Date: 2006-09-14 to 16
Qinghai province is on the west of Gansu and south east of Xinjiang. The capital city is Xining (2300 M above sea level) with population about 2 million.
The monastery of Kumbum is at the place where Zongkapa, the founder of the dominant Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Lamaism was born. He left the place at young age and never returned, but according to legend, his mother stayed behind and had a pagoda built. From this story, we were told, the Chinese name of the monastery is derived: "Ta Er si" - the "pagoda (built) before the monastery". The monastery today serves as a spiritual center for Tibetans, Mongolians and Chinese. Architecturally it is very distinct from Chinese temples, because the main building material of the outer walls is stone and a composite material of mud and straw, rather than wood, and the plain white high rising walls are structured by horizontal bands of color reminiscent of the famous Potala palace in Lhasa. The monastery comprises an ensemble of pagodas, schools, and stupas that spread from a small valley up the hillside.
Qinghai Lake - a lightly salty lake, water is clean and clear. There is a famous bird island where migrating birds take their break there.
2012-12-23: Add photos from Multiply.com site.
塔尔寺
青海湖
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