| Tsetang,(Tzedang
or Tsedang) is a small country town about 2 hours drive from Lhasa. From
here, visitors can undertake excursions to the Yarlung valley to see the
Tibetans king graves
and the old Samye and Mindroling monasteries. Samye Monastery is the
oldest monastery of Tibet.
Gyantse,
(Jiangzhi)which lies on south-west
of Lhasa, is the third largest of the old Tibetan towns. The most
important structure here is Palkhor Tschode. The circle-shaped monastery
site, whch is enclosed by a wall, used to have several monasteries
belonging to different sect. The 32 metres tall Kumbum pagoda is in the
shape of a three dimensional Mandala and symbolises Mount Meru. The
central structure at the tip of the dagoda is a chapel for the original
Buddha.
The fertile Gyangtse (Gyangze) Valley along the
Nyangchu River after passing a chain of snow-capped mountain peaks with
the highest being Mt. Nojin Gangsang. The region is known as a granary
of Tibet.
The ancient town of Gyangtse has a history of
over six centuries. It sits by the road from Lhasa to Sakya, Shigatse
and Yatong and has from ancient times been a center where pilgrims,
merchants and travelers converge.
Xigaze,
(Shigatze, or Xigatse)360 km west
of Lhasa, is traditionally the seat of the Panchen Lama, the second head
of Tibetan Buddhism. In ancient Tibet the town, which today has less
than 50,000 inhabitants, was the capital of Tsang province. The
residence of the Panchen Lama, Tashi-Lhunpo Monestery, was founded in
1447 by a pupil of Tsongkhapa. The monestery site was substantially
enlarges during 17th and 18th centuries. Nearly
4,000 monks used to lived here but today there are only 600. The most
important builiding is Maitreya Chapel, built by the 9th
Panchen Lama in 1914. The memorial of the 4th Panchen Lama is
also worth seeing. It is 11 metres tall and was erected in 1662. It is
decorated with 3,000 ounces of gold, 15 tons of silver and innumerable
preecious stones.
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