Baiju Monastery (Xinhua/Tao Xiyi)
The Baiju Monastery, perched on a highland 3,900 meters above sea level, is the only place where you can see the three major sects of the Tibetan Buddhism together.
Visitors go into the main temple of Baiju Monastery on Aug. 14, 2014. (Xinhua/Liu Kun)
Constructed 600 years ago in Gyangze County, in Xigaze, about 230 kilometers south of Lhasa, the monastery is also known as "Auspicious Wheels Temple" in Tibetan. It is a sanctuary for the Sakya, Kadampa and Gelug sects.
A Buddhist statue in Baiju Monastery (Xinhua/Liu Kun)
Inside the main hall of Baiju Monastery (Xinhua/Liu Kun)
Its most prominent feature is the Baiju Pagoda, formally known as The Buddha Pagoda. The nine-storey building comprises more than 100 chambers where visitors can see Buddhist statues and other religious items.
Baiju Pagoda (Xinhua/Liu Kun)
Baiju Pagoda (Xinhua/Purbu Tashi)
These chambers house more than 100,000 Buddha paintings, so it is also called "The Hundred Thousand Buddha Pagoda".
Buddhist Painting in Baiju Monastery (Xinhua/Liu Kun)
Buddhist Painting in Baiju Monastery (Xinhua/Purbu Tashi)
The main hall and the outer walls are a gateway to history with examples of Tibetan Buddhist architecture styles from the 13th to the 15th centuries.
Baiju Pagoda (Xinhua/Purbu Tashi)
Outer wall of Baiju Monastery (Xinhua/Purbu Tashi)
Believers celebrate a religious festival in Baiju Monastery on Feb. 22, 2015. (Xinhua/Purbu Tashi)
Believers celebrate a religious festival in Baiju Monastery on Feb. 22, 2015. (Xinhua/Purbu Tashi)
The best time to visit would be religious festivals, when tens of thousands of pilgrims flood into this monastery to perform their rituals. The solemn atmosphere and grand scale are awe-inspiring.
