If you only want to photograph the White Pagoda, there is no need to pay the 20 yuan entrance fee to White Pagoda Temple.

Miaoying Temple in Xicheng is also commonly known as White Pagoda Temple, named after the large Tibetan-style white pagoda there. Miaoying Temple was originally called Wan'an Temple and was built by Kublai Khan, the Yuan dynasty emperor, as his family temple, designed by the Nepalese architect Anige. · Enter the temple from the south gate, pass through the Hall of Heavenly Kings heading north, followed by the Great Enlightenment Hall, Seven Buddhas Hall, Three Ages Buddha Hall, and the Pagoda Courtyard. Although the White Pagoda has undergone repairs, it basically remains a Yuan dynasty relic; the other buildings have all been rebuilt. · In front of the Great Enlightenment Hall is a pair of horizontal stone lions from the Yuan dynasty, a male and a female lion looking at each other with twisted heads, their postures somewhat enchanting, and their bodies carved in a realistic style with a sense of strength. These stone lions were relocated from elsewhere. · When I visited in early October, there was a Thangka exhibition inside the Great Enlightenment Hall called "Wuze Tianhua—Thangka Art and Natural Pigments Exhibition." The Thangkas are brilliant and mysterious. · The main deity in the Seven Buddhas Hall is the Three Ages Buddha. Originally, there were Eighteen Arhats on both sides, but they no longer exist; instead, eighteen Ming dynasty celestial beings relocated from Nianhua Temple are displayed. On the back wall is a Ming dynasty statue of the Eleven-Faced Thousand-Hand Thousand-Eye Guanyin. Looking up, the ceiling is magnificent, with three side-by-side coiled dragon caisson ceilings. · The main deity in the Three Ages Buddha Hall is also the Three Ages Buddha, a Qing dynasty wood carving. Above is a plaque inscribed with "Possessing the Six Supernatural Powers," written by Emperor Qianlong himself. The painted beams also have an ancient feel, suggesting the building itself might be from the Qing dynasty. · You cannot enter the White Pagoda, but you can walk around it. Actually, if you walk into the Pagoda Courtyard, you are too close to see the whole pagoda. The best view is from the corridors on the east and west sides outside the scenic area, where the white pagoda contrasts with the red walls. Walking through the alley on the east side to the street, you can always see the tall white pagoda behind you, creating a harmonious scene of the ancient pagoda and residential houses.