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Tibet General Information!

Barkor Street	Curpu Monastery	Dragon King Pond	Drepung Monastery
Gandain Monastery	Itineraries Recommended	Jokhang Monastery	Klukang Monastery
Night Markets in Lhasa	Norbu Lingka	Other Information	Potala Palace
The Lower Tantric College	Tibet Museum	Transport Means	Yangbajain
Follow Me to Lhasa	Lhasa River	Sera Monastery	Yaowang Hill

Barkor Street

Barkor Street is a shopping street around the Jokhang Monastery. Being 500 meters long, it is also a way along which the pilgrims walk around the monastery while turning prayer wheels in their hands.

(Tourists should walk clockwise as pilgrims do. While buying articles, you should choose the best and cheaper one after comparison and bargaining.)

Curpu Monastery

Built in 1187, the Curpu Monastery is located in the Doilungdeqen County, 70 kilometers away from Lhasa. It is the main monastery of the Black Cap Group of the Karma Sect. The system of succession to grant the Living Buddha was originated here and has become popular among various sects of the Tibetan Buddhism.

(Admission is 30 yuan. Open hours: 9.00-14:00. )

Dragon King Pond

At the rear of the Potala Palace, a pond was left after the earth was collected for the construction of the palace in the mid-17th century. The Sixth Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso built a three-story octagon pavilion in the middle of the pond and took a rest in it. The pavilion has the name for a statue of Dragon King in it.

(Admission is three yuan.)

Drepung Monastery

On the slope of the Wuze Hill in Genbei five kilometers northwest of Lhasa, the Drepung Monastery was built in 1416 and is the largest of the monasteries of the Gelug Sect. It covers an area of 250,000 square meters. In its heyday, it had more than 10,000 monks.

The monastery has trained a large group of talents for Tibetan Buddhism. The Fifth Dalai Lama lived here before he moved to the Potala Palace. It houses plenty of historical and cultural relics and Buddhist classics. In the exciting Shoton Festival, "Sunning the Buddha" by the monastery has been one of the most magnificent religious activities in Tibet.

(Admission is 35 yuan. Open hours: 9:00-16:00. Photo taking photo costs 20 yuan in each hall.)

Follow Me to Lhasa

Lhasa means holy land in Tibetan. On the northern bank of Lhasa River, a tributary of Yarlung Zangbo River, it is 3,650 meters above sea level. It is famous for its long history. Lhasa is also famous as a city of sunshine, for its sunshine of more than 3,000 hours a year.

It is the capital city of the Tibet Autonomous Region and is a political, economic and cultural center of the region. It boasts many historical sites and scenic spots both in its urban areas and outskirts. The Potala Palace and Jokhang, Sera, Gaindan monasteries and Drepung Temple are well known at home and abroad.

Potala Palace
Jokhang Monastery
Sera Monastery
Klukang Monastery
Norbu Lingka
Barkor Street
Gandain Monastery
Drepung Monastery
Yangbajain
Yaowang Hill
Dragon King Pond
The Lower Tantric College
Curpu Monastery
Tibet Museum
Lhasa River
Itineraries Recommended
Transport Means
Night Markets in Lhasa
Other Information

Gandain Monastery

In Dagze County 60 kilometers to the east of Lhasa, it is one of the three great monasteries in Lhasa and one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug Sect. Gandain means happiness and contentedness in Tibetan.

The Gandain Monastery was built in early 15th century under the supervision of Zonggaba, the founder of the Gelug Sect. The main buildings include the Coqen Hall, the Chamber of Zonggaba and the College of Yangbajian.

(You can take a mini-bus in the square in front of the Jokhang Monastery. The bus leaves for the Gandain Monastery at 6:30 and back at 14:00. It costs 35 Yuan for going and back and takes two hours one way. The monastery provides simple lodge for 12 Yuan each. The admission is 15 Yuan. Open hours: 9:00-16:00)

Itineraries Recommended

1. Lhasa-Gyangze-Xigaze-SagyaTingri-Zham-Kathmandu

This is a golden itinerary. Along it tourists can see the Nepal-style Ten Thousand Monastery, the brilliant Trashilhunpo Monastery, the river valley landscape at the juncture of the Yarlung Zangbo and Nyangqu rivers, the simple Sakya Monastery and the highest Qomolangma Peak in the world. Also tourists can visit Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, with visa. (With a valid passport, you i cm get visa to visit Nepal in Lhasa.)

2. Lhasa-Xigaze-Lhaze-Coqen-Gerze-Ge'gyai-Shiquanhe-Burang

This itinerary is attractive. Along this route tourists can enjoy the Ngari Prefecture with a sparse population, the mysterious ruins of Guge kingdom, the desolate and unique earthen forests, the Holy Mountain Kangrinboqe Peak and the Sacred Lake Mapam Yumco. But this route takes longer time.

3. Lhasa-Nyingchi-Zetang-Lhasa

This is a round route. Nyingchi is famous as an area on southern bank of the Yangtze River in Tibet and boasts many beautiful sceneries. Along this route, visitors can see the world's first Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, Medog, the last county inaccessible by bus in China, the holiday resort with ethnic features by the unique Lake Pagsum Co and Zetang, the birthplace of Tibetan civilization.

4. Lhasa-Nam Co-Nagqu-Lhasa

The Nagqu Horse-Race Festival is held in July and August each year. It is good to appreciate the annual meeting held on Chongqendu Grassland in Nagqu after visiting the beautiful Sacred Lake Nam Co.

Jokhang Monastery

Located in the center of the ancient city of Lhasa, the Jokhang Monastery was built in tl seventh century by Songtsan Gambo, the Tats Princess Wen Cheng and Nepalese Prince. Bhrikuti. Its four-story main building demonstratc, a combination of the Han, Tibetan, Indian and Nepalese architectural styles, as well as a mand;tl,i world outlook of Buddhism. With the Hall of Amitayus Sutra as its center, the monastery symbolizes the nuclear of the universe. The Hall of Sakyamuni is the essence of the monastery.

(Open hours: 9:00-16:00 The admission is 35 yuan. Photos can be taken in front of the monastery and on the top floor Photos are taken for charges inside the halls. Charges are varied in different halls. It is unkindly to take a picture of Tibetans who stretch their body forward to pay their respects to the Buddha in front of them.)

Klukang Monastery

Located in the northern part of the old city of Lhasa, the Klukang Monastery was built in the mid-seventh century. It was damaged and rebuilt several times. The monastery houses many murals and the statues of Sakyamuni, Maitreya and others. The main hall houses a gilded full-length statue of the eight-year-old Sakyamuni brought to Tibet by the Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti. The monastery is the location of the Tantric College of the Gelug Sect in Tibet.

Lhasa River

A tributary of the Yarlung Zangbo, Lhasa River is a place for Tibetan to have a bath and wash their clothes in the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar. During this Bathing Festival from Garmagun in the east to Sahu in the south and Rainbow Spring at the foot of the Sera Monastery, people are enjoying their bathing and washing.

A legend says during the festival the Lhasa River water is good as the holy water. If you like you can join the local people to have a bath in this holy water. In addition, on the southern bank of the river you can see a reflection of the Potala Palace in the river. Some photographers and funs wait here for this wonderful scene. The Tablet to Mark the Construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway stands on the bank in front of the LongDistance Bus Station in city proper. Also visitors can hire a canoe sewn up with pieces of cattle hide to cross the river here.

Night Markets in Lhasa

Youth Road Night Market

The illuminated night market on the Youth Road is lined with stalls selling snacks, chafing dishes, fruits and handicrafts. This unique street is crowded. The handicrafts are cheaper than those on the Barkor Street.

Tianhai Night Market

The night market in Tianhai is bigger than that on the Youth Road. It provides more kinds of snacks and food and is opened until next morning.

Norbu Lingka

Norbu Lingka means a lovely garden in Tibetan. Located in the western suburbs of Lhasa, it has been a palace for the Dalai Lamas to stay to escape the summer heat. 1t was built in the 1740s and covers an area of 36 hectares. It was once a place of bathing and recuperation of the Seventh Dalai Lama. The Qing minister stationed in Tibet built the first palace here. Since then, the eighth, 13th and 14th Dalai Lamas built their own palaces here too. Continuous expansions in the past 200-odd years have turned it a large scale and Tibet-style palace complex and garden. On festivals and holidays, the local people in their splendid attires come here with food and tents to sing and dance overnight.

(It can be reached on foot from the city center or take mini-bus and get off at the College of Tibetan Medicines stop. Also it costs four yuan by tricycle. The admission is 35 yuan. Open hours: 9:30-18:00 and closed on Sundays.)

Other Information

Telecommunications
Lhasa Posts and Telecommunications Office
Address: at the entrance to Beijing W. Road and east of the Potala Palace
Open hours: 9:00-20:00 (from Monday to Saturday)
10:00-18:00 (on Sunday)
Telegraph Building
Address: at the entrance to Wucha Road in eastern part of the city
Open hours: 8:00-24:00
Also there are many public telephone booths and offices in which you can make an international phone call in the city proper.
Net Bar

Lhasa Telecommunications Bureau provides network services.

Barkor Cafe (in the Jokhang Monastery Square, Barker Street) also provides network services at the charge of seven yuan for 10 minutes and 40 yuan for an hour.

Some neighborhoods and hotels have network services that tourists can get in for.

Foreign Exchange

The circulated currency in Lhasa is Renminbi. Foreign currencies can be exchanged only in Lhasa, Xigaze and Zham. All the offices of the Bank of China in Lhasa provide such services. But only the General Office of the Bank of China accepts the traveler's cheques and Cash Advance.

Lhasa Holiday Inn and Tibet Hotel offer foreign currency exchange services too. You can exchange your money into Renminbi according to the exchange rate of that day with your valid passport.

Visiting other places except Lhasa, Xigaze and Zham, you'd better have enough Renminbi with you. But you can have some US dollars with you too.

Useful Telephone Numbers

Local phone directory 114
Long-distance call inquiry 113
Weather forecast 121
Emergency Department of the
Region's People's Hospital 6322200
Emergency Department of the region's Second Hospital 6322115
The region's Foreign Affairs Office 6324992
Foreign Affair Office of the region's Public Security Bureau 6324528
Civil Aviation Ticket Office 6322417
Chengguan District Taxi Co. 6323762
Police 110
Fire alarm 119
First-Aid Center 120
Code for Lhasa 0891
Remarks

The landscape in Lhasa is beautiful in summer and unique in winter. The snow clapped mountains, concentrated festivals and a warmer climate than other northern areas will impress you with different scenes. Those suffered from high blood pressure, respiratory infection and intestinal disorders should follow the doctor's suggestion. It is better to bring warmer and loose clothes, sunglasses and skin lotion because the ultraviolet ray on the highland is strong. In addition, you should respect the religious belief and living habits of the local people.

Potala Palace

Standing on the Red Hill on Beijing C. Road, Lhasa, the Potala Palace is the highest of its kind in the world. The palace was first built in the seventh century and was damaged in the eighth century. In the 17th century, it was rebuilt by the Fifth Dalai Lama in three years.

Its 13-story main building is 117 meters high and is composed of the Red and White Palaces, with the red one in the middle. The main building consists of the Hall of Stupas of Dalai Lamas from various historical stages and halls of Buddha. The White Palace is the residence of the Dalai Lamas and place for handling political affairs.

The Potala Palace houses great amounts of rare cultural relics including the Pattra-leaf scripture from India, Bak'gyur and the imperial edicts, golden seals and titles of nobility from the Qing emperors to the Dalai Lamas.

(Open hours: 9:00-12:00 As it opens only for three hours a day, it is better for you to arrive earlier. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, more places are opened to visitors. Admission is 70 yuan, but 50 yuan on Sundays. The admission, for the Golden Summit and the Exhibition of Tibet Cultural Relics is 10 Yuan each. Picture taking inside the halts costs 40-150 yuan)

Sera Monastery

At the foot of the Wuze Hill in Sera to the north of Lhasa, the Sera Monastery is one of the three great monasteries in Lhasa and one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Buddhism in Tibet. It was built by one of disciples of Zonggaba in 1419.

On 27th of the 12th month of the Tibetan calendar, the monastery holds the grand Sera Bungchen Festival, which attracts flocks of Buddhists and others.

(Admission is 35 yuan. Open hours: 9:00-16:00)

The Lower Tantric College

This college was established in 1433 by Jizun, a disciple of Zonggaba for the development of Tantrism. It is located on the northern side of Beijing E. Road, Lhasa. The main hall has four stories. On the first floor is the Great Hall of Buddhist Sutra. On the other floors are some 70 rooms.

Tibet Museum

Located at the southeast corner of Norbu Lingka, Lhasa, it is the first modern museum in Tibet. It covers an area of 53,959 square meters and has a floor space of 23,508 square meters including an exhibition area of 10,45 I square meters. The museum demonstrates a strict and magnificent traditional Tibetan architectural style. Also it reflects a salient feature of modern architectural art.

The museum houses a rich collection of cultural relics including various kinds of cultural relics of pre-history, handwritten Tibetan classics, colorful Thangka pictures, music and ritual instruments, unique handicrafts and pottery. From the exhibition, the visitors can see the long-standing history and profound culture and art of Tibet.

Outside the exhibition hall are green lawns and shadowy trees. Also there are a performance area for modern cultural and physical activities, a garden of local customs and folk culture and manor houses. In addition, the museum has a cultural gallery, handicraft shop and other service facilities. It is a good place for people to relax while visiting the exhibition.

(Address: No. 19 Norbu Lingka Road, Lhasa; Tel: 0891-6835244; Open hours: 9:3017:30 in slimmer and 10:00-17:00 in winter.)

Transport Means

Airport Bus - shuttle buses between the airport and the civil aviation center on Nyangrain Road in Lhasa. It takes one and half an hour for 30 yuan one way.

Mini-Bus - the main public transport means in the city areas. The fee is two yuan disregard the distance. Buses Nos. 1 and 2 go to the Long-Distance Bus Station via Norbu Lingka while Buses Nos. 3 and 4 go to the Drepung Monastery and Bus No. 5 gets to the Sera Monastery.

Tricycle - it is available in city proper. Each accommodates two persons and costs three to five yuan.

Taxi - its fee is 10 yuan in the city proper. But it can be bargained for the fee to a place outside the city area.

Bicycle - it can be rented from many hotels and travel services. The fee is two yuan for one hour and 20 yuan for one day.

Yangbajain

In Damxung County, Lhasa, Yangbajain contains rich geothermal resources and is famous as a geothermal museum. The well known Yanbajain Geothermal Power Station stands here.

It has hot springs everywhere and when the valve is switched on, hot water spurts several meters or even dozens of meters high, constituting a magnificent scene.

(Yangbajain is 87 kilometers away from Lhasa proper. It can be reached by taking the long-distance bus in Lhasa. Around the Yanbajain Transport Station there are guesthouses for your stay.)

Yaowang Hill

On the hill opposite the Potala Palace, originally there was the Yaowang (Medicinal King) Temple or the College of Tibetan Medicines.

The senior monks in the temple were doctors who served the Dalai Lamas. In the 1960s, the college was merged with the Hospital of Tibetan Medicines to the west of the Jokhang Monastery. The temple is a ruin now.

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