In August, be sure to go to Ganqing, where the average temperature is around 20°C!
It is an extremely unique presence in Tibet. In terms of topography, Ganqing is located in the transition from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the Loess Plateau, and its unique geographical location makes it have the landscape of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the charm of the eastern mountains.
It is like a fairyland on earth in the secret realm of Gannan
From the perspective of humanities, Ganqing has the world's Tibetan institution - Labrang Monastery, with the original Tibetan Buddhist culture and the free and free nomadic culture in Tibet.
Labrang Monastery Source: Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism
Ganqing is a neglected Tibetan region.
In the early thirteenth century, Genghis Khan conquered Qinghai and Tibet, and Tibetan Buddhism began to preach with the support of the Buddhist Mongolia emperors, which eventually led to the close connection between the Buddhist faith in Amdo and the native Tibetan religion.
Qutan Temple built according to royal specifications Source: A Buddha bead
It's just that at that time, there were many Tibetan Buddhist sects and chaos. It wasn't until the advent of Tsongkhapa that the land brought the last sect of Tibetan Buddhism, the Gelug sect, and gradually became dominant in Tibetan Buddhism.
This also led to the emergence of a large number of Gelugpa monasteries in the Amdo Tibetan area. As the birthplace of Lama Tsongkhapa, Taal Monastery has long been the center of the Gelugpa faith, attracting countless pilgrims and tourists.
The stone lion in front of the Ta'er Monastery Source: The Voice of Xining Cultural Tourism starts from Ta'er Monastery and ends at Xiaqiong Monastery, the place where Lama Tsongkhapa was ordained, Labrang Monastery, one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug sect, and finally ends at the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion, which reflects the history, inheritance and concept of Tibetan Buddhism.
Tracing back to the development of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, this is a pilgrimage route that must not be missed.
Milarepa Buddha Pavilion
And this belief that has lasted for thousands of years has also allowed Tibetan art to flourish here, creating a unique "Regong art". Qutan Temple, Longwu Temple, Wutun Upper Temple, Wutun Lower Temple and many other temples all treasure the treasures of thangka art.
Mural painting of Qutan Temple Source: Qinghai Provincial Museum
Look, it's not enough, only by experiencing thangka painting once, can you feel the heavy faith that precipitates in the pen and see the customs of the Tibetan land behind the bright colors.
Thangka works drawn by previous students
The culture of Gan Thanh is rich and colorful, and it is like a pearl embedded in this land, shining with a unique light.
But it's not just the culture that attracts Ganqing. The Ganga Secret Realm will take you into the world of oil paintings. The unique ruins of the ancient city of Octagonal carry the weight of history, embellished with the greenery of the mountains, which is the color of freedom.
Octagonal Ancient City and White Stone Cliff Source: Jin Wan
If you have never seen the summer of Ganqing, then in this August (8.12-18), follow Master Wei Wen to this neglected other Tibetan region, to follow in the footsteps of Lama Tsongkhapa, to touch familiar and unfamiliar beliefs, to encounter mountains, meadows, lakes, and blue skies.
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Traveling lecturer
Wei Wen has a Ph.D. in history, and is an associate researcher at the Institute of History of the China Tibetology Research Center, majoring in Sino-Tibetan Buddhist art history
His research direction is the history of Tibetan and Han multi-ethnic Buddhist exchanges and the history of Buddhist material and cultural exchanges since the 11th century, and he has participated in many key projects on Tibetan Buddhist art such as the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the National Press and Publication Administration, and the Beijing Municipal Education Commission.
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Highlights of the study tour
■ The in-depth baptism of Tibetan Buddhist culture in Amdo Tibetan area
A one-time visit to important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in Qinghai and Gannan Tibetan areas: Ta'er Monastery, the center of Tibetan Buddhism in Northwest China; Labuleng Monastery, a world Tibetan scholar; Qutan Temple, the first royal temple in the world of official architecture in the Han Dynasty; Milarepa Buddha Pavilion, a holy place of Tibetan Buddhism; Lama Tsongkhapa's birthplace, Shaqiong Monastery; Longwu Temple, a temple with a longer history than Taal Temple; The inheritance of the early Regong art Gari style is Niandu Temple. This paper reviews the rise, development, spread and influence of Tibetan Buddhism in another Tibetan region from the aspects of development history, cultural inheritance, religious art, etc.
■ Special visit to the "Milarepa Buddha Pavilion" to feel the inclusiveness of Tibetan Buddhism
Known as the "Museum of Tibetan Buddhism", the Milarepa Pavilion enshrines the founding patriarchs of the Gelug, Kadampa, Sakya, and Kagyu traditions. The founding patriarchs of different sects and the system of mentorship are enshrined in the same Buddha hall, and this view is unique to the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion.
■ Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity "Regong Art"
Thangkas are moving Buddhist shrines that are the embodiment of Tibetan culture. We will take you to see the world's longest thangka scroll, check in the birthplace of Regong thangka art, look for the thangka mural carved on the wall, and finally paint a thangka work that is unique to you.
■ Why choose Ganqing?
Comfortable altitude - if you want to go to Tibet but are afraid of high altitude, then Ganqing has an average altitude of 3,000 meters, which can be called the most approachable Tibetan area;
Rich landscapes – grasslands, mountains, river valleys...... Every day, you can feel the shock from nature;
Cool temperatures – even in summer, the highest temperature is in the mid-twenties, making it a well-deserved summer resort.
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Trip Preview
Special tips: 1. If you need to stand or walk a lot during the trip, please wear comfortable sports shoes or casual shoes; 2. If you are affected by temporary traffic control, scenic spots or weather, etc., you may make certain adjustments to the driving route and itinerary order or content; 3. Qutan Temple is under repair recently, and it may not be possible to enter the interior to view the murals.
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Fees and Registration
Time: August 12-August 18 (7 days and 6 nights) Location: Qinghai · Xining Dissolution Place: ·, Gansu Lanzhou original price: 9380 yuan/person group price: 9180 yuan/person (2 people or more can be enjoyed) ◆ 10 people to travel, 20 people to close the group (if there is a single room difference or 1 person to float up, if the group is not formed, a full refund will be given) ◆ The study tour includes the cost of Thangka artist hand-painting experience ◆ The activity needs to be confirmed twice. After registration, the customer service will notify you to make a trip, and then purchase high-speed rail/air tickets for transportation. For details, please scan the QR code for consultation
Inclusions
1. Transportation: Comfortable air-conditioned coach for the whole journey
2. Accommodation: 6 nights accommodation in a local hotel of high standard
3. Meals: Breakfast + 10 special meals + mineral water
4. Service: full expert explanation + professional team leader service
5. Tickets: Entrance fees to all attractions in the itinerary, thangka artist hand-painting experience fees (finished products can be taken away)
6. Other: Wireless Bluetooth explainer
7. Insurance: High Dollar Travel Travel Insurance
Excludes
1. Dinner on the fifth day in Regon
2. The cost of transportation to and from the study destination;
3. Other consumption due to personal reasons;
4. Single room charge.
◆ Default standard room, 1 room for two, if you need a single room, contact customer service to make up the difference after the group is formed
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Spoilers for the process
01. Tibetan Buddhist monasteries Monasteries are not only the existence of Buddhism to support the Dharma and guide sentient beings, but also the history of its construction and rise and fall, which are closely related to the social background of the time.
On this trip, we will visit two of the six major monasteries of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism: Taal Monastery and Labrang Monastery (the rest are in Tibet). Gelug was the last sect to emerge in Tibetan Buddhism and gradually occupied the dominant position of Tibetan Buddhism.
Taal Temple Rulai Eight Pagodas
The location of Taal Monastery is the birthplace of Lama Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school, the whole temple has a unique statue, integrating the Sino-Tibetan architectural art style, and the butter flowers, murals and pile embroidery in the temple are known as the "Three Uniques of Taal Monastery".
Ta'er Monastery received the attention and support of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and many Dalai Lamas and eminent monks and living Buddhas visited the temple to pay homage, stay in Xi and preach the Dharma, so that its reputation, status, influence and scale gradually expanded, and had a far-reaching religious influence in the Mongolian and Tibetan regions.
Interior of Taal Temple
Labrang Monastery is the representative of the monasteries in the Gannan area, known as the most rigorous and perfect monastery of the Tibetan Buddhist system in Amdo Tibetan area, retains the most complete Tibetan Buddhist teaching system and the strict system of sutra and tantric concurrent cultivation, and is known as the "world Tibetan school", is the common holy place in the hearts of religious believers, and also has the longest prayer corridor in the world.
Labrang Monastery has the longest prayer corridor in the world
Qutan Temple and Xia Qiong Temple, although not as famous as the first two, are definitely worth a special trip.
In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, in order to stabilize the political situation in Qinghai, Zhu Yuanzhang allowed the construction of Qutan Temple in accordance with the imperial building specifications.
Qutan Temple Imperial Tablet Pavilion Source: The Voice of Xining Cultural Tourism
This is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery with Han style architectural style, on the central axis from the mountain gate, there are large buildings such as King Kong Hall and Qu Tan Palace, and the left and right sides are lined with small buildings such as stele pavilions, wall galleries, bell and drum towers. The halls of different styles, the stone green spindle paintings, and the quaint dougong are the architectural characteristics of the Ming Dynasty. It is known as the "Little Forbidden City on the Plateau".
A corner of Qutan Temple Source: Ah Cheng's daydream
The Xiaqiong Monastery, built in the ninth year of the Yuan Dynasty, is the oldest monastery in Qinghai, and its founder is the enlightenment teacher of Lama Tsongkhapa, so it has a special place in the history of religion. In addition, the geographical location of the temple is extraordinary, it is located on the top of the hundred-foot cliff, the Yellow River at the foot of the mountain is rolling, the bearing is extraordinary, adding a mystery and solemnity to the Xia Qiong Temple.
Xia Qiong Temple Source: Qinghai Provincial Library
Statue of Master · Tsongkhapa of Shaqiong Monastery
Once you have learned about Gelugpa, Milarepa will tell you about the Kagyu lineage. The pavilion is dedicated to the most legendary Tibetan people, known to women and children, His Holiness Milarepa and one of the founders of the Kagyu lineage.
Milarepa Buddha Pavilion
This unique nine-story Buddhist pavilion in Tibet has 1,720 Buddha statues of various types such as many Buddha statues, bodhisattvas, and protector gods of the four tantric vehicles with Vajra as the main body. The various murals that reflect the content of Tibetan Buddhism are huge in scale, superb in painting techniques, and have high artistic value.
Interior of the Milarepa Buddha Pavilion
02. The hometown of Tibetan Buddhist art
Thangka is a unique art form in Tibetan culture with a history of more than 1,000 years. It is an artistic treasure of the Chinese nation and a wonder in the brilliant folk art of the mainland.
It is recorded that thangkas appeared in Tibet in the 7th century AD during the Songtsen Gampo period. In the 13th century, the Huangnan Tibetan region of Qinghai gave birth to Regong art. After the completion of the Longwu Temple in the Yuan and Ming dynasties, Regong art really formed a scale and gradually became a Tibetan Buddhist art integrating architecture, painting and sculpture.
Longwu Temple
Longwu Temple is the largest Gelugpa temple in Qingnan area, with more than 8,000 total building halls, and it is a glorious hall that integrates the essence of architecture, sculpture and painting.
The temple is surrounded by mountains and rivers, the momentum is magnificent, the temple is self-contained, and there are many temples. The buildings rise in cascade by the mountain, and the large and small scripture halls and Buddha halls are dotted around, and the layout is scattered. The large volume of the scripture hall and the Buddhist hall control the overall situation, and the Lama tower is used as a point to form a kind of spatial modeling effect with rich contours and undulating heights.
Longwu Temple Source: Qinghai Provincial Museum
There are many precious cultural relics in the temple, such as 10 statues of Shakyamuni Buddha and Tsongkhapa enshrined in the main scripture hall, which are exquisitely shaped, especially the statue of Tsongkhapa is as high as 11 meters, the circumference of the base is 26 meters, the whole body is gilded, and it is inlaid with pearls and gemstones; There are more than 20 magnificent large-scale murals decorated in the scripture hall, as well as dozens of embroideries and thangkas.
Amitabha Elysium | Regong Thangka Boutique
There are many temples in Longwu Temple, among which the Wutun Upper Temple and the Wutun Lower Temple were built in the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, which is the birthplace of the Tibetan "Regong Art" and is known as the "Regong Art School".
The white pagoda of Wutunxia Temple
There are more than 200 years ago in the temple of Wutun, there are the great scripture hall, Tsongkhapa hall, etc., the hall treasures a variety of statues of different specifications, the Tang Dynasty, many precious cultural relics such as reliefs and the scriptures such as "Kangyur". The monks are good at painting and sculpture, and have produced many masters for hundreds of years, creating countless artistic masterpieces with rigorous production technology, ingenuity and sincerity, and perseverance for several years.
There are many halls and ornate decorations, and the temple contains five Shakyamuni Buddha relics that are said to have been invited from India, and are enshrined in the Shakyamuni Buddha statue as the treasure of the temple. As the only and largest open-air three-sided Buddha on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the majestic statue of Amitabha Buddha shrouds people in the pure land of Buddhahood, and he spends his days and nights looking down on the believers and laypeople in the red dust, spreading compassion.
Open-air three-sided Buddha
After seeing the thangka of the monastery, the "treasure of the town" of the China Tibetan Medicine Culture Museum - the world's longest thangka should not be missed. It is said that an important purpose of the museum is to collect and display this thangka.
The China Museum of Tibetan Medicine Culture is a comprehensive national first-class museum with the theme of Tibetan medicine culture, and it is also the only professional museum of Tibetan medicine culture in the world. Here you can look at the long civilization time of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, feel the precious Tibetan medicine culture, and enjoy the gorgeous and magnificent painted grand view.
Precious Tibetan Medicine Ancient Books and Documents Source: Official Tibetan Culture Museum
"The treasure of the town hall" thangka is called "Chinese Tibetan culture and art painting grand view" (the first part), 618 meters long, 2.5 meters wide, from planning to completion lasted 27 years, by Qinghai, Tibet, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan five provinces and regions more than 400 experts and scholars and arts and crafts masters created, the picture is fine, the color is gorgeous, the momentum is magnificent, known as the "contemporary national treasure".
The scene of Princess Wencheng's entry into Tibet drawn in "The Grand View of Tibetan Culture and Art Painting in China" Source: "Qinghai Daily"
Just watching is not enough? Walk into the Thangka Studio, experience the art of Thangka at zero distance, and let the thousand-year-old history of Thangka art flow through your fingertips. 03. Secret land, grassland, collector's style
Rivers, cliffs, grasslands, lakes, ancient cities, and ancient temples together form a picture-like cultural landscape of Ganqing.
In this trip, in addition to setting foot in the temple, we also deliberately chose the characteristic cultural landscape, so that we can wander in the mountain grass sea in summer, follow the mountain sect, water source and ancient road together, and see the natural beauty of the great beauty of Qinggan.
The mysterious ruins of the ancient city of Octagon
In the core area of the Ganjia Secret Realm, there is a unique octagonal ancient city ruins, which is the fortress of ancient Ganqing traffic and the military town of the successive regimes. The ruins of the octagonal city are well preserved, the geographical location is special, the castle has a unique shape, and the city wall as a whole is in the shape of a "swastika". On the surrounding hilly terraces, there are remnants of terraced rice fields that were abandoned in ancient times.
About the Octagon City→ a city, eight corners? It is the only "wonderful" in the ancient city! For details, please scan the QR code for consultation
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