midday in summer is harsh. A small museum at the entrance gives context on Western Xia civilisation. Allow two hours for the site and the museum combined.