Tashilhungpo Monastery: Residence of Panchen Lama
( 2005-10-27 )

Best time to go: In August on the Tibetan calendar each year.

Built in 1447, the Tashilhungpo (meaning auspicious Sumeru) Monastery is located on the southern slope of the Nyima Mountain to the west of Xigaze City in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. It is one of the "Four Famous Monasteries" of the Gelug Sect of TibetanBuddhism, the other three being Sera, Zhaibung, and Gandain inLhasa.

According to historical documents, the Tashilhungpo Monastery was built under the supervision of the first Dalai Lama Genden Zhuba, a disciple of Master Tsong Khapa, founder of the Gelug Sect (Yellow Sect). When the fourth Panchen Lobsan Qoigyi, titled by the Qing (1644-1911) emperor, became the abbot, it was expanded to a large scale. Since then, the monastery has become the residence of the Panchen Lama.

Listed as a key relic under state protection by theState Councilon March 4, 1961, the monastery occupies 150,000 square meters. Facing south, the complex is built symmetrically against the Nyima Mountain. Its wall, over 3,000 meters long and built according to the topography of the mountain, surrounds 57 buildings, or more than 3,600 rooms.

The earliest building in the monastery is the Coqen Hall, whose construction lasted 12 years. Inside are 48 red pillars that support the ceiling. In the center sits the Panchen's throne.

To the left of the hall is the Maitreya Buddha Hall, with an 11-meter-tall, benevolent-looking Maitreya statue inside.

To Coqen's right is the Tara Hall, containing a two-meter-tallbronzestatue of the White Tara and two clay statues of the Green Tara (Tara referring to Buddha types). The interior is decorated with schist collected at the foot of the Himalayas and radiates a peaceful aura.

In front of the hall is a 600-square-meter area where the Panchen gives Buddhist lectures and lamas discuss Buddhist scriptures.