Drepung Monastery

It turned out that chartering a car to Drepung Monastery at the foot of the mountain was a very wise choice. Climbing from the foot of the mountain to the entrance of Drepung Monastery was really a very strenuous activity, and there were wild yaks everywhere.

If it weren’t for the consecration, I probably wouldn’t have gone to Drepung Monastery.

This is the most prestigious temple of the Gelugpa sect and the largest temple in Lhasa and even in Tibet. It is indeed worthy of its reputation.

There are numerous palaces of various sizes, and they are huge in scale.

The master of the hall blessed the beads and sprinkled holy water on them.

For some reason, I always feel that the beads sparkle in the sun.

This is my third visit to a Tibetan Buddhist temple. I didn’t have a deep understanding of the Gedun Songzanlin Monastery last time, but this time I sincerely discovered that Tibetan Buddhism is still relatively simple and has been well-preserved and has not been polluted by the secular world.

Tibetans come to worship, holding a handful of one-yuan coins in one hand and a kettle filled with butter in the other. They put a one-yuan coin in front of each Buddha statue and add butter to the lamp oil. The whole process is voluntary and no lama will appear.

Some Tibetans may not have one yuan in their hands, and they don't want to give too much to a Buddha statue. Then, they can throw ten or twenty yuan in front of the Buddha statue. Then, they can reach into the pile of money to find the change. No one asks about the whole process, it is all based on self-consciousness, and Tibetans will not take more.

There are many tourists like us who didn't spend a penny in the temple from beginning to end. Because Tibetan temples don't burn incense, tell fortunes, ask for divination sticks, or interpret fortunes. There are not even shops selling consecrated Buddhist beads, so there is nowhere to go if you want to spend money.

In comparison, I don't want to talk about Chinese Buddhism. Although they can't cheat me of money, it makes me irritated. Many monks don't know what the money precept is. It's just nonsense.

Drepung Monastery is so big that it takes about 4 hours to visit it all. Because it is located on the mountainside, the altitude is also the highest in Lhasa. Mom and Jane were exhausted and I was a little out of breath. I only went to 2 of the 4 major monasteries and didn't go to the rest.

Drepung Monastery is one of the six major monasteries of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism and one of the three major monasteries in Lhasa. Its original name is Jixiang Yongheng Shifang Zunshengzhou. It is the largest monastery in Tibetan Buddhism. It is located in the north of Lhasa and is about 40 minutes by taxi.

The temple is very large and has fixed tourist routes. The Coqen Hall, the four major zacangs and the Ganden Phodrang are all famous attractions. The life-size statue of Maitreya, the Manjusri bronze mirror, the red-sealed Tripitaka and other cultural relics collected in the hall are priceless and highly recommended.

The biggest experience is that this temple is really huge! After visiting one hall, there is another hall, and there is even more space as you walk along the road.

We took Didi to the temple, which cost 40 yuan one way. Remember to ask the driver to drive to the parking lot on the mountain, otherwise you will be exhausted before you reach the temple after climbing from the foot of the mountain. There are various murals and stone carvings on the mountain, showing a strong religious color.

I really like the decoration and pattern on the roof, which fully reflects the architectural aesthetics. When we came, there was chanting in the temple, which was very sacred.

I forgot that I couldn’t wear skirts, so I rented a pair of Tibetan-style pants at the entrance of the temple before I was allowed in. I paid a deposit of 100 yuan.

There are almost no tourists in the Drepung Monastery in the early morning, and the atmosphere is ancient and quiet.

The red and green autumn leaves set against the white walls look really beautiful.

In the main hall on the second floor, the sunlight after the rain poured in through the glass. The geraniums in the window, along with a lama meditating nearby, were all bathed in the halo of light, and we were all fascinated by the sight.

I went there on a weekend while on a business trip. Unfortunately, I was a little late, arriving around 3 o'clock, so some temples were closed at 3:30. Since it was the off-season, I took a Didi and went directly to the ticket office. As a result, I had to climb the mountain from the ticket office to the temple. First, I was in a hurry, and second, I couldn't climb. The master I met was better. He sent me up after I paid a 2 yuan parking fee. I happened to meet a few people who wanted to join a tour guide, so I joined them. Later, I felt that it was necessary to hire a tour guide for the first time. I will go again next time if I have the chance, and I must go early.

The view of Lhasa city from the way up the mountain is still very beautiful. After walking all the way to the top of the mountain, I was really exhausted and couldn't tell the directions. But I saw another different scene~The scene was a bit shocking. Although we didn't understand what was going on, we saw a lot of people sitting cross-legged over there. There were also sounds coming from the house, and the sound of chanting was playing. The monks were also busy and couldn't stop. They carried kettles and distributed sweet tea everywhere~We asked the monks for a cup of hot sweet tea. They were very friendly and basically gave it to us~Later, we walked around the temple all the way, but basically there was no place open~In fact, we just came to see the Buddhist temple. If you want to see some beautiful scenery, I don't recommend coming here. When you come here, you have to slow down your pace, walk around a little bit, feel the Buddhist culture, look at the buildings, look at the prayer flags, look at the carvings~

Located in the valley on the southern slope of Gepei Utse Mountain in the western suburbs of Lhasa, Drepung Monastery is one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug Sect and the largest of the three major monasteries in Lhasa. Drepung Monastery is the largest monastery in the Tibetan area with the most monks and the highest level. The grandest festival in Tibet, the Lhasa Shoton Festival, kicks off here every year. At that time, the lamas will hang large thangkas on the entire hillside, which is very spectacular.

Drepung Monastery is located at the foot of Gengpiwuzi Mountain in the western suburbs of Lhasa. The entire monastery is large in scale, with white buildings lined up one after another covering the hillside. From a distance, it looks like a huge pile of rice, hence the name Drepung. Drepung, which means "rice gathering" in Tibetan, symbolizes prosperity. Its full Tibetan name means "Auspicious Rice Accumulation Ten Directions Victory Continent". It is the highest-ranking monastery in the Gelugpa sect.

On the second day, we visited Drepung Monastery, the center of the Tibetan political power in 1600. Drepung Monastery is located on a hillside in the western suburbs of Lhasa. The whole monastery is very grand. Following the footsteps of the devout Tibetans, we visited the white buildings lined up one after another and looked at the colorful Buddha statues in the hillside. The whole monastery is built on the mountain. It is not recommended to go there on the second day of entering Tibet. The strong basketball team captain who was traveling with us had altitude sickness, vomited, had a fever, and needed emergency oxygen and intravenous drip.

Drepung Monastery is a Gelugpa monastery of Tibetan Buddhism in China. Together with Ganden Monastery and Sera Monastery, it is known as the three major monasteries in Lhasa. It is located at the foot of Gengpi Uzi Mountain in the western suburbs of Lhasa. The entire monastery is large in scale, with rows of white buildings covering the hillside. From a distance, it looks like a huge pile of rice, hence the name Drepung. Drepung, which means "rice gathering" in Tibetan, symbolizes prosperity. The full Tibetan name means "Auspicious Rice Accumulation Ten Directions Victory Continent". It is the highest-ranking monastery in the Gelugpa sect.

Came here after seeing the recommendation.

If you take a taxi from the foot of the mountain, it will cost 20 dollars per person... And this road is indeed steep and long. It takes courage to carry a big backpack and walk up to an altitude of 3700+. Unfortunately, Fish Leong did not give me...

The temple is built on the mountain, it is so big... carrying the guide and walking slowly, it is a bit uncomfortable...

There are many platforms where you can look out over Lhasa...

There are temples of all sizes, and many devout people chanting, holding coins, and worshiping in their own way of faith.

When they saw me, a different outsider, they smiled and even said: Tashi Delek!

It takes about four hours to visit all the major temples by walking and stopping here and there!

Scenery? You probably won’t find it here.

Here, the Tibetan people live a life of faith from childhood to old age, a faith in life.

Drepung Monastery is very large and very photogenic, but you may need a guide to understand the stories inside.

There are not many believers and tourists. Compared with other temples, it is less popular, but it has the tranquility and indifference that a temple should have. It is transcendent and fascinating.

It is not a very popular tourist attraction, there are few people, and the temple is very quiet, but it is very unique and worth savoring.

The transportation is not very convenient, but it is a place worth visiting.

Beautiful. I like this kind of scenery. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Drepung Monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist temple. It is most famous for the Buddha exhibitions that cover the hillside during the Shoton Festival. Every year during the Shoton Festival, tourists from all over the world come here from afar to witness this spectacular sight.

During the Shoton Festival, the Drepung Monastery will sunbathe the Buddha. This is the most grand event in the monastery every year. I strongly recommend everyone to go and see it. Even if you are not a Buddhist, you can feel the incredible power of Buddhism among the devout believers.

On our last day in Lhasa, we decided to visit Drepung Monastery, the largest and most prestigious temple in the universe.

The colorful temple courtyard.

Drepung Monastery is more like a miniature castle, with stairs, alleys and mountain paths leading to all directions, and Lhakhang, Phodrang and Zhacang one after another.

The most recommended temple in Lhasa is also the largest temple complex in Lhasa. You can spend an hour or two there, which is totally worth the money. There are very few people in winter. On the day I went there, there were probably less than 10 tourists on the whole mountain.

It is recommended to take the bus to Drepung Monastery Station, and then take a small car to the ticket gate, because the distance between them is really far, and it is not recommended to walk. The small car usually costs 5 yuan per person. When I went there, I was the only one there, so it was equivalent to 20 yuan for a chartered car.

Some halls of Drepung Monastery close early, so pay attention to the time.

It was already quite late when we got there, so we didn't expect to see any big halls or anything. But we saw a hall entrance full of shoes. We went over to take a look out of curiosity, and happened to encounter a debate. We were so happy.

Drepung Monastery can really calm people down. I walked here alone, stopping and walking, feeling every brick, every blade of grass and every tree. I think this place is like the "Santorini" of Tibet. On a mountain, there are some houses that look similar, but they give people an inexplicable sense of belonging.

The ticket is 60 yuan, and the student ID card is useless. There are relatively many tourists in Drepung Monastery, and there are food for sale.

There are very few tourists visiting Drepung Monastery in this season. We drove up from the back mountain and hardly saw any tourists along the way.

The sun was shining brightly at the Drepung Monastery at this time, and the atmosphere was peaceful and tranquil. The faint flames of the butter lamps in the monastery were like guiding lights, illuminating our way forward.

You need to climb up and down the big and small halls. Some places are so steep that you need to use your hands and feet to climb. It is a bit difficult for people with poor physical fitness to visit.

I don't know if it was because we arrived late, but there were not many people in Drepung Monastery. It was quiet and peaceful. I met a small tour group from Hong Kong with a guide. We followed them into the kitchen of Drepung Monastery. The old monks prepared meals in an orderly manner. I listened to some stories about kitchen utensils and Tibetan cuisine...

Some people say that you will feel a special feeling there, that feeling allows your mind and soul to rest. It will make you like this place involuntarily. This place is quiet and warm.

Walking into Drepung Monastery, the white walls all around attracted my attention. It was as if I had walked into a pure world without a trace of dirt. Drepung Monastery is so big that you can't walk around it in a day. Walking in this ancient temple, it seems that all the disturbances in the outside world are blocked by the white. What is left is the sound of wind and water, the sound of yaks, and the whispers of monks, which echo in your ears. You don't feel disgusted at all, but feel it is a kind of enjoyment.

The alleys seem to have a kind of magic, attracting you to explore them, making you unable to leave. Gently touch the wall and close your eyes, as if you can feel the vicissitudes of life. Walking into this temple is like walking into the depths of your own soul. Everything is so natural and comfortable. Stepping on these steps, it seems to be tapping your heart. Here, time becomes very slow, so slow that it makes people linger and reluctant to leave.

My favorite temple in Lhasa, it is the most spectacular. If you avoid the peak tourist season, you can feel the power of Tibetan people's faith. If you are physically fit, I suggest you climb up and slowly feel the whole environment and atmosphere.

The largest and most prestigious temple of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism, it is also one of the "three major temples" in Lhasa. Its full name is Jixiang Miju Shifang Zunshengzhou, and it is the largest temple in the world.

The entire temple is built step by step according to the mountain terrain, with Buddhist temples, scripture halls, and monks' quarters. The buildings are towering, the levels are staggered, and the scale is grand. Climbing at high altitudes is quite physically demanding. I was so busy climbing the mountain and seeing the scenery that I didn't go deep into the temple to visit.

Drepung Monastery is also built on the mountain, so you need to climb the mountain to visit it.

There are not many people coming to Drepung Monastery, and there are rarely any tourist groups. I don't know if it's because we came late or there are not many tourists here. On the way, we did get a tour group's explanation, but most of the halls didn't have explanations, so we could only take a quick look. If you want to learn more about the culture of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism, it's better to sign up for an individual tour or hire a tour guide to explain.

Drepung Monastery is full of beautiful scenery, including the azure blue sky, unique temples, and magnificent palaces. Walking and taking photos along the way is fun and relaxing. The clear blue sky makes people's hearts pure.

After getting off the bus, we still had to walk a short distance, and we were out of breath. When we got to the top of the mountain, the mountain opposite was so beautiful that it looked fake, like a huge landscape painting unfolding opposite us. I was so excited that I stamped my feet

It is better for tourists to abide by the rules. Curiosity should be based on respect for others.

The most Tibetan scenic spot, I have been there twice, the most worthwhile scenic spot in Tibet, it used to be the largest temple complex. Now it has shrunk a lot, it is best to come in the morning and spend a day to see it slowly.

There are debate activities in Drepung Monastery, but the scale is not as large as that of Sera Monastery, so it is not as famous. However, there are few tourists, so you can join in the fun up close~

The debate begins at around 3 o'clock, and at the same time many halls of Drepung Monastery begin to close. So just follow the master and concentrate on the debate. If you don't understand, just join in the fun.

Drepung Monastery is a Buddhist college in Tibet and also the site of the annual Tibetan Thangka Competition during the Shoton Festival. The ticket price for Drepung Monastery is 60 yuan per person. Because there is a 1.5-kilometer uphill journey from the ticket office to the scenic spot, it is best to pay the driver for parking and have him take you to the scenic spot on the mountain, otherwise it will be very tiring.

There are both manual tour guides and electronic tour guides in Drepung Monastery. The manual tour guide costs 200 yuan, and the rental fee and deposit of the electronic tour guide equipment are the same as those in Norbulingka, which are 20 yuan/equipment and 100 yuan/equipment.

It was almost closing time when we got there, so we begged them to let us in. We were probably lucky because we could only see a few people practicing Buddhism inside, and almost no tourists. Maybe this is the original appearance of the place.

Drepung Monastery is the largest temple in Lhasa and a Gelugpa temple. The day before was the Shoton Festival, and we were worried that there would be too many people, but the innkeeper dispelled our concerns. Walking on the quiet and empty road, the occasional passing tourists and monks brought a bit of life to the quiet temple.

It's a very big temple, not crowded, you can slowly get to know it, and watch the debate every afternoon. When refueling in Tibet, you should pay attention to some uncivilized behavior. For example, the person below cut in line and was unreasonable.

While I still had a car, I planned to visit Drepung Monastery and Yamdrok Lake, which are far from downtown Lhasa, in one day. This decision turned out to be a mistake, as Drepung Monastery is the largest temple in Tibetan Buddhism, and I could only visit it in a hurry in two hours.

Photography is not allowed in the temple. There are many Buddhas, gods, arhats, scriptures, etc., too many to remember. It was my first time visiting such a sacred place, and I was still very curious and solemn.

In the past, Drepung Monastery had more than ten thousand monks at its peak, but it was difficult to "manage" with so many people. Now it is the Buddhist College of Tibet, and the government-granted staff seems to be less than a thousand.

My friends and I climbed up the mountain, which was very tiring. Friends who are not physically fit can take a taxi up the mountain. There are voice guides for rent at the foot of the temple, 20 yuan/person, and you can deposit 100 yuan in cash or ID card. Climbing the mountain, you can overlook the whole Lhasa.

Drepung Monastery is at the bus terminal, and you can get there for one yuan. There are fewer people, but it is tiring to climb up the mountain. At that time, the ticket was free. The locals said that this place has some scenery to see, and the Sera Monastery on the other side is suitable for worship.

It is really worth coming, like Little Greece, it is really beautiful, the largest temple complex. But you must finish the visit before 3:30, some places of interest are closed, so if you have enough time, you can come in the morning.

I learned the story of "Watching Bull Racing at the Shoton Festival" in primary school. This time I came to Lhasa and changed my flight date specifically for the Shoton Festival. I was very excited for a long time because I finally fulfilled a dream in my heart.

It was 3am and I couldn't fall asleep anymore. Even my dreams were of Drepung Monastery. Well, I got up and went to see the Buddha. I wanted to see the huge thangka spread out, which must be spectacular, but there were too many people queuing up. Many people came to wait at 12am.

Drepung Monastery was built on the mountain and I was frozen in the cold rain for four hours. When I went up the mountain, my chest felt like it was about to explode. I could only climb up the stairs step by step, breathing in the thin air. When I looked up, the giant thangka of Sakyamuni appeared before my eyes. I couldn't help but exclaimed. Everyone at this moment was insignificant. I was conquered by such beauty and faith, and my heart was full of awe. I clasped my thumbs together, put my hands together, put the white Hada in front of my forehead, silently expressed my wish, and like the devout Tibetans, threw the Hada hard at the thangka.

Just look and look, even if you go around the mountain or the temple, you will not want to leave for a long time.

There are so many houses and statues inside that it seems like you can never finish visiting them all. I wanted to ask for an explanation, but after waiting for a long time, no one was there, so I just went up. I kept climbing the stairs, and this time I even went to see the screen for the Buddha during the Shoton Festival. It was very big! I didn't finish visiting until 2 pm

As an important temple of the Gelug sect, it has a quiet environment and beautiful scenery and is definitely worth a visit.

Luckily, I saw Buddhist college students debating and took photos while walking around the temple's circumambulation path. It took me three hours to get down the mountain! There are fewer tourists during the period when Drepung Monastery is not open for sunbathing, so you can take your time to stroll around!

Drepung Monastery is very shocking, and it is the temple where most Panchen Lamas have lived. If you cannot go to the Potala Palace during the peak season, it is highly recommended to visit Drepung Monastery!

Drepung Monastery is on the outskirts of Lhasa. There are direct buses from the city. Please note that after getting off the bus, there will be many cars to take you up. The price is not expensive, about ten yuan. It is strongly recommended to take it. Because Drepung Monastery is at a very high altitude, there is a long distance after buying the ticket. It is easy to get altitude sickness if you are not physically fit! ! ! After taking the ride, I feel that the money spent is worth it.

You can find someone to temporarily arrange a tour guide at the entrance. A tour guide is still very necessary, otherwise you can't understand anything. There are many rooms in the temple, and it's dizzy to walk around by yourself. Let the tour guide take you around the important places first, and then spend the rest of the time wandering around slowly by yourself~

You can't touch the prayer wheel when turning it, you have to turn the wood underneath.

I met many devout Tibetans on the way. They carried change and food, some carried or held their children, and some children aged four or five walked by themselves, visiting temples one by one. Although I couldn't understand them, I still admired them.



Drepung Monastery is located at a relatively high altitude and the weather is good, so it is really nice to take pictures there. It feels like the sky is pressing down on you.



The square at the highest point ~ Because the whole process of Drepung Monastery was climbing up, although we stopped while walking, I still couldn’t stand the headache (I haven’t adapted yet), and rested in the square for a long time!

When we got to the square, the tour guide left. Many people went down quickly. We walked slowly from top to bottom on another road. There were very few people here. Occasionally, we could see a few lamas. The lamas of Drepung Monastery were very enthusiastic. We met one on the way down. When he heard that we wanted to watch the debate, he took us there very enthusiastically. My friend communicated with him a lot, but his Mandarin was not very good and I could not hear him clearly, but I understood what he said: people should read more and keep learning.

If you have enough time, you can experience the Tibetan monks' debates. Although you may not understand what they are saying and it looks a bit like a quarrel, you are not allowed to take photos during the debates. In addition to Drepung Monastery, I heard that you can also watch debates at Tashilhunpo Monastery!

No photography is allowed in any of the temple halls, but the biggest gain was hearing a lot of stories about Tibetan Buddhism along the way, and seeing many Tibetans (I heard that every day) coming to worship and make offerings, without any malicious comments. The tour guide said that if you don’t have change, you can bring it to the merit box to change it yourself, and you can even get change. If you want to donate one dollar, you can get five dollars and get four dollars back. I believe they think that no one dares to play tricks in front of the gods and Buddhas~ I personally don’t believe in any religion, but I still respect it in this atmosphere~

Actually, what attracted me to Drepung Monastery was the pictures of Shoton posting photos of Buddha on the Internet. They were indeed shocking, but the timing was not right now, so I could only take a brief visit.

Fortunately, I encountered the Tibetan Shoton Festival! After waiting for several hours, I participated in the annual Buddha exhibition at Drepung Monastery and witnessed the grand scene of the huge Buddha statue returning to the temple. It was a pleasant surprise! Auspicious!

It is really worth spending a day quietly there, visiting palaces one after another, walking slowly, praying, feeling the charm of Tibetan Buddhism, and being baptized.

It is a large temple. I climbed up there with several Tibetans. We were a bit out of breath due to the high altitude. The most famous sight of Drepung Monastery is probably the sunbathing of the Big Buddha.

The ticket gate of Drepung Monastery is equipped with an electronic guide that can be rented, which is very convenient. It takes a long way to visit Drepung Monastery, which is quite tiring.

Drepung Monastery is a Gelugpa monastery of Tibetan Buddhism in China. Together with Ganden Monastery and Sera Monastery, it is known as the three major monasteries in Lhasa. It is located at the foot of Gengpiwuzi Mountain in the western suburbs of Lhasa. The entire monastery is large in scale, with rows of white buildings covering the hillside. From a distance, it looks like a huge rice pile, hence the name Drepung. Before liberation, the monastery had more than 10,000 monks and was the largest monastery of Tibetan Buddhism.

Because it is on the mountain, you can see most of Lhasa. It has a longer history than the Potala Palace and is quiet.

Here I realized the importance of doing homework in advance. I took the bus to the foot of the mountain. Drepung Monastery is halfway up the mountain. Even if you walk to the ticket office, you still have to climb a short uphill. After buying a ticket, there is a small car that takes you up the mountain. It takes a few yuan per person to take you to the door.

We rented a guide for 20 yuan at the entrance. To be honest, it is easier to listen to a human explanation. Drepung Monastery is the busiest during the Shoton Festival every year, when many people come to see the Buddha. Drepung Monastery is very big, and it feels bigger than the Potala Palace. The steep steps along the way made us doubt our lives, and we had to stop and take a breath from time to time. It took us three hours to visit the temple in a hurry. Later, because we could not walk anymore, we only walked the main sightseeing route. When we were about to go down the mountain, a Tibetan sold ice cream and bought two. The taste was emmm..., and it seemed that they miscalculated the money and gave us more money. The extra money was used for our incense offerings.

The big kitchen of Drepung Monastery is also a sightseeing spot. There are mountains of butter and tea leaves in the kitchen, which are all voluntary offerings from Tibetans. Walking in various Buddhist temples, you can also see many Tibetans holding thermoses filled with butter and adding butter to the lamp holders. If the Buddha is really spiritual, I hope that kind people can really be blessed and live a peaceful and happy life, which is worth such piety.

TIPS:

Drepung Monastery is very big, so if you want to go there, you need to prepare more time. The bus can only go to the foot of the mountain and walk a distance to the ticket office to buy a ticket and take a small car up the mountain. The car going down the mountain can directly take you to the city or other attractions. There is a debate at Drepung Monastery in the afternoon.

Drepung Monastery was the first monastery I visited in Lhasa. It was built halfway up the mountain and looked like a pile of rice. Although the altitude sickness I suffered the night before made me a little hesitant, I don’t know why I chose it. Maybe it was because it chose me.

In Tibet, religion is extremely solemn, but it is also fully integrated into daily life. The lamas in the temple are very friendly. A single word of "Tashi Delek" can bring back a full smile on their faces. They welcome and tolerate you unconditionally. I bought a five-color bracelet in the main hall, and the lama tied it tightly for me twice. I didn't have any special purpose to worship Buddha. My mother told me to kowtow when I entered the temple, and it was also a courtesy.

It is recommended that you buy a pot of sweet tea in the cafeteria before circumambulating the monastery. If you can’t finish it, pour it into a thermos. Circumambulating the Drepung Monastery is basically climbing a mountain. You can drink some sweet tea on the way to resist altitude sickness and replenish your energy.

If you say Sera Monastery is big, Drepung Monastery is even bigger. The temples in Sera Monastery are all together, but Drepung Monastery is different. If you come here by yourself, the bus will go to the foot of the mountain!! Then go up the mountain, two kilometers is probably too little. The point is that the gate is only after two kilometers. After the security check, you have to walk to the temple on the mountain, which takes at least half an hour. I think if I come here by myself, I will be half dead by the time I reach the gate.

You have to go to Drepung Monastery early, because many small temples are closed after noon. And it is really tiring to walk around, as it is halfway up the mountain, which is very tiring.

Tibetan Buddhist temples around Lhasa are worth visiting!

The Drepung Monastery is very large. The biggest difference between it and the Potala Palace is that there are few tourists. The ticket price is 60 yuan per person. In the main hall of the temple, you can get close to the Buddha statues and take photos with the monks of the temple.

Drepung Monastery is not just about visiting the temple. I think the scenery is really great. Standing in the main hall and overlooking the city of Lhasa is a very different feeling. It is well worth a visit. If you can catch the Shoton Festival, you can really experience this culture.

The distance from the main gate of Drepung Monastery to the ticket gate is more than 2 km. You can walk or drive in.

You can borrow an electronic guide at the ticket gate. The distance from the ticket gate to the Buddha Exhibition Platform and the top of the mountain is not far, but it is quite tiring to climb.

The Buddha Exhibition Platform is located on the left side of the mountain. It is very large and is not on the same side as the main building of the temple. The Buddha exhibition during the Shoton Festival should be very spectacular. You can climb to the top of the steps. The slope is a bit steep and you can overlook the whole view.

You are not allowed to take photos inside the main hall. The temple buildings are mostly white, yellow, and red. If the weather is good, they look very beautiful and fresh.

There are also debates in Drepung Monastery, but it seems that there is no fixed time. It is arranged according to the monastery's teaching schedule, not a program specifically for tourists.

No photography is allowed in the temple. I climbed the steep stairs to the temple door, prostrated myself in front of the Buddha, and took a five-minute breath before worshipping again. The believers brought a full pot of butter in a thermos, and reverently added white butter paste into the lamp in front of the beads, reciting scriptures to pray for the Buddha's blessing. You can bring your own change, and if you don't have change, you can exchange it with the monks or even find change directly in the pile of money, but I personally think it's a bit weird to exchange change with the Buddha.

I caught up with the Shoton Festival at Drepung Monastery, and arrived a few minutes before the Buddha exhibition ended. There were little girls picking up trash after the festival, super cute little lamas, and little girls begging. Drepung Monastery is super big, with red and white high walls located on a mountain. Walking between the buildings, I felt the unique atmosphere here.

It is a great temple. It is a real pleasure to come here early in the morning to watch the sun rise and drink butter tea.

After getting off the bus, you still have a long way to walk to the temple, so you must have enough energy!

Drepung Monastery is really big. You don’t feel it when you walk in, but as you keep climbing up the mountain, the buildings become more and more beautiful. The temple at the highest point is really beautiful, but you cannot go back after entering the temple. You have to climb up and finally reach the foot of the mountain. Maybe it’s because I just arrived in Lhasa not long ago, so climbing the mountain is still quite tiring.

Drepung Monastery seems to have more locals and foreigners visiting it, and the quietness makes people feel more at ease.

It's a big temple, but the altitude is so high and you have to walk up the slope stairs. I was so tired that I didn't finish it. But I think it's worth a visit. You can also see the whole city from a high place, which is very nice!

There are many foreign tourists in Drepung Monastery. There are tour guides to explain. The lama master speaks very good English.

My afternoon flight was back to Beijing. I set off from near the train station at 8am and arrived at the foot of the mountain at 9am. I rushed up the mountain with the first group of Tibetans early in the morning and walked around for more than two hours. Unfortunately, the staff were on holiday for the Qingming Festival and I was unable to rent an audio guide. The Tibetans treated me very friendly along the way. I hope I can come to see the Buddha statue during the Shoton Festival in the future.

The several halls are very majestic. Compared with the Sera Monastery I visited yesterday, the scale is larger and the procession route is clearer. There are very few people in the morning, and they are all Tibetans. I can observe many of their small customs of worshiping Buddha.

Tip: Free entrance fee, direct access via 17/16/25/24, etc. After getting off the bus, walk a few hundred meters to the intersection where there is a bus, 2 yuan per person, go up the mountain with the Tibetans, if you climb to the temple gate by yourself, the tour guide said it will take 1 hour... For reference

I took the 24 bus to get there. After entering, I felt like I was not visiting a temple but climbing a mountain. After climbing for an hour, I finally saw the entrance to the temple. Maybe I arrived too late. The nearest debate site was empty. The nearest Ganden Dunzhang was also closed. There were a few temples left. I felt that I would not be able to return at night if I climbed up, so I gave up and left. But next time I have a chance to come to Lhasa, I will definitely come to Drepung Monastery early. The scenery of the temple is nice, and the scenery looking down from the temple is also nice!

My impression of Drepung Monastery is still limited to documentaries about the largest Buddha-drying ceremony during the Shoton Festival, where countless believers and tourists gathered on the hillside of Drepung Monastery, surrounding a huge thangka statue.

The spectacular scene remains vividly in my mind.

Drepung Monastery is not only the largest and most prestigious temple of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism, but also the largest temple in the world.

The hillside is covered with rows of white buildings, and the scale of the entire temple is indeed very grand. Unfortunately, after climbing up with great difficulty, the temple doors and windows are all closed, and there are few monks trumpets.

After asking around, I found out that many monks at Drepung Monastery are on holiday during the Tibetan New Year, or are out participating in activities at other temples. Currently, only the main hall is open.

So, after a quick tour, I went to the main hall. In the main hall, monks sat side by side on the ground, sometimes chanting, sometimes stopping to talk, and sometimes accepting the devout worship of Tibetans. I couldn't get used to the strong smell of butter in the hall, so I didn't visit the second floor. Instead, I followed the crowd around the hall, felt the monks chanting for a while at the entrance, and then walked out.

I thought I could get there by just climbing for a while after entering the gate, but I ended up turning left and right, stopping and starting, and seeing yaks taking a rest everywhere. The Drepung Monastery is very large, and there is a bus and taxi distribution area under the temple. The largest public canteen in the Drepung Monastery is mostly for Tibetans to dine. A pot of butter tea and a meal is the most beautiful lunch for them.