Emperor Qianlong built Minor Western Heaven (Xiaoxitian), a two-year construction project (1768-1770), to honor his mother’s birthday and to pray for her happiness and longevity. The core structure “Land of Extreme Happiness”, covering an area of 1,200 square meters with a 13.5-meter transverse beam, is the largest palatial hall in the style of a square pavilion in China. This hall has elaborately-carved wooden casements on the interior walls, and a golden overhead plaque with Emperor Qianlong’s calligraphy that reads “Land of Extreme Happiness”. Overhead is a shining octagonal caisson ceiling with intricate dragon motif carvings. The hall, surrounded by water, is accessible by bridges. In each cardinal direction is a glazed archway, and at each corner is a small square pavilion. On the south side is a crescent river spanned by a stone bridge with carved railings. The building is stately and magnificent. Inside the hall is a clay sculpture of Mount Putuo with 226 statues of Arhats on the hill and ocean waves painted at the foot of the hill. This sculpture symbolizes the Buddhist paradise, thus also known as “Arhat Mountain” and “The Islet”.
