Kumbum Monastery in Qinghai(1/13)

Kumbum Monastery, also known as Ta'er Monastery, is located at the Lusar Town of Huangzhong County, 25 kilometers southwest of Xining, Qinghai province. Built as early as in 1379, the monastery is one of the six famous monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. As the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, It is a well-known holy land for Buddhist pilgrims. The whole complex, blending the Han and Tibetan architectural styles, is a location of great historical and religious significance as well as a stunning repository of Tibetan arts and cultural relics. The magnificent Large Golden Tiled Temple is the main building of the monastery. The most famous three artistic wonders in the monastery are the exquisite frescoes, lifelike yak butter sculptures and the amazingly beautiful embossed embroidery. [China.org.cn]