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Tashilhunpo lies 2 kilometer (1.2
miles) west of Shigatse city. The monastery is a
very influential monastery in Tibet. It was founded
in 1477 by Gendun Drubpa, the first Dalai Lama and a
most outstanding disciple of Tsong Khapa. In 1600,
the Fourth Panchen Lama started a large-scale
expansion and his successors carried on. The
monastery now has a building space of 300 thousand
square meters. In 1713, the Fifth |
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Panchen Lama's title and status
were finally ascertained by the Chinese emperor. The
monastery became the seat of Panchen Lama.
The construction of the Main Chanting Hall (Tshomchen)
took 12 years. It is the earliest building in the
monastery. Before the hall, there is a flagstoned
debating courtyard, where Panchen Lamas used to make
religious speeches to lamas. The courtyard has walls
covered by a thousand Sakyamunis, which were
enshrined in the walls. The Main Chanting Hall,
capable of holding 2000 chanting monks, contains the
Panchen Lamas' throne and three chapels. The
Sakyamuni Chapel houses a 24-feet statue of
Sakyamuni flanked by his disciples, which was
dedicated to his religious teacher by Gendun Drubpa.
To the west is the Maitreya Chapel, which contains a
11-meter (36 feet) high Maitreya flanked by
Avalokiteshvara and Bodhisattva Manjushri, which
were said made by Gendun Drubpa himself. To the east
is the Tara Chapel, which enshrines a White Tara
flanked by two Green Taras.
The Maitreya Chapel was the tallest building in the
monastery, 30 meters (98 feet) in height. The chapel
lies at the west end of the monastery, founded in
1914 by the Ninth Panchen Lama. The chapel houses
the world largest brass statue of Maitreya. The
Maitreya, with its hands in mudras, is 26.2 meters
(86 feet) high. The statue is seated on a 3.8 meters
(12 feet) high lotus throne. A single finger is 1.2
meters (about 4 feet) long, while foot is 4.2 meter
(about 14 feet) long. The statue costs about 280
kilograms (614 pounds) of gold, 150 tons (330,000
pounds) of brass and about 1400 precious gems like
huge diamonds, pearls, ambers. A ladder leads to
chapels reaching its lotus throne, waist, chest,
face and crown.
In the Fourth Panchen Lama's Stupa Chapel, visitors
may see the stupa tomb of the Fourth Panchen Lama's.
Comparable with any in Tibet, the stupa was built in
1662 and finished four years later. The 11 meters
(36 feet) silver and gold stupa cost 85 kilograms
(187 pounds) of gold, much more silver and brass and
countless precious gems. In 1982 and 1985, national
fund was allocated to the monastery to renovate the
chapel and the stupa. To its left is the Tenth
Panchen Lama's Stupa Chapel. After the death of the
tenth Panchen Lama 1989, 64 million RMB and lots of
gold, silver, and gems were immediately allocated by
the central government to build his stupa. In 1993,
the 11 meters (36 feet) stupa was completed and the
lama's body was placed inside.
The Thangka Wall sits northeast of the monastery.
The huge wall, 35 meters (115 feet) in height 40
meters (131 feet) in width, can be seen faraway.
Founding in 1468, it was a memorial monument to
commemorate the birth, nirvana and initiation into
Buddhahood of Sakyamuni. Every year on April
fourteenth on Tibetan calendar, gigantic thangkas of
Buddha will be displayed on the wall.
In addition the trove of thangkas, murals and other
religious and artistic treasures certainly will
impose an indelible impression upon visitors. |
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