On a stroll down an alley in central Beijing a distinctive white cone slowly emerges on the horizon, towering above the brownish-red sea of traditional Chinese walls in which it stands.

For centuries this religious monument, a dagoba, part of the Miaoying Temple, has tantalized the eyes of those who come across it, whether they know anything about its meaning or not.

"Nihao," a young man, who turns out to be a Nepalese volunteer in the temple, shouts out cheerily. "Feel free to go inside the White Dagoba Temple and find out what's within."

Garbed in a daura suruwal, an exquisitely crafted traditional Nepalese suit consisting of a knee-length shirt and loose-fitting trousers, he brims with enthusiasm about the dagoba, intent on encouraging others to learn about this age-old emblem of friendship between two civilizations.

The Beijing White Dagoba Temple, being the biggest and the oldest Tibetan-style Buddhist dagoba in existence now in China, is a vibrant testament to cultural exchange and shared knowledge between China and Nepal. It was designed by the Nepalese architect Arniko at the behest of the founder of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) Kublai Khan in the late 13th century.

Inside, staff sit at desks in five main buildings of the dagoba, each station marking a pivotal moment in the monument's construction. At each station, visitors are encouraged to utter a certain phrase to a non-player character, underlining what they have learned, which is then rewarded with a literal stamp of approval.

This is part of Finding Arniko, an immersive and interactive game featured during Beijing White Dagoba Cultural Week in June.

The White Dagoba in Beijing is the sole complete historical site of Dadu (the capital city) of the Yuan Dynasty that remains to this day.

"Cultural exchanges between China and Nepal are rich and profound, and the dagoba one sees today is the best example of that," says Gao Jianqin, the game's designer, who works at the China-Nepal Culture Exchange Center in Beijing.

Arniko was a highly skilled artisan who helped build a dagoba in today's Sa'kya county of Xizang, and he made a name for himself across Xizang and North China. When Kublai Khan decreed that a Buddha dagoba be erected on the historical site of the Yong'an Monastery, which had been destroyed, Arniko was assigned to design the white dagoba and to oversee its construction.

Seven hundred and fifty-three years later Beijingers, and anyone else with an ounce of interest, are invited through Finding Arniko to learn a little about the man and to view what has become one of his most celebrated architectural accomplishments.

Gao says it is the first time he has devised a cultural game, something that has been a "special and memorable experience" for him.

He chose the five most crucial moments in the history of Arniko's odyssey and incorporated these into the five main buildings of the White Dagoba Temple, he says. Visitors can immerse themselves in his adventure through interactive non-player character encounters, stepping into Arniko's world.

For the game, Nepalese students in Beijing assume the various roles encountered by Arniko on his journey from Nepal to China. These roles include: Arniko himself; the king of the Malla Dynasty; Nepalese citizens; Phags-pa, the first "Guru for the Emperor" in the history of the Yuan Dynasty; and Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty.

"I love the heart-warming joy of people from different countries coming together, something you can't experience any other way," Gao says. "I would jump at the chance to promote cultural exchange between China and Nepal in some other way.

"We wanted the public to be able to appreciate how deep the friendship between China and Nepal is, and to do so in an interesting way."

Liang Yuxuan, 21, a college student from Hong Kong, visits the temple and enjoys the game a lot. She says: "When I talk to Nepalese, it's like a cultural exchange through time and space. It's very touching."

Strolling along Beijing's fabled hutong and its streets, a sense of history and culture seeps from between every brick, she says.

Arniko in the new age

"Chinese are aware of the white dagoba, but they're unaware of its origins and who built it," says Anish Kumar Kuikel, 24, who plays the role of Arniko in the game, and who is studying for a master's degree in international education of the Chinese language at Beijing Language and Culture University.

"Dagoba culture week was a great opportunity to promote Nepalese culture," he says. "Chinese people show great respect for Buddhism, our religion. When I explain that Nepal is where Buddhism originated, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha, they show huge interest in traveling to Nepal to know more about our culture."

Bidur K.C., 23, a Nepalese studying Chinese philosophy at Beijing Normal University, and who plays the Malla King in Finding Arniko, says: "I was a tad nervous the day the culture week opened, and curious about how tourists would react when they came across my character, dressed in Nepalese traditional clothes and speaking Chinese to them.

"In the event, people were very excited to see me and asked a lot about culture and traditions such as marriage in Nepal. My Chinese is not that good, but I did my best to present my homeland to them and showed them what Nepal is really like."

Shrestha Shrijana, 26, also studying for a master's degree of international education of the Chinese language at Beijing International Studies University, says she views the dagoba as the "largest symbol of civil and cultural communications between the two countries". Wearing Nepalese dress at the gate of dagoba, presenting her country's culture to people filled her with pride, she says.

The Nepalese actors and actresses expressed their interest and pride in building a new bridge between the two countries and their cultures.

One of the actors, Shrestha, said she arrived in China a year ago and as someone who appreciates different cultures, she hopes that eventually she will don traditional Chinese dress.

"For me, the best part of Chinese culture is the traditional attire. There are so many ethnic groups with their unique dresses. I've tried Tibetan dress, and I plan eventually to try hanfu."

Bidur says his fascination with China began at a Chinese temple in Lumbini, where Gautama Buddha is said to have been born.

"As a child, I visited that temple frequently. Its architecture bears a striking resemblance to Chinese architecture, which sparked my interest in Chinese culture, people and language. Although China and Nepal have distinct cultures, both have rich histories. Coming from Nepalese society to China, I equally respect both cultures."

While studying at Lumbini Buddhist University, Bidur chose Chinese as his second language and decided to pursue his studies in China to delve deeper into Chinese philosophy.

Anish, who plays Arniko, and who has studied in China since 2019, says that visiting the Great Wall had been a lifelong dream of his.

"When I was a child one of my neighbors was from Xizang, and there was a photo of the Great Wall in his room. Later I saw the Great Wall in many films, and I dreamed of visiting it in person." He finally did so in year 2023 as his first time, and then twice this year.

Like Shrestha, Anish is also studying international education of the Chinese language in Beijing and hopes to work in trade. Shrestha says she hopes to promote Chinese language and culture worldwide. China has helped Nepal build airports, hospitals, schools and sports centers, she says.

"As for the Beijing White Dagoba Temple, it symbolizes the beautiful friendship between Nepal and China, a friendship I'm convinced will last forever."

Hu Xinyue contributed to this story.