Top Attractions in Tibet - Jokhang Monastery by Tina

November01

Come to Tibet, a mysterious sacred land of China for travelling, visitors should not miss a visit to Jokhang Temple. As the first Buddhist temple in Tibet, Jokhang is the holiest destination for all Tibetan pilgrims, the spiritual center of Tibet, a perfect place for you to experience the devotion of Tibetans.

Overview of Jokhang Temple
Jokhang Temple

Jokhang Temple is situated at the heart of the old town of Lhasa, in Barkhor Square. The name of Jokhang which means the 'House of the Buddha' has given after the old name called the 'Tsuklakang' (Tsulag Khang) was replaced. It is the ultimate pilgrimage destination for Tibetan pilgrims.
The site of Jokhang Temple was chosen personally by the wife of King Songtsan Gampo, the Tang Princess Wen Cheng. Its four story main building demonstrates a combination of the Han, Tibetan, Indian and Nepalese architectural styles, as well as a man - made world outlook of Buddhism. Jokhang Temple is the spiritual center of Tibet and the holiest destination for all Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims.

Highlights of Jokhang Temple
Jokhang Temple

The Jowo Rinpoche (or Jowo Shakyamuni), in the main hall, is the most revered image in Tibet. Jowo Buddha is a Buddhist sculpture brought as part of the dowry of the Chinese Princess Wencheng upon her arrival in Tibet. Besides this one, there are full of thousands of hundreds of Buddhist statues and images which were brought by the two princesses as part of their dowries.
Every Tibetan New Year, which falls sometime between January and March, according to the Tibetan Calendar, the Jokhang hosts the Great Prayer Festival. During the festivals, thousands of monks come to perform colorful religious activities in and around the Jokhang, and there is much celebration throughout Lhasa.

Monk Debating at Jokhang Temple
Jokhang Temple

Not only famous attractions in Tibet, Jokhang Temple is also the first place for monks to study Buddhist scriptures and improve their religious accomplishments. Like monks in other monasteries, in addition to daily Buddhist scripture study, monks in the Jokhang Temple need to help receiving tourists from home and abroad. Among many routines of those monks a day, one of the most famous is debating.
The temple's third story rooftops are an agglomeration of pavilions, comprised of craftsmen's workshops and monks' living quarters. Here, you will glimpse monks debating in one of the numerous back courtyards or perceive their studying forms through the thin curtains of their quarters. This routine is mostly starts at 5 pm when the monks gathered to debate the Buddhist scriptures after finishing the reception work.

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Why Tibet is Worthy of Your Money and Time? by Jack

October26

With diverse mind-blowing plateau landscapes, myriad Tibetan Buddhist temples and palaces, Tibet has something for everyone and is a dream for backpackers. The reasons lie below:

Relatively Accessible Transport
To get to Tibet, there are three means of transport--by air, by train and by bus. Before, most people chose airport to get into Tibet due to the less use of time and safety; however, since the Qinghai-Tibet Railway has been put into service in 2006, more and more people prefer to enter Tibet by train, by which not only amazing plateau scenes can be enjoyed on the way, but also get a better adaptation for the gradually rising altitude.

Diverse Plateau Landscapes
Tibet

Enjoying as the rooftop of the world, Tibet rises thousands of meters above sea levels. This high altitude makes Tibet the perfect spot for adventures and sightseeing of the plateau landscapes. There are as many snow peaks as you could imagine. Among them all, the Everest is also located in Tibet. Other than the snow peaks, there are also a lot of other landscapes worth seeing, like the grassland and forests as well as countless lakes and rivers. In addition, Tibet is home to a large number of animals among of which the yaks are the most representative one. During your Tibet trip, you will find that these animals add more charms to the plateau of Tibet.

Unique Tibetan-style Temples and Palaces
Tibet

The most representative attractions throughout Tibet are Potala Palace and Johkang Temple. About 2 kilometers away from the center of Lhasa, the Potala Palace is an imposing architectural complex originally built in the 7th century before Sontzen Gampo married Princess Bhrikuti of Licchavi Kingdom of Nepal and Princess Wencheng of Tang Dynasty. Enjoying as one of the oldest wooden structure buildings in Tibet, Jokhang Temple is well known for its mixed architectural styles of Tibet, Tang, Nepal and India, and creates a new model in architecture in Tibet. Another feature of the temple is that it is a sacred temple that has been worshiped all the time by different religious sects rather than belongs to some denomination.

Tibet, just hearing this name purifies our soul, makes our spirit travel to another world of azure sky, temples, orange-clad monks and serene nomads. Are these above-mentioned reasons tempting enough to pay a visit? Then do not hesitate and just act now!

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Top Places to Visit in Tibet - Lhasa by Jack

September26

Embodying the spirituality of Buddha and the Dalai Lama as well as located at the heart of the "rooftop of the world", Lhasa will be an ultimate experience for your soul and your heart.

Lhasa in Brief
Lhasa

Lhasa has been the capital city of Tibet since the establishment of the Tibetan Empire by King Songtsan Gampo in the mid 7th century. Starting from this date, many religious and spiritual buildings started to be built by the Empire, such as the Potala Palace on Mount Marpori in 637, Jokhang Temple in 641. Lhasa was already considered as the religious and political centre of the region. The already largely spread Buddhism in the region was a real way of life guiding everyone's path. Over the years, the importance of the city increased with the erection and restoration of sacred monasteries and temples.

Becoming more and more famous on an international scale, Lhasa saw the arrival of the first western travelers in the 20th century. With a nearly half population of monks, Lhasa was already a real cradle of Tibetan Buddhism. Essentially turned to religion and agriculture, the city and whole region started to open to tourism in the 1980s. Later on, the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and the connection with other Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan and Xinjiang was a great turn for Lhasa and the whole Tibet Autonomous Region.

Lhasa Nowadays
Lhasa

Still based on agriculture and husbandry, the economy of Lhasa has developed a lot with the arrival of the first travelers in the 1980s. For traveling to this special region of China, travelers who look for a sacred pilgrimage to Lhasa or Tibet in general should know that a travel permit, e.g. TTB Permit (Tibet Entry Permit (Tibet visa)), PSB Permit (Alien's Travel Permit), F visa travelers special documents, etc, is required to everyone.

Travelers to Lhasa enjoy the beautiful and awe-inspiring historical and religious attractions of this capital city. The Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and the Norbulingka, and the Nam-Tso Lake are all must-see scenic spots on your trip to Lhasa. Mingling with the friendly Tibetan people is also a great experience as well as to taste the diverse Tibetan or Chinese cuisines. Conveniently accessible by airplane, Lhasa can also be reached by Land Cruiser.

Travelers would be blown away by the scenery provided by this azure-sky Plateau: make a wish, Lhasa opens its door to your soul.

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