西宁市塔尔寺景区Kumbum Monastery Scenic Area, Xining

西宁市塔尔寺景区

塔尔寺位于西宁市西南郊，是一座十分神圣的藏传佛教寺院，也是西宁的必游景点。宗喀巴（格鲁派创始人）诞生于此，历任喇嘛、达赖喇嘛、班禅喇嘛也曾在这里进行宗教活动。同时，这座大型建筑群以其杰出的“艺术三绝”、藏汉建筑的和谐结合以及丰富的珍贵佛经和学术专著而闻名。它被列为“藏传佛教格鲁派六大寺院”之一，被尊为中国西北地区藏传佛教的神圣宗教中心。

塔尔寺占地143公顷，目前保存有1万多座建筑，其中包括僧侣住所、52座大殿和各种佛教建筑，以及10多万件文物。塔尔寺的最大亮点包括欣赏各种藏式建筑，欣赏精美的“艺术三绝”，观看独具特色的佛经辩论和参加盛大的佛教博览会等活动。

八宝如意塔是典型的藏式佛塔，始建于公元1776年，以纪念释迦牟尼的八大功德。该建筑群位于前广场，是塔尔寺最具代表性的建筑之一。八座塔的形状和大小各不相同，但它们的高度都是高6.4米。塔身为白色，5.7平方米的基座由彩色砖块堆砌而成。你可以看到每座塔的腰部都装饰着精美的经文和美丽的图案，还有许多站立的狮子。

大金瓦殿建于公元1379年，位于塔尔寺中心，是塔尔寺的主殿，也是塔尔寺最宏伟的大殿。整座建筑设计精美，琉璃瓦墙和镀金铜瓦屋顶。进入大殿内，迎面矗立着12.5米高的大银塔，这就是宗喀巴诞生的地方。在塔顶的壁龛里有一座宗喀巴的雕像。这座金塔是塔尔寺的瑰宝，佛教徒认为，见到金塔就意味着遇见宗喀巴大师。

小金瓦殿建于公元1692年。它以供奉护法神而闻名和吸引人。这是一座两层单檐、镀金青铜瓦顶建筑。两条回廊中陈设着栩栩如生的野牛、羚羊、熊、猴子等动物标本。据说，这些走兽标本象征一切恶魔鬼怪已被护法神征服。

Kumbum Monastery Scenic Area, Xining 

Located in the southwestern suburb of Xining, Kumbum Monastery is a very sacred Tibetan Buddhist temple and the top must-visit site in Xining. The Tsongkhapa (founder of Gelug Sect) was born here and many successive Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas once conducted religious events in this monastery too. Meanwhile, this large architectural complex is famed for the distinguished Three Arts, the harmonious combination of the Tibetan and Han style buildings and a wealth of precious Buddhist scriptures and academic monographs. It was listed in the Six Greatest Monastery of Tibetan Gelug and respected as a holy religious center of the Tibet Buddhism in the northwest China.

Covering an area of 143 hectares,theKumbum Monastery currently preserves more than 10, 000 buildings, including the monks’dwellings, 52 halls and various Buddhist architectures and over 100,000 pieces of cultural relics. The best highlights oftheKumbum Monastery includes the activities of enjoying the various Tibetan style buildings, admiring the exquisite Three Arts, watchingthedistinctive Buddhist scriptures debating and attendingthegrand Buddhist fairs.

The Eight Pagodas of Buddha Shakyamuni are the typical Tibetan Pagodas originally built in 1776ADto commemorate the eight merits and virtues of Buddha Shakyamuni. Located in the front square, this group isamongthe most representative buildings of the Kumbum Monastery. With different shapes and sizes, the eight pagodas share the same height of 6.4 meters. The body of the pagodas is colored in white and the 5.7-square-meter base is builtby colorful bricks. You can see the waist of each pagoda beingdecorated with delicate scriptures and beautiful patterns and many standing lions.

The Grand Golden Tiled Hall, built in 1379AD, is the main hall and the grandest hall situated in the heart oftheKumbum Monastery. The whole building is extremely well-designedwith glazed tile walls and gilded copper tile roofs. Stepping into the hall, one face a12.5-meter tallsilver tower, which is the birthplace of Tsongkhapa.In the niche on the top of the tower stands the statue of Tsongkhapa. This golden tower is the treasure of the Kumbum Monastery, and Buddhists believe that seeing the tower means seeing the master Tsongkhapa.

The Small Golden Tiled Hall was constructed in 1692 AD. It is famous and attractive for housing the Dhammapala. This is a two-story building with single eave and gilded bronze-tile covered roof. The two corridors are lined with lively specimen of oxen, antelopes, bears and monkeys. It is said that these animal specimens symbolize that all the demons had been conquered by the Dhammapala.