Ta’er Temple
- Chinese Name: 青海塔尔寺
- Address: 西宁市湟中县金塔路56号
- Tel: 0971-2232357
- Opening Time: 07:00-18:00
- Recommended Visiting Time:half day
- Tickets :70 CNY/High Season; 40 CNY/Low Season
- Shuttle Bus: 35 CNY
- offical website: https://www.kumbum.org/
Ta’er Temple
strong religious atmosphere.
Located in Huangzhong County, Xining, Kumbum Monastery has a history of more than 400 years. It is one of the important monasteries of the Gelug Sect (Yellow Sect) of Tibetan Buddhism and the birthplace of Master Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Yellow Sect. The monastery is one of the more popular tourist destinations in Xining, with its magnificent architecture, rich treasures, and strong religious atmosphere.
architectural layout
There are obvious differences in the architectural layout between the Kumbum Monastery and the Chinese Buddhist temples in the Mainland: the building complex of the Kumbum Monastery is not symmetrical about the central axis and enters in depth. Kumbum Monastery is an ancient building complex composed of many halls, scripture halls, pagodas, and colleges. Each scripture courtyard, hall, and pagodas are irregularly distributed on a small hill. When tourists are playing, the route is more casual, instead of walking all the way along the central axis.
The Difference Between Buying a Ticket and Touring
When visiting the Kumbum Monastery, if you don’t enter the monastery or the main hall, you don’t need to buy a ticket if you just hang out outside. You only need to check the ticket when you enter some seminaries or main halls that are open to the public. If you come here, it is recommended that you buy a ticket for a tour, because you cannot worship the incarnation of Master Tsongkhapa and appreciate the “three wonders” in the temple without entering the main hall and the scriptures. There are currently more than a dozen courtyards and halls open to tourists in Kumbum Monastery.
tour guide service
There is a tour guide service at the ticket office of the Kumbum Monastery. It is recommended to invite a tour guide, because the historical connotation of the Kumbum Monastery is very profound. Without the explanation of the tour guide, you will miss many interesting stories.
Dajinwa Temple (Hall)
Dajinwa Temple is the center of the whole complex. Legend has it that Master Tsongkhapa was born here. When the master was born, the umbilical cord blood dripped here, and then a bodhi tree grew. Later, the pagoda was outsourced from the tree and the temple was built, so the Kumbum Monastery got its name. Believers believe that this tree and this tower are the embodiment of the master.
Three Wonders of Kumbum Monastery: Butter Flowers, Mural Paintings and Duixiu
Butter flowers are made of ghee mixed with various pigments, and are carved into various Buddha statues, figures, flowers, birds, animals, and pavilions. Tourists can visit the exquisite butter flowers in the butter flower hall (far from the gate) in the temple; in the main halls and corridors of the temple You can enjoy a lot of brightly colored murals of hundreds of years, which are very exquisite; Duixiu is cut into various shapes with various colors of silk and satin, such as Buddha statues, birds and animals, etc., and is made of wool or cotton. It is enriched with class, and then embroidered on the cloth curtain. In the great scripture hall of the temple, two groups of rare large-scale pile embroidery of “Sixteen Arhats Showing Supernatural Powers” and “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea” hang on both sides.
Kumbum Monastery Four Dharma Conferences (Lunar Calendar Timing)
- Owing (the 14th day of the first lunar month) butter flower show (the 15th day of the first month);
- Owing (April 14th) Sunshine on Buddha, and Owing (April 15th);
- Bask in the Buddha, skip debts (the sixth day of June) and turn into a golden Buddha (the eighth day of the June month);
- Bask in Buddha all day (September 22) and skip yawns (September 23).
During the puja, there will be various activities such as exposing Buddha, dancing Dharma, etc. At that time, there will be many believers and tourists who will come to pilgrimage, and the scene will be very lively.
Ta’er Temple Tourist Map
Ta’er Temple Video
Ta’er Temple Photo
Qinghai XiNing Ta’er Temple Transfer: Car Rental with Driver
Ta’er Temple Travel Guide
It is not allowed to take pictures in the temple, it is best to ask the tour guide to explain, once a tourist took a photo with a mobile phone, and then the mobile phone was confiscated by the temple personnel! And it looks like can’t get it back
