Ta'er Monastery

Chinese name: 塔尔寺（Ta Er Si）
Location: Shaerlu town, Huangzhong county, Xining, Qinghai Province.(about 25km Sothwest of Xining)
Ticket: Entrance ticket CNY70.00 during 01Apr to 31Oct, CNY40.00 during 01Nov to 31Mar, sightseeing bus CNY20.00
Estimated tour time: 2-3 hours
Recommended time to visit: May-Oct
Nearby attractions: Qinghai Lake, Mabufang’s Residence, Dongguan Mosque, Sun and Moon Mountain, etc.

Kumbum Monastery, also called Taer Monastery, located in the village of Huangzhong, some 25 kilometers, or about a half-hour's drive, from the captial city of Xining. originated in 1379 from a pagoda, which marked the birthplace of Tsong Kha-pa, founder of the Gelugpa Sect in Tibetan people. The site covers around 400,000 square kilometers and is home to over 75o monks. The monastery is the center of Gelugpa Sect under the Tibetan Buddhism branch. Meanwhile, the Gelugpa Sect is also known as Yellow Hat Sect. The monastery holds lots of religious activities for monks and believers.

The monastery has an important place in locals’ heart.The name of the monastery in Tibetan refers to ‘10,000 figures of Buddha’. The monastery has become a popular tourist place due to its architecture and history. 

Ta'er Monastery is a very large complex that spreads out over about 14.4 hectares, and consists of numerous structures, some built in a Tibetan architectural style and others built in a Han Chinese architectural style, and includes Buddha halls, scripture ripositories, pagodas, and lama residences, as well as several colleges, since the monastery also serves as a sort of Buddhism university for Lamaist monks. The monastery is supposed to have originated as a simple temple with stupa to mark the birthplace of the famous monk, on which grounds was later built a monastery that was expanded over the centuries.

It includes 52 halls and 9,300 rooms. The construction style absorbs both Tibetan and Chinese elements. The complex is divided into Buddhist halls, dorms, courtyards as well as palaces. However, of all ,the the Great Hall of Meditation along with the Great Hall of the Golden Roof are the highlights.

Qinghai Tibetan Monastery Exploration Travel Ta'er MonasteryThe Great Hall of the Golden Roof has gates of various colors. It lies in the middle of the temple. The gates have different styles of flower patterns on. Meanwhile, the wall features green ceramic tiles. Besides, it has the decorations of numerous agates, and gems and pearls embedded. Thus it makes the whole hall sparkling.

Ta’er Monastery is not just a Buddhist place. It is also a spectacular architecture. The monastery stores precious art works inside such as the murals, the barbolas and the butter sculptures. They all present the exquisite craftsmanship. Particularly, the Butter sculptures are very famous all over the world. Gourd flowers, murals and heap embroidery are the monastery’s three wonders.

In addition, it contains many Buddhist books and history, literature, philosophy, medicine, legislation and other aspects of the academic monographs. The annual “Buddhist Faith Activities” “Four Law Conference” is even more livelier.