The temple is also known as the Lesser Potala Palace. Built within more than 4 years from 1767 to 1771, the temple is located north of the Mountain Resort. Putuozongsheng is modeled on the Potala Palace in Tibet, hence, it is nicknamed as "Lesser Potala Palace". The entire temple covers 220,000 square meters, It was built by Qing emperor Qianlong to celebrate his 60th birth date, and his mother's 80th birth date and to host the upper strata personages of the minority peoples from Mongolia, Qinghai, and Xinjiang who came to join in his birthday celebrations.

The temple has a special artistic value. A crystallization of the style and characteristics of ancient Tibetan architecture, the temple is made up of 50 Buddhist halls, scripture-reciting halls, monks' living quarters, red terraces, white terraces topped with one or five pagodas and glazed ceremonial arches which rise and fall with the mountain slopes in a variable rectangular disposition. The red terrace is 42.5 meters high and 59.7 meters in width. It is the main structure within the temple. 

Chengde Photo Gallery