Tashilhunpo Monastery Guide

The Tashilumpo Monastery, literally known as ‘Auspicious Sumeru Temple’, is the largest temple in the town of Shigatse. The Tashilumpo Monastery is the traditional seat of successive Panchen Lamas, and the second highest ranking tulku lineage in the Gelug Tibetan Buddhism hierarchy after Dalai Lama. Therefore lots of pilgrims travel to the Tashilumpo Monastery for a pilgrimage journey. The Tashilumpo Monastery is situated on the southern slope of the Nyima hill to the west of Shigatse. Started in 1447, it took almost twelve years to finish the Tashilumpo Monastery construction under the

supervision of youngest disciples of Tsongkhapa, the founder of Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism which is commonly known as Yellow Hat Sect or Yellow Sect. The Tashilumpo Monastery is one of the six great Gelugpa monasteries. The Tashilumpo Monastery occupies an area of 150,000 square mters, surrounded by over three kilometers long walls perching along the topography of the Nyima Mountain and enclosing 57 buildings which amounts to over 3600 rooms in the monastery. The best image in the Tashilumpo Monastery is the statue of Maitreya, the largest one in the world. This statue was erected by

the 9th Panchen Lama in 1914 and is 26 meters tall. The statue itself is adorned with precious stones. Coqen Hall, Large Scripture Hall, is the earliest building in the Tashilumpo Monastery of which the construction lasted twelve years. The Tashilumpo Monastery was listed as a key cultural relics by the central Chinese government on March 4, 1961. The best time to travel to the Tashilumpo Monastery is during festivals when the monastery puts on a colorful and energetic dresses that promotes the rich Tibetan history, culture, and religion. Some guide information of the Tashilumpo Monastery.
Location:  Shigatse, Tibet         Tickets: CNY55         Opening hours: 09:00-17:00(Copen Hall’s closed between 12:00-14:00)

• The Potala Palace
• The Sera Monastery
• The Norbulingka
• The Jokhang Temple
• The Barkhor Street
• The Tibet Museum
• The Tibetan Traditional Hospital
• The New Palace of Panchen
• The Drepung Monastery
• Yamdrok Yumtso Lake
• Tashilhunpo Monastery
• Gyangtse Old Street
• Yangpachen
• Lake Namtso
• Songtsen Gampo
• Himalayan Ranges
• Palkhor Monastery
• Lhasa Carpet Factory
• Everest Base Camp
• Rongbuk Monastery
• Sakya Monastery