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- In LHASA:
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- Lhasa City - The Land of Gods:
- Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet
Autonomous Region is located at the north bank of Kyichu river,
a tributary of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, at an altitude of
3,650m above sea-level. Lhasa has a history of more than 1,300
years and it's been the center of politics, economy, culture and
religion in Tibet since ancient time "Lhasa" in
Tibetan means "the land of gods". There are numerous
scenic spots and historical attractions, among which Potala
Palace, Norbulingka, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Jokhang
Temple and Ramoche Temple, being the most famous.
- Potala Palace:
- The Potala, one of the most famous
architectural works, is erected on top of the Red Hill in Lhasa.
The word "Potala" comes from Sanskrit. In 7th century,
after the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo's marriage with Princes
Wencheng of the Tang Court, the Palace was built for meditation.
In the mid -17th century, it was rebuilt by the 5th Dalai Lama
to its present size, and ever since it became the Winter Palace
of the Dalai Lamas. The construction took fifty years from its
beginning to completion. The Potala is divided into two
sections, namely, the Red Palace and White Palace. The total
height of the Potala is 117m which is built in thirteen storeys,
the length of the Potala from east to west has 400m and the
breadth from south to north has 350m. The whole building is a
structure of stone and timber. The top most flat glistens with
golden roofs. It is a majestic architectural work and the cream
of Tibetan culture and complex of Tebatan and Han culture.
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- Drepung Monastery:
- Situated 5 kms' distance to the
western suburb of Lhasa at the foot of Mt. Ganpoi Uze. Drepung
Monastery was founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choje, a disciple
Tsongkapa, the founder of Gelugpa Sect. The Monastery ,
occupying an area of 250,000 sq. m. with a fixed number of 7,700
monks, is the largest monastery in Tibet. The monastery keeps
plentiful historical relics. Buddhist scriptures, arts and
crafts.
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- The Jokhang Temple:
- The Jokhang Temple , situated in
the center of old Lhasa, was originally built in 647 AD. It was
built by craftsmen from Tibet, China and Nepal thus features
different architectural styles. The Jokhang is the spiritual
center of Tibet and the holiest destination for all Tibetan
Buddhist pilgrims. In the central hall is the Jokhang's oldest
and most precious object - a sitting statue of Sakyamuni. This
was carried to Tibet by Princess Wen Cheng from her home in
Changan in 700 AD. The three-leaves roof of the Jokhang offers
splendid views of the Barkhor Street, the bustling Barkhor
market, across to the Potala Palace.
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- Barkhor Market:
- This is Lhasa's inner pilgrim
circuit shaped roughly like an octagon which runs around the
Jokhang Temple and a typical Tibetan market place.
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- Sera Monastery:
- Situated at 3 kms' distance to the
northern suburb of lhasa. Sera Monastery was founded in 1419 by
Jamchen Choje, a disciple of Tsongkapa, the founder of Gelugpa
Sect. The monastery is erected grandly at a mountain slope with
a colorful architecture. Sera Monastery together with Ganden
Monastery and Drepung Monastery in Lhasa are known as the Three
Great Monasteries of Tibet.
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- Norbulingka:
- The
name means "Jeweled Garden", a fitting title for this
200 years old park, stretching over 360,000 sq. m. The 370 rooms
summer palace of the Dalai Lama is located inside the park in
Lhasa.
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- OUTSIDE LHASA:
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- Ganden Monastery:
- Located in Taktse County 70 Kms
east of Lhasa City at an altitude of 4,300m, was founded in 1409
by Tsongkapa, the founder of the Gelugpa Sect, it is the
earliest of the Three Great Monasteries of Tibet.
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- Shigatse - the Estate that
fulfills one's wishes:
- It is situated in the south-west
of Tibet where Nyangchu River joins the Yarlunch Tsangpo River.
Shigatse is the second largest town in Tibet and it is the
center of transportation and the distributing center of
agriculture and husbandry products of south eastern part of
Tibet. "Shigatse" in Tibetan means "the Estate
that Fulfills one's Wishes". Monasteries such as
Tashilhunpo and Salu are its major historic attractions.
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- The Himalayas:
- The mighty Himalayas, like a
silver screen zigzags along Tibet's southern horizon. It
possesses eleven peaks over 8,000m above sea-level, among which
five lie along the Sino - Nepalese boundary line, namely, Mt.
Qomolangma (Mt. Everest - 8,848m), the world's highest peak, Mt.
Lhotse (8,516m), the world's fourth highest peak, Mt. Makalu
(8,463m), the fifth highest, Mt. Cho Oyu (8,201m), the sixth
highest and Mt. Shisha Pangma (8,012m), the 14th highest. Some
thirty peaks over 7,000m and many more are above 6,000m also in
this same Shigatse region. The landscape at the northern side of
the Himalayas is as attractive as it is in the south. World's
highest glaciers are found at the northern slope of the
Himalayas which are mysteriously in wait for man's exploration.
A trip to the Himalayas would bring one a lots of unforgettable
memories!
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- Yamddok Yumtso - The Sacred
Lake:
- Yakddok Yumtso, one of the three
largest lakes of Tibet, lies about a 100 km's distance to the
southwest of Lhasa. The surface of the lake, with its fathomless
depth, covers some 600 sq. kms. To the interior of the lake ten
or so hilly islands stand independently one from the other which
gives homes to flocks of wild ducks. Fish in the lake is
plentiful and tasty for diet.
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- Terrestrial Heat in Tibet:
- Northern grassland called "Changthang"
in Tibetan bear an extremely cold climate. Eight or nine months
a year, here , are freezing seasons, but boiling springs with
their cloudy vapors rising into the air are found here and
there. Whatmore, hot springs lying in pools and then flowing in
rivulets produce more beauty to the land. The terrestrial heat
in Yangpachen, 87 kms to the northwest of Lhasa, covers some 40
kms in area where one can see underground streams shooting up a
hundred meters into the air and can be seen from ten kms'
distance.
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- Samye Monastery:
- It is the first monastery ever
built in Tibet. It was founded by the Tibetan King Trisiong
Detsen and belongs to the Nyingmapa and Sakyapa sects. The
construction consists of three styles, namely, the Han, the
Tibetan and the Indian. It is said that the monastery was
destroyed by fire and was rebuilt three hundred years as the
residence of the 6th Dalai Lama.. Finally it was completed by
Rating Rimpoche.
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- Sakya Monastery:
- Located in Sakya County, the
monastery stood in two parts on either side of Dongchu River.
This monastery is the center of the Sakyapa Sect (White Earth
Order). The northern part of the monastery was built in the year
1079 and the southern part founded in 1268 by a famous abbot of
Sakya named Pagpa who once had ruled the whole of Tibet under
the Yuan Dynasty's supervision. The monastery has great
influence over the Tibetan history and cultural development. The
State Council of PRC has classified it the national level
protected monument. Owing to its valuable and voluminous amount
of Buddhist sutras and cultural remains, the monastery is often
considered as the "Tunhuang the second".
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- The Karo Ruins:
- Located at 12 kms' distance to the
south of Chamdo town, with an altitude of 3,200m above sea
level, Karo ruins dating back to 4 or 5 thousand years in the
history are discovered. According to archaeology those ruins
belong to the Neolithic Age. There are not only ruins of house
architecture, stone paved roads, stone built walls and cave
dwellings, but also many different kinds of chipped stone
implements have been discovered. The discovery of the Karo ruins
provides new threads for study migration and exchange between
peoples of north-west and south-west in Neolithic Age.
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- Ruins of Guge Kingdom:
- Situated in Tsada county of Ngari
Prefecture, Guge Kingdom was originally built in the 10th
century. According to historical records some 16th hereditary
kings had dominated this kingdom.The extensive Guge Kingdom ruins
are found on a hillside about 300m in height. The ruins cover an
area of 180,000 sq. m., and includes more than 300 chapels, 300
caves, 3 stupas each about 10 m. in height and five magnificent
temples and palaces. In the temples many lively murals and clay
sculptures can be still seen.
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- Tradduk Temple:
- It
is located in Nedobng County, established by King Songtsen Gampo
in the 7th century and belongs to the Gelugpa Sect (Order of
Excellence). The main building of this temple is the Assembly
Hall. The images enshrined here are all bronze and the corridors
are of full of murals.
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