{"id":18713,"date":"2026-06-14T12:59:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-14T07:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=18713"},"modified":"2026-06-14T12:59:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T07:14:26","slug":"white-dagoba-cultural-week-honors-araniko-in-beijing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=18713","title":{"rendered":"White Dagoba Cultural Week Honors Araniko in Beijing<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"

Beijing. The White Dagoba Cultural Week has begun in Beijing, the capital of China. Organized on the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the historic White Dagoba built by Nepal\u2019s national luminary Araniko, the cultural week has been presented as an important symbol of Nepal\u2013China cultural relations.
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The cultural week, which began on June 13, will continue until June 19. Located in the heart of Beijing, the White Dagoba was built around 750 years ago by Araniko, the renowned Nepali architect, sculptor and artist. For this reason, the monument has long been regarded as a living symbol of the historical friendship, cultural exchange and artistic cooperation between Nepal and China.<\/p>\n

The event is jointly organized by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Heritage, the Capital Museum and the White Dagoba Management Committee. The China\u2013Nepal Cultural Exchange Center based in Beijing has been coordinating the program. The White Dagoba Cultural Week was first organized in 2022, and this year\u2019s event marks its fifth edition.
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According to the organizers, the main objective of this year\u2019s cultural week is to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the White Dagoba built by Araniko. The exhibition features images of some newly identified works associated with Araniko, nearly 1,000-year-old Buddhist statues in the Nepali style, art from the Yuan Dynasty, and Nepali-style sculptures from that period and earlier.<\/p>\n

As part of the cultural week, special discussion sessions are also being held on four themes: \u201cArt of the Yuan Dynasty,\u201d \u201cThe Yuan Capital and the Beijing Central Axis of the Ming and Qing Dynasties,\u201d \u201cAraniko and Western, or Nepali, Buddhist Sculptures,\u201d and \u201cNepali Durbar Square.\u201d A Nepali food festival and mehendi art program have also been added as special attractions this year.<\/p>\n

The cultural week, organized by Chinese government bodies in honor of Nepali artist Araniko, is expected to contribute to the promotion of Nepal\u2019s tourism and the international recognition of Nepali craftsmanship. For the past 750 years, the White Dagoba has stood as an important heritage monument keeping alive the historic friendship between Nepal and China.<\/p>\n

Patan Durbar Square and Beijing\u2019s White Dagoba are regarded as heritage sites belonging to the same historical period. Patan Durbar Square is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, while Beijing\u2019s White Dagoba is also seeking inclusion on the World Heritage List. Since Patan is the birthplace of Araniko, the two heritage sites are culturally and historically connected.<\/p>\n

According to the White Dagoba Management Committee, the cultural week has been organized on three foundations: the remembrance of Araniko, China\u2013Nepal friendship and heritage preservation.<\/p>\n

Born in Patan, Nepal, in 1244, Araniko went to Shigatse in Tibet in 1259, where he was involved in the construction of a golden stupa. Around 1262, he traveled to Shangdu, the capital of Kublai Khan. After Kublai Khan moved the capital to Dadu, present-day Beijing, in 1271, Araniko is believed to have played a leading role in the city\u2019s major design and construction works.<\/p>\n

During the Yuan Dynasty, Araniko served as the head of the imperial art department. As an architect, sculptor and artist, he was considered one of the most influential figures in the imperial court of that time. He designed and built the White Dagoba in Beijing. Construction began in 1271 and was completed in 1279. The White Dagoba stands 50.9 meters high and is regarded as a major symbol of the long cultural relationship between Nepal and China.<\/p>\n

The sculptural style developed by Araniko in China is known as \u201cWestern Buddhist sculpture,\u201d or \u201cXi Tian Fan Xiang\u201d in Chinese. Since Nepal lies to the west of China, the Nepali style came to be known by that name. This style reflects the softness of Nepali sculpture, the solemnity of Tibetan religious imagery, and the balanced line work of Han Chinese art.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s exhibition also includes an image of a lesser-known heritage site associated with Araniko. The image is related to the Jinshan Temple in Tongkongquan Village, Laishui County, under Baoding City in Hebei Province. The cave temple was founded by Guanghui Naiyi Chan, a tantric master of the Yuan Dynasty. It has been reported that Araniko created some sculptures in the temple.<\/p>\n

The Jinshan Temple is said to contain a Thousand-Buddha metal stupa made by Araniko, along with stone inscriptions from the Yuan and Ming dynasties. The finial of the stupa bears carved Buddha images in Nepali and Tibetan styles. An inscription identifies Araniko as the chief donor of the temple, revealing that he was not only an artist or architect, but also a construction coordinator and patron of religious structures.<\/p>\n

This discovery presents a new perspective on Araniko\u2019s role and abilities. While he had previously been known mainly as an artist and architect, the evidence related to the Jinshan Temple suggests that he was also involved in financial facilitation and administrative coordination for religious construction.<\/p>\n

Although smaller in scale, the stupa at Jinshan Temple resembles the style of the White Dagoba. Both monuments clearly reflect Nepali and Tibetan Buddhist artistic elements. Based on inscriptions, the construction of this temple may have begun a few years before the White Dagoba. For this reason, Jinshan Temple is also being viewed as one of Araniko\u2019s early experimental works after his arrival in China.<\/p>\n

The exhibition also refers to examples of Buddhist sculpture in the Feilaifeng area in front of Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. These sculptures display a mixed style combining Nepali, Tibetan and southern Chinese stone-carving traditions. Created during the Yuan Dynasty, these works are regarded as outstanding examples of the \u201cWestern Buddhist sculpture\u201d style introduced by Araniko in China.<\/p>\n

Araniko spent more than 46 years in China. During that period, he is recorded to have built three large stupas, nine major temples, two places of worship and one Taoist temple. He died in Beijing in 1306.<\/p>\n

Research and exploration of Araniko\u2019s creations in China are still ongoing. Recent evidence and exhibitions show that Araniko\u2019s contribution to Nepal\u2013China cultural relations was even deeper and broader than previously understood. The White Dagoba Cultural Week aims to present this historic contribution to the new generation and further strengthen the cultural friendship between the two countries.<\/p>\n

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