. esoteric buddhist art 497
The importance of erecting pagodas as part of their Buddhist
practice and belief is a defining characteristic of the Bai people, and
although not unique to their culture and religious expression, hardly
finds comparison elsewhere in China. Esoteric Buddhist beliefs would
appear to have been closely associated with the making of pagodas and
with the rites of empowerment and protection connected with these
monuments, as can be seen in their rich deposits of relics.