La Seng Temple (Manbala Seng Temple) is located in Hainan District, Wuhai City. It is a national AAA-level scenic spot and provincial cultural relic, adjacent to Tuhaishan Tourist Area. Manbala Seng Temple is a Tibetan language, meaning "Medical Prescription and Sutra Institute". It is a hall dedicated to the study of Tibetan and Mongolian medicine and religion. In its heyday, there were more than 600 monks and lamas living in the temple. It was the earliest religious medical holy place in western Inner Mongolia at that time.
It was first built in the 21st year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1682) and destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. It was rebuilt in 2007.
According to legend, when Emperor Kangxi went west for a private visit, he stayed in La Seng Temple for several days. The architectural style of La Seng Temple not only integrates the artistic styles of Tibetan, Mongolian and Han nationalities, but also reflects the taste of local culture and art, making visitors feel like they are in heaven. There are several dragon columns in the main hall of the temple to support the beams, and the giant columns are painted with dragons flying in the mist. There are five statues of gods on the front of the main hall, and Sakyamuni sits in the middle. In front of the statue, there is an offering table and an incense burner, with smoke lingering and the Buddha lamp always on. The two walls of the lobby are painted with many scenes from Buddhist stories, which are colorful and lifelike. Especially the paintings and murals of Sakyamuni preaching to his disciples and the gods around him listening quietly, the images are lifelike and amazing.
Strategy:
Seasonal cost: June-early October. Free.
Transportation and accommodation: More than 30 kilometers away from the center of Wuhai City, with excellent roads. The desolate area around the scenic spot is basically driven by car.
Scenery: The whole tour takes about 40 minutes. The temple is located halfway up Tuhai Mountain. The parking lot is next to the gate of the scenic spot and can be walked in. The mountains in the north are more majestic and vicissitudes, with no vegetation, no water, and strong winds. You can bring some thick clothes. Many buildings basically reflect the original style, but even after the National Day, the halls are basically closed, perhaps because of the epidemic. Only the side door of the main hall is open. Unlike the temples in the Central Plains and the South, the five- or six-story-high Buddha statue in the main hall is basically the same height as the building, but there is no lobby, so you can only look up at your feet. There are stairs around, but no access is allowed.
Equipment: hiking shoes, jacket.