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| Potaraka Doctrine Temple |
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The word Potaraka Doctrine is the Chinese Translation for Potala Palace
in Tibetan, the ritual ground for Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. And
this temple was built in great similarity to Potala Palace in Lhasa
Tibet in architectural style. That's the reason it is called the lesser
Potala.
Built between 1767 & 1771, it is the largest temple in the
outlying temples, covering an area of 220,0000. Minority heads from
Xinjiang, Qinghai, etc.gathered in the Mountain Resort for the grand
celebration on the 60th birthday of Emperor Qianlong & the 80th
birthday of the Dowager Empress. Emperor Qianlong decreed on the
construction of this temple after the model of Potala Palace, the
center of Buddhism in Tibet, to commemorate this event.
Upon the completion of the temple, Mr.Wurbasi, head of Turhut Tribe
who led his men to return from Russia's Volga Drainage to China,
came to Chengde to meet with Emperor Qianlong. In order to commemorate
their heroic feat of reuniting with the motherland, Emperor Qianlong
wrote the Record of the Return of Turhuts and the Record of Comforting
the Turhut Tribe which were inscribed on stele erected in this temple.
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