Foto: View of the monastery complex (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
China - The Songzanlin Monastery, also known as the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in China’s Yunnan province and is often called the “Little Potala Palace” due to its architectural resemblance to the famous Potala Palace in Lhasa. Located just outside the city of Shangri-La (formerly Zhongdian), at an altitude of about 3,300 meters, this monastery is an important spiritual and cultural center for the Tibetan population in the region. The monastery was founded in 1679 during the reign of the Fifth Dalai Lama with support from the Qing Emperor Kangxi. Since then, it has been a stronghold of the Tibetan Gelugpa order, the “Yellow Hats.” At its peak, it housed more than 2,000 monks. Today, about 700 monks live there who still actively use the monastery for study, prayer, and meditation. The complex covers about 30 hectares and is built against a mountainside, giving it an impressive, monumental appearance. The architecture combines traditional Tibetan styles with Han Chinese influences. Inside the walls, you find beautiful temples, prayer halls, golden roofs, hand-painted frescoes, and giant Buddha statues. The main temple, Zhacang Hall, is especially impressive with its richly decorated interior and six-meter-high gilded Buddha statues. Visiting Songzanlin Monastery is more than a tourist experience; it offers insight into the spiritual life of Tibetan Buddhists. Visitors can attend prayer services, see prayer flags fluttering in the wind, and be immersed in the scent of incense hanging in the air. The kora, the pilgrimage path around the monastery, offers beautiful views over the landscape and is walked daily by monks and devotees. The monastery’s location amid the Himalayan foothills contributes to its mystical atmosphere. In spring and summer, the area is surrounded by flower fields and grazing yaks, while in winter, a blanket of snow gives the monastery a serene appearance.
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