Jokhang Monastery
Location: Lhasa, Tibet
Transportation: Bus service
Culture/History Rating: 5/5
Scenery Rating: 4/5
Hotels: N/A
Summary: Construction of the Jokhang Temple Monastery and the Potala Palace began in the reign of Srong-brtsan-sgam-po in the 7th century CE. They remain to the present day one of the most typical areas of the country in terms of their ancient buildings and their role as the political, economic, cultural, and religious centre of Tibet. Since the time of the 5th Dalai Lama both the Palace and the Temple Monastery have been within the Outside Path for Circumambulation (Lingkhor). The Potala Palace, an administrative, religious and political complex, is built on the Red Mountain in the centre of the Lhasa valley, at an altitude of 3700 metres. The complex comprises the White Palace and the Red Palace, with their ancillary buildings. The Jokhang Temple Monastery is an exceptional Buddhist religious complex, founded in the 7th century. Its buildings and decoration reflect the high quality of Tibetan art in the 7th century and again in the 15th-16th centuries, and also demonstrate cultural interchange between Tibet and its neighbouring countries.- UNESCO
Description:
| Located in the old district of Lhasa. The monastery is a building complex and was built in the mid- seventh century. Facing west, t is a four-story building in the Tang style, but also incorporates features of Nepalese & Indian acricture. It's golden canopy glows under the sun. It enshrines the state of Sakyamun, which was said to be brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng. The ceremony for the reincarnation of the Dalai Lamas and the Panchan Erdeni is held in front of the statue of Sakyamuni. 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 Sampo, princess Wencheng, and the princess Bhrikuti Devi. |  |
 | Jokhang Temple has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. It is the spiritual center of Lhasa and stands in the heart of the old city. It was built by King Songtsen Gampo, upon establishing his kingdom's capital in Lhasa. Through several renovations it expanded into quite a large group of buildings and now covers an area of over 25,000 sq meters. Jokhang has 4 stories and its roofs are covered with gilded bronze tiles. It was built in the style of Tang dynasty structures and adopted the characteristics of Nepalese and Indian architecture. |
| There are numerous elaborately decorated shrines and rooms at Jokhang. There are also statues of King Songtsan Gambo together with his Chinese bride Princess Wen Cheng and Nepalese bride Princess Chizun in the side halls. In the center of the main hall, a gold statue of the young Buddha Sakyamuni, brought to Tibet by Princess Wen Cheng from Chang'an (present Xian) is enshrined. |  |
 | It is the most revered religious structure in Tibet. Although little remains of its 7th century origins and most of the sculptures that adorn its interior postdate the Cultural Revolution, the Jokhang bustling with worshippers and redolent with mystery, is an unrivalled Tibetan experience. Princess Wencheng is said to have chosen the site of the Jokhang, and just to be difficult she chose Lake Wothang. Over the centuries, the Jokhang has undergone many renovations, but the basic layout is ancient and differs from many other Tibetan religious structures-one crucial difference is the east-west orientation of the building, said to face towards Nepal to honour Queen Bhrikuti. |