The highest institution of Tibetan Buddhism - Labrang Monastery

On August 8th, I visited Labrang Monastery. The monastery is located in Xiahe County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. It is one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and is known as the "World Tibetan Academy." The monastery was founded in 1709 by the first Jamyang Zhepa, and through the efforts and expansions by successive Jamyang Zhepas, it has become the largest Tibetan religious and cultural center in the Gansu, Qinghai, and Sichuan regions. Labrang Monastery not only has a large scale, with 6 major colleges, 84 Buddha halls, and more than 12,000 monk quarters, but also retains the best Tibetan Buddhist education system in the country. At its peak, the number of monks reached over 4,000. Labrang Monastery is not only a center for religious activities but also an important carrier of Tibetan culture. The monastery houses a large number of ethnic relics and Buddhist artworks, including large Buddha statues made of gilded bronze or sandalwood, some over 8 meters high. Historically, Labrang Monastery was said to have 108 affiliated monasteries and was the political and religious center of the Gannan region. It opened to tourists in 1980 and was designated as a national key cultural relic protection unit in 1982. The architectural style of Labrang Monastery is unique, facing south and covering a total area of 866,000 square meters, with a building area of more than 400,000 square meters. It has more than 90 main halls, forming a magnificent architectural complex with Tibetan characteristics. The full Tibetan name of the monastery is "Ganden Shartse Darje Tashi Yushe Chokhorling," which means "Auspicious Right-turning Monastery of Joyful Teaching and Practice," abbreviated as Tashi Kyil Monastery or Labrang Monastery.