The White Pagoda is 35.9 meters high and sits amidst luxuriant trees and a host of temple halls on Jade Islet at the center of Beihai Park. The dagoba was built by Emperor Shunzhi (the first emperor of the Qing) in 1651 in honor of a visit by the Fifth Dalai Lama. Atop the pagoda is a gold-covered copper lid decorated with dozens of bells that jingle in the wind.



In front of the Pagoda stands the Temple of Enternal Peace (Yong'an si) and Hall of Universal Peace. At the back of the island is Hall of Rippling Water. Inside the Pagoda is a 30-meter-tall column. A gold box at the top of the column contains two teeth belonging to Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism. Under the Pagoda is a lamasery.