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Introduction

Lhasa: Meaning “Holy-Land” in Tibetan, Lhasa is located along the northern bank of the Lhasa River, a tributary of the Yarlung Zangbo River. Sitting 3,700 meters above sea level, Lhasa is a cultural city with a history of more than 1,300 years. It is also known as the solar city because of its abundant sunshine. The capital as well as the center for politics, economy, and culture of Tibet, it is a city with many world-famous places of interest.

Potala Palace: Located in downtown Lhasa, Potala Palace was set up in the seventh century during the reign of King Songtsen Gampo and covers an area of 41 hectares. The 13-story main building is 115.703 meters in height. It actually two palaces, the White and the Red Palace, joined together. With over 1,000 rooms (bedrooms, scripture rooms, stupas, and rooms for monks, etc.), it was the headquarters of the Dalai Lamas, and is a treasure house of traditional Tibetan culture. It is a relic under the state protection, and has been named a World Heritage Site.

Jokhang Monastery: Located in the old district of Lhasa, the monastery was built in the mid-seventh century. Facing west, this four-story building is built in the Tang style but incorporates features of Nepalese and Indian architecture. Jokhang Monastery enshrines the statue of Sakyamuni, which was said to be brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng. There are murals depicting legendary figures and telling Buddhist stories in the corridors and the halls. The monastery also enshrines the statues of King Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wencheng, and Princess Bhrikuti Devi.

Sera Monastery: Sera Monastery lies at the foot of a mountain on the northern outskirts of Lhasa. It was built in 1419 by one of the eight disciples of Tsongkhapa, founder of the Ge-lug-pa Sect. Covering an area of 114,964 square meters, the structure is imposing and splendid in green and gold. It is typical of Tibetan architecture.

Ramqe Temple: Built in the middle of the 7th century, it is located at the northside of the old town, burnt and rebuilt in succession. There are frescoes and statues of Sakyamuni?Mozulji?Maitreya in the temple. Sakyamuni's eight-year-old life-sized gilded statue is located in the main hall, which was brought to Tibet by Princess Chizhuen of Nepal.

Ganden Monastery: Built in the 15th century by the founder of the Gelulcpa Sect. Tsongkapa is located in Dazhi county, 60 kilometres east of Lhasa. The main boundaries are Raky hall and Chiduokang. The former can contains 3,000 sultras-chanting monks. The statues of Maitreya and Chongkhapa are made with elegance and refined workmanship.

Drepung Monastery: Built in 1416 and located at the northwest suburb 5 kiometres from Lhasa, it is the largest of the six big shamanist monasteries in China.It occupies a land of 250,000 square metres and had once boasted 10,000 monks, among whom, many became buddhist talents. The 5th Dalai Lama lived here before he moved to Potala Palace. There is an abundence of historic reliecs and buddhist Scriptures in Drepung Monastery.

Chubu Temple: Built in 1187, it is located at the upper part of Chubu River, 60 kilometres to the west of Lhasa. The living Buddha, Gema-the established Gema Dynasty in 1618, and temporarily became leader of Tibet. The living Buddha was granted the title of “Great king of Buddhism” by Emperor ChengZhu of the Ming Dynasty. Chubu Temple, located in the Duilong Valley, was then the political, economical, religious and cultural centre of Tibet. There are many cultural relies kept intact in Chubu Temple.

Rezheng Temple: Established by Tsong tunpa in 1057 and located within Lingzhou county, it was the first temple of Gedan sect which spread throughout Tibet rapidly. At the beginning of the 15th century, Tsong khapa established the Gelu sect by joinning Gedan sect's creed and his own contributions to religion. Rezheng Temple then came to Gelu sect. The whole temple occupies an area of 15 mi . The main hall has three floors; the first floor is a large praying hall surrounded by several small ones; Buddha's statues and religious classics are restored here. Part of the temple was destroyed by the 1951 earthquake.

Barkhor Street: It is a flourishing street around the Jokhang Temple. Along the street are stores and groceries selling light industry products and handicrafts made by locals or Nepal makers. It is also the main route for prayer wheels rotating.

Norbulingka: Located at the west suburb of Lhasa, it was constructed during 1740s, and is 36 hectaes in area. The standing minister of Tibet during the Qing Govermnent ordered the first palace to be built for the recreation of the 7th Dalai Lama; Later, the 8th, 13th, and 14th Dalai Lamas also built their own palaces here. After 200 years of expansion, it has become one of the many typical Tibetan Palaces and gardens. The “Dadenmingjiu Palace,” which means the new palace, built by the 14th Dalai Lama, is the grandest, with temples, palaces and villas joined together. Dalai Lamas, from the 7th down, all spent summers here. Now, people go to Norbulingka with tents and foods on holidays for dancing and singing throughout the day and night.

Xigaze: A 500-year-old cultural city located 3,800 meters above sea level, Xigaze is the headquarters of the Panchen Erdeni, and is located to the north of the world-renowned Qomolangma. There are many ancient temples in Xigaze, such as Sakya, Baiju, Xalu, and Tashihunpo, where the giant bronze statue of Buddha of Qiangba (Maitreya) is enshrined.

Sakya Monastery: Located 160 Kilometers west of Shigatse, Sakya Monastery is divided into a north portion and south portion. The north part, built in 1079, is in ruins now, while the south part, built in 1268, embraces many historic relics: official documents, stamps, and costumes from the central government of Yuan Dynasty, and very precious frescoes of historic subjects from Song and Yuan Dynasties. The book storage of Sakya Monastery is remarkable here not only because of religions classics inscribed with gold-powdered ink, but there's also more than 10,000 books over geography, history, medicine and literature in Tibetan. Sakya Monastery, which is named “Tunhuang the second,” is quite well-known for its books and valuable historic relics.

Xialu Monastery: Built in 1,000 A.D. it is located 30 kilometres southwest of Xigaze. It is of unique construction with Tibetan and Han styles mixed together. Two monastery treasures are the classic inscription plank made of sandal wood and the holy water jar. The frescoes in Xialu Monastery are abundant and beautiful, they are invaluable art treasures of Tibet.

Baiju Monastery: Located in Gyangze County, the Baiju Monastery was built by Yaodan Gongsangpa and Tsongkhapa's disciple Khedrub Je in 1418. Its unique feature is that three sects. the Sa-kya-ya, Ka-tam-pa, and Ge-lug-pa, had their headquarters in it -- a rare phenomenon in Tibet. It attracts numerous visitors with its unique architectural style, sculptures, and paintings.

Qomolangma Peak: Stradding over the boundary of China and Nepal, it is 8848.13 metres above sea level. Within 5,000 square kilometres around Qomolangma, there are 4 peaks over 8,000 metres in height and 38 over 7,000 metres. The Rongbu Temple at the peak's foot is the world highest temple; it is only 40 kilometres to the peak and serves as the headquarters of northside climbing. The northside of Qomolangma has 217 glaciers ,and the Rongbu glacier is the biggest.

Shannan: Shannan, 3,600 meters above sea level, is located in the middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, and has a mild climate. There are many places of interest and historical sites, such as the Samye Monastery, the Yongbulagang, tombs of the Tibetan kings, the Changzhug Monastery, and the Yalong River National Scenic Sport.

The Samye Monastery: Built in 779 by Trisong Detsen, the second king of Tibet, it is the first monastery in Tibet made for monks to dwell in. It mixes different constructive styles in building; the first floor is in Tibetan style, the middle in Han while the top in Indian. It is unique and grand. There are many Buddhist statues and frescoes inside; the bronze bell, the white marble lions and the stone tablet for the allegiance to Buddha are invaluable relics.

Chang Temple: Built during king Songzanganbu's rule, it is believed to be the winter palace of the king and princess Wencheng; the willows about the Temple were planted by the princess herself. A pearl prager scroll enshrines in the temple; it is linked with pearls and diamonds.

Yumbu Lakhang: With a history of more than 2,000 years, it is the first palace ever been built in Tibet. The murals and frescoes inside depict vividly historic figures and other things.

Tombs of the Tibetan Kings: Located in Qonggyai County in Shannan, it covers a total of 385 square meters. Among the tombs from the 29th king to the 40th kings, the last king of the Turpan regime, King Songtsen Gampo's is the most famous.

Yarlong scenic area: It is the originating land of Tibetan nationality. The area is flat and soil is fertilize with abundant crops. This simple yet grand senic area is composed of fields and pasturelands, rivers and valleys, snow-covered mountains and glaciers as well as religious cultural relics, unique folklores and customs. The vegetation is abundant and varied according to the different heights. Historic spots consist of the the following: the earliest palace of Tibet-Yumbu Lakhang; the first temple of Tibet-Samye; the earliest Buddha hall-Changzhu Monastery and the tombs of the Tibetan Kings. There are more than 40 scenic spots for tourists both from home and abroad.

Yamdrok Yamtso: Located in Lang Kazi country, it is 4,400 metres above sea level, 800 square kilometres in size and 30-40 metres in depth."Yamdrok" means the upper pasture, and "Yamtso" means green jade. A bird's eye view reveals Yamdrok Yamtso as a big jade among the mountains. It is very beautiful with cattles grazing and water birds flying. Water power resources are also rich here. There is an 800 metres drop from the lake surface to the Yaluzhangbu river below. A big power station is on construction. Samdin temple, the seat of the only woman living Buddha, Duojibuomu, is at the south end of the lake.

Nyingchi : Located on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, Nyingchi is 3,000 meters above sea level. It has humid climate and beautiful scenery. The inhabitants here are mainly the Moinbas and the Lhobas. Nyingchi is attractive with the Namjagbarwa, the Great Gorge of the Yarlung Zangbo River, Basumco, Zayu, and Bome.

The key town of southeast Tibet-Bayi Town: It is both a newly flouring industrious town and the seat of Nyingchi Administration. The town is surrounded by a thick, beautiful forest. The temperature is moderate and rainfall abundant. It is not only suitable for growing crops and vegetables but also for visiting tourists.

Nanjiabawa Peak: It is 7,782 metres above sea level. The southwest monsoon brings sufficient rain here along the Yaluzangbu river valley. Within 40 kilometres, vegetations of tropical zone, temperate zone are distributed. Thousands of animals live in the thick forest, such as the white monkey, the longtail monkey, tigers, and leopards. Biologists have referred to it as "the natural museum of vegetations" and "the gene deposits of mountain biological beings".

The Bir Bend of Yaluzangbu River: Originating 6,000 metres high from the middle of the Himalayan mountains, the Yaluzangbu river turns abruptly southward by way of Miling county, cutting the Himalayas in two.

Nagqu: Also known as the Northern Plateau in Tibet, Nagqu is 4,500 meters above sea level, 2,400 kilometers long and 700 kilometers wide. It is sandwiched by the Kunlun-Tanggula-Gangdise-Nyainqentanglha mountain ranges, and enjoys convenient transportation with the Qinghai-Tibet Highway passing by. It is a place worth visiting with fantastic scenes, historical sites, and local customs.

Namtso Lake: 4,700 metres above sea level, 70 kilometres in length, 30 kilometres in width and 1,940 square kilometres in size. It is located 60 kilometres northweast of Dangxiong County. It is both the highest and largest salt water lake in the world. Pious Buddhists worship the lake as holy and come from Tibet, India and Nepal to pay their homage.

Ngari: Known as the roof on the Roof of the World, Nagari, at 4,500meters above sea level, is located in the northwestern part of Tibet. It is dotted with lakes with not much inhabitants and is a paradise for wild animals, such as yaks, Tibetan antelopes, and wild donkeys. The historical sites of Nagri include the ruins of the Guge Kingdom and the Toding Monastery.

The Ruins of the Guge Dynasty: Located up the mountain of Gunrenpochi southside of the Elephant Spring river, it was built by Kere ,the offspring of the Tupo kings. It was extended mostly in the10th and the16th centuries. The size of the ruin is 180 square kilometres. It is composed of 300 caves, 300 buildings and 3 Buddha pagodas. The main constructions are temples and palaces surrounded by walls and castles. Inside the houses, there are colour paintings and frescoes on the walls. Ancient relics are to be seen everywhere. Guge Dynasty occupies a very important position in Tibetan history.

Qamdo: Located in the river region of Jinsha, Nujiang, and Lancang, Qamdo is a tract of beautiful, fertile land with spectacular mountains, dense forest, historical sites, and simple customs.

Murals: During the long process of historical and cultural development, artists in Tibet have made unremitting efforts in perfecting their own style of arts, and has also adapted the essence of the arts from other parts of the world. The Tibetan artists have shown great talents and wisdom in painting murals, which have rich contents, including anecdotes, legendary stories, folk tales, traditional Tibetan medicine, fortune telling, and religious mythologies.

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