Jokhang Temple Lhasa
Name in Chinese: 大昭寺 Dà Zhāo Sì [da: dzau si]
Duration of Tour: Two Hours
Location: No.2, Barkhor Street, Chengguan District, Lhasa, China
Highlights: the History and Culture of Tibet, the Traditional Tibetan Architecture and Art
Reputations: the Oldest Lamasery in Tibet, a World Cultural Heritage Site, a National Key Historical and Cultural Relic Site under Protection, a Five-star Scenic Area
Jokhang Temple is the oldest lamasery, the earliest wooden and earthen construction in Tibet. It was built by King Songtsan Gambo in the seventh century. The name of the temple, Jokhang, is a Tibetan word, meaning “Buddha’s Hall”. The temple is considered as the most holy pilgrimage destination of Tibetans. Unlike most of lamaseries, Jokhang temple does not belong to any of the sects of Lamaism. All of the lamas who practised either Nyingma Lamaism or Ge-lug-pa Lamaism or any of other teachings regard Jokhang Temple as their most sacred monastery.
Jokhang houses a large number of historical curiosities, including carvings and paintings. One of the priceless art treasures is the life-size statue of Sakyamuni Buddha. There are only three life-size statues of Sakyamuni Buddha in the world. According to historical records and Buddhist scriptures, the three statues were made in the ancient India over 2,500 years ago. Those are statues of the saint in different stages of his lifetime as a human, namely, the Eight-year Old Prince Siddhartha, the Twelve-year Old Prince Siddhartha and the Twenty-five-year Old Prince Siddhartha. The statue of the Twelve-year Old Prince Siddhartha was presented by the king of Ancient India to King Fu Jian(338-385), the ruler of the Former Qin State. Later on, the statue was brought to Lhasa and placed in Jokhang Temple by Princess Wencheng of the Tang Empire in the year of 641. The statue is made of bronze and gilded with gold. Among the three life-size statues, the most exquisite artwork is the statue of the Twelve-year Old Prince Siddhartha. The statue of the Eight-year Old Prince Siddhartha is placed in the nearby Remboch Temple for worship. The statue of the Twenty-five year Old Prince Siddhartha is kept in a pagoda in Bodhgaya, India.
The compound of Jokhang Temple covers an area of 25,100 square meters(6.2 acres). The main buildings in the temple include the Hall of Maitreya Buddha, the Hall of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the Hall of the Three Kings, the Hall of Master Tson-Kapa, etc. The temple is encircled by the famous Barkhor Street. The street is a very important path along which Buddhist pilgrims have walked to Jokhang Temple for centuries.
Travel Tips:
How to Get to Jokhang Temple
Jokhang Temple is located in downtown Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region. Lhasa Kongga International Airport is located 65 kilometers(40 miles) to the southwest of downtown Lhasa. It takes about one and a half hours to get to the city from the airport by car. Currently, the airport operates flights to 47 domestic cities, such as Chengdu, Xi’an, Chongqing, Xining, Kunming, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. There is only one international flight operating between Lhasa and Kathmandu(Nepal). Tourists may also travel to Lhasa from Xining or Chengdu by train.
How to Avoid Acute Mountain Sickness
The City of Lhasa is at an elevation of some 3,650 meters(12,000 feet) above sea level. Most of the tourist will suffer from the Acute Mountain Sickness(AMS). Tips for you to prevent the AMS include keeping hydrated, avoiding a cold, acclimatizing to altitude gradually, avoiding rapid ascent and strenuous exercise, restraining from smoking and drinking alcohol.
Weather
Due to high altitude of Lhasa, you should pack winter clothes before travelling to Lhasa and try to decrease the risk of catching a cold, even in the summer. The high altitude also means that you need to bring sunhats and some suncream for your tour in Lhasa.
Suggested Itineraries:
Eight-day Photographer's Tibet Tour
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Author: Tina Luo
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