Jokhang Temple

Dazhao Temple is a large Tibetan Buddhist temple in the southern part of Yuquan District, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China, belonging to the Gelugpa (Yellow Sect). Dazhao Temple, where "Zhao" means temple in Tibetan. The Chinese name was originally "Hongci Temple", and later changed to "Wulian Temple". Because there is a silver Buddha enshrined in the temple, it is also called "Silver Buddha Temple". Dazhao Temple is the earliest Yellow Sect temple built in Hohhot, and it is also one of the large temples built by Mongolians in the early days of converting to the Yellow Sect in Mongolia, only later than Meidaizhao. It has a wide range of influence in Mongolia.

It is recommended to follow the guide and listen to the detailed explanation of the essence. Free and casual companions should at least know that whether walking or turning the prayer wheel, they must follow the clockwise principle, and odd numbers are better; and at least know that the Buddha and Bodhisattva here will not hear selfish prayers, and the devout Tibetans are praying and worshiping for all living beings...

Jokhang Temple, also known as "Zulakang" and "Jokhang", means Buddhist temple in Tibetan. Located in the center of the old city of Lhasa, it is a Tibetan Buddhist temple. It was built in the 21st year of the Zhenguan Period of the Tang Dynasty, that is, in 647 AD. It was built by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo to commemorate Princess Bhrikuti's entry into Tibet. Jokhang Temple has a history of more than 1,300 years and has a supreme status in Tibetan Buddhism. When I first arrived in Lhasa, I heard the Tibetan people say that "the Jokhang Temple came first, and then the city of Lhasa". It can be seen that the Jokhang Temple has a central position in Lhasa, not only in terms of geographical location, but also in terms of social life.

Jokhang Temple is called "Jokhang" in Tibetan. It is the end point of the pilgrimage for Tibetan Buddhists. The sacredness of Jokhang Temple is no less than that of Potala Palace. It was built by Songtsen Gampo to commemorate the arrival of Princess Wencheng in Tibet. Therefore, there is a saying that "the Jokhang Temple came first, and then Lhasa City".

People often say, "The Jokhang Temple came first, and then Lhasa." The earliest Buddhist temple, the Jokhang Temple, was built during the Tubo Dynasty. The temple houses a life-size statue of Sakyamuni at the age of 12, which accompanied Princess Wencheng to Tibet. It is the most sacred and effective Buddha statue in the hearts of Tibetan people and a palace temple with the strongest pilgrimage culture in Tibet. The reason why Lhasa is called a "holy place" is related to this Buddha statue.

Jokhang Temple was built during the reign of Songtsen Gampo of the Tubo Dynasty. In order to house the two Buddha statues brought by his two wives, Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty and Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal, Songtsen Gampo decided to build a temple to worship them. According to Princess Wencheng's suggestion, the Womacuo Lake was filled with soil carried by white goats, and a Buddhist temple was built on the spot.

In 647 AD, the "Resa Zhunang" was built, which means "the white goat carrying soil and illusion temple", that is, the Jokhang Temple. The word "Resa" gradually evolved into "Lhasa" in the early 9th century, meaning "Buddha land" and "Buddha land", and became the name of the city. So people often say "The Jokhang Temple came first, and then the city of Lhasa".

The heart of Lhasa. Before I went there, I only knew about the Potala Palace. After I went there, it became a place with more power for me. It was able to generate some kind of emotion and resonance.

The Jokhang Temple combines the architectural styles of Tibet, Tang, Nepal, and India, becoming an eternal model of Tibetan religious architecture and the cosmic center of Buddhist believers. The golden roof on the main hall on the second floor shines brightly under the blue sky and white clouds. You are not allowed to take photos in the Jokhang Temple. The temple enshrines the 12-year-old life-size statue of Sakyamuni brought by Princess Wencheng from Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty, the statues of Master Tsongkhapa, Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng, as well as many guardian statues and Tara statues. For those who don't understand Buddhism, I just watch the excitement. The only thing that attracts me is this magnificent mandala of the Pure Land. The upper layer is the Pure Land, and the lower layer is the six realms of reincarnation. It is said that more than 300 million yuan of gold was used, and it is inlaid with countless precious jewels of various kinds, all donated by Tibetan believers. It is priceless and absolutely dazzling. It makes you drool.

Jokhang Temple. It was built by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo and has a history of more than 1,300 years. The main Buddha is the 12-year-old life-size statue of Sakyamuni brought by Princess Wencheng when she entered Tibet. Jokhang Temple has the supreme status in Tibetan Buddhism. In the hearts of Tibetans, Jokhang Temple is as sacred as the Potala Palace.

The day we went there happened to be a Tibetan festival, and the believers were packed in three layers inside and outside, which was definitely against the rules during the epidemic. It was very crowded inside, and we couldn't squeeze in front of the Buddha statues to take a closer look. There was no ventilation inside, and with so many people, the smell of ghee was intoxicating. We hurriedly walked around and went up to the rooftop. We hired a wild guide at the door, but it turned out to be a college student. He recited from the book, which was very different from the uncle in the Potala Palace before. His voice was also very low, and it was lonely to listen. Later, when I asked her in detail, she was also vague. Forget it, I'll watch the documentary when I have a chance.

A Tibetan was walking forward with a thermos in one hand and beads in the other. When I walked into the temple, a strong smell of oil hit me, which smelled a bit sweet and fishy (I later learned that it was ghee). The temple is divided into two routes, the pilgrimage route and the tourist route.

The pilgrimage route requires you to worship every Buddha statue you see, while the tourist route is lighter, with a few Buddha statues for tourists to introduce. The two groups separated at the entrance, and after entering the temple, they merged into two thin lines and moved forward slowly.

Every time I come to a Tibetan Buddhist temple, I always feel moved. Every person is moving. The deep-rooted belief that no one can shake, the worship and respect for the gods, always makes me burst into tears when I see them, and I always have unspeakable feelings in my heart. I think I love Lhasa, love the piety and cleanliness here, love the pure hearts, everyone knows themselves, understands right and wrong, and knows repentance.

If you have faith, you must go and see it.

It's beautiful, but you need a tour guide to explain it, otherwise you won't be able to see what it is like.

The changes of history, the unchanging piety, the mighty and prosperous Tang Dynasty.

A must-see attraction in Lhasa besides the Potala Palace. Very spectacular.

A must-see attraction in Lhasa, where you can see many devout Tibetans worshipping. There is also Barkhor Street nearby for you to visit.

Tibetan culture is reflected here, one of the check-in spots in Lhasa!

The solemn, sacred and magnificent temple is the ultimate place of worship for Buddhists all over the world.

A combination of devout religious beliefs and huge wealth. I feel that lamas are really rich.

It’s quite unique in that you can’t go in, but I don’t know if I can go in now.

It's really good and worth the ticket. Full of mystery

It houses a life-size statue of the 12-year-old Buddha. It is the most important place of worship for Tibetans in Lhasa. Many people kowtow here every morning.

The very center of Barkhor Street, the holy place of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet, is very crowded!

It feels really good to experience Tibetan costumes here

A place of spiritual sustenance, a thousand-year-old temple! You must visit it once in your life!

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

The first time I came was during the summer vacation three years ago. There were a lot of people there. This time there were also quite a few people (far fewer tourists than last time). I booked a tour guide outside the door for 50 yuan per person. There were fewer open attractions than last time.

It is the end point of the Tibetan pilgrimage. It is close to Barkhor Street. It is best to ask for a guide when visiting.

The faith here shocked me. Their piety cannot be shaken by anything. It is also something I will never forget in my life.

Here, you can find a place to sit down and watch the people coming and going, and feel the holiness, purity and magic of this land.

No tickets are required during the off-season, but taking photos is still not allowed inside, pointing at the Buddha with one finger, and remember to take off your hat and glasses!!!

Personally, I think it's a great place to take pictures of humanities.

I got up early in the morning and jogged along the Barkhor and Linkuo routes.

The incense is very popular. If you are an atheist like me and do not believe in any religion, you should not enter the temple. They all look very pious. Don't ruin the atmosphere.

I recommend you to go and have a look, although I haven't been there, I will go next time.

When we arrived, it was past five o'clock, and the ticket sales were closed at five o'clock, so we had to visit outside. The devout worship of the believers left deep marks on the bluestone floor in front of the door.

As the first attraction in Tibet, I like it very much. It was the first time I saw people prostrating themselves, and I was shocked (I was timid at the time and didn’t dare to take pictures)

The feeling it gives people is shock! shock! shock!

The room is filled with Buddhist shrines, and the oil lamps are like stars, lighting up the Buddhist paradise.

My only impression after visiting the entire temple is that Princess Wencheng was truly an amazing figure.

This building with 1,400 years of history is still worth a visit, and it is best to hire a tour guide to explain it.

The ticket price is 75 yuan, which stops most believers. It is very deserted in the off-season.

In the seventh century, Princess Wencheng brought a life-size golden Buddha statue of Sakyamuni at the age of twelve from Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty to Tibet and enshrined it here. It is said that this statue was sculpted according to Sakyamuni himself and was consecrated by him personally. There are only three statues in the world, namely: eight-year-old, twelve-year-old, and sixteen-year-old (the sixteen-year-old life-size statue was originally in India, and later sank into the Indian Ocean due to religious wars). Therefore, the twelve-year-old life-size statue is the most precious. What we see is the golden body of this golden Buddha, which is rare and precious, and can only be seen with the blessings and karma of many lifetimes.

Without explanation, there are indeed many things I don’t know, and I didn’t see the life-size statue of Sakyamuni at the age of 12.

The solemn crowds circumambulating the temple and the rows of believers prostrating themselves are extremely infectious.

Early in the morning, many believers lined up to make the pilgrimage, and outside the temple, believers of different ages and genders kowtowed devoutly.

Thanks to our Buddhist tour guide, she will guide you to understand piety and life in front of the Buddha.

Several holy places that must be visited in Tibet, I hope the wishes made here will come true

Photography is not allowed in the temple, as is generally the case in temples. No photos can be taken of the Buddha statues and Bodhisattvas that have been blessed. As the saying goes, Buddha covers people, but people do not cover Buddha.

The grandeur, magnificence and magic of scenic spots with profound historical background and Buddhist culture can be better appreciated through the tour guide's explanation.

You are here

That's good

Just walking

It's enough for you to think

One day is not enough

If your digestion is not weak enough

You will come - more than once or twice

Looking at the Tibetan people praying devoutly in front of the door, the various streets under the blue sky and white clouds, and sitting in the base drinking sweet tea, I felt a sense of reluctance, reluctance to leave the slow time and faint emotions.

It was just in time for the opening to locals on Monday, so there was a long queue. We bought the tickets, asked the tour guide to change the coins, and squeezed in. No photos were allowed inside.

Taking photos is not allowed inside the temple. We entered at around 11:00 a.m. and there were so many worshippers that we held our breath, walked around once and then came out. I heard that the afternoon is more suitable for tourists to enter.

The temple is filled with incense all day long, and the devout worshippers have left deep marks on the bluestone floor in front of the door. Tens of thousands of butter lamps are always lit, leaving traces of time and pilgrims.

The temple is filled with incense all day long, and the believers bow devoutly, leaving deep marks on the bluestone floor in front of the door.

The ticket is 50 yuan. After buying the ticket, enter from 50 meters to your left. Pay special attention (take off hats and sunglasses, ladies are not allowed to wear long skirts, no taking photos in the temple, visit in a clockwise direction. There is a handling fee for exchanging large amounts of cash for small amounts at the entrance). I exchanged 50 yuan for 40 one-yuan bills, and then as soon as I entered the door... the scene was so crowded that I could only follow the large group. Both sides of the door were made of sandalwood. The temple exuded a nose-covering smell of ghee. On the left is a life-size statue of Sakyamuni. Walking in, the main Buddha has the longest queue. There are various small Buddhas and oil lamps next to it. Tibetans will use a container similar to a thermos to fill it up and pour it into the oil pool of the next Buddhist temple. This is also a kind of belief. Going forward are various guardians and Buddha statues that are not often mentioned. You can take photos outside the temple on the second floor. The golden temple roof is very dazzling against the blue sky.

We considered again and again not to take pictures of the worshippers, although this is allowed, and there are many pictures of similar themes on the Internet, but at that time we were moved by the piety of the believers and could not bear to disturb them with the camera. Tips: Friends can choose to visit the temple around 3 or 4 pm. At this time, the worshippers are no longer allowed to enter, and tourists can enjoy a more spacious space.

I was shocked and moved when I saw it with my own eyes. All piety deserves to be taken seriously.

The incense is very popular, and believers kowtow all the way here to worship. There is a life-size statue of Sakyamuni at the age of 12 brought by Princess Wencheng.

The temple is all about the Buddha's light, so you are not allowed to take pictures of the Buddha statues. You can only take pictures of the buildings. And for courtesy, you must take off your hat and sunglasses. There are many tour guides at the temple entrance. Each person is 50 yuan. There were three of us (two travel friends we met on the road) and we talked to them about the price. The total price for the three of us was 100 yuan.

Everything about this temple astounded us.

There are so many devout believers that it is said to be the most popular incense in Tibet.

There were many people in the temple, devout worshippers and tourists. The guides with different accents worked hard to introduce the history, culture and religious beliefs of the temple to their respective teams. The Buddhist holy land that should have been pure was filled with anxiety from the secular world. According to friends who had been here before, the place had changed too much and had too much commercial flavor...

The most popular attraction in Lhasa. It was built during the reign of Songtsen Gampo. It houses a life-size statue of Sakyamuni when he was 12 years old. It is also the place where Tsongkhapa, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, and his disciples spread Buddhism.

Good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good

There was a sacred feeling when entering the temple, and I was too embarrassed to take photos. I listened to the stories of the Bodhisattvas and Buddhas with the guide, but I didn't understand them. They were very complicated and profound.

I suggest you go and see, to hear, to find out whether the Buddha in Tibet is the same as ours, to see the piety in people’s hearts, to listen to various legends, and to hear the sound of the sea lapping against the shore.

That day was the last day of free tickets, and it coincided with the May Day holiday. There were so many people inside that it was impossible to take photos and they were not allowed to take photos. I especially need to pay attention that in Tibetan temples, you generally should not take photos inside, as it is very uncivilized. Just go inside and take a look, and be a civilized tourist.

The staff said that anyone who can see the sky can take photos, but those who cannot see the sun are not allowed to take photos. There are Buddha statues with a long history inside, and it is a Tibetan Buddhist temple.

If you go late and catch the evening class, I suggest you listen to it. It's a very special feeling. And it's full of energy, which is hard to find.

Security check requires ID card. ID card is often checked in Tibet, so you must carry it with you.

There were many believers gathered at the door. Many of them came from their homes, bowing every three steps. Later on our trips, we often saw devout believers worshipping all the way to Tibet. This kind of belief is probably something that people like us who have no religious beliefs will never understand.

After I bought the ticket and entered, I didn't see monks chanting sutras and believers worshipping as I had imagined. Instead, there were many believers (many of whom looked more like tourists) giving money to the monks one by one. If I put the money directly in front of the Buddha statue or in a box, I would think it was a normal thing, but I don't know why I felt it was very awkward to give it directly to the monks one by one.

You are not allowed to take photos inside the main hall and you basically cannot stay there because there will be groups of believers coming in from behind, chanting mantras while worshipping and adding ghee.

It created the Tibetan-style plain temple layout. The body-length heads of believers are deeply engraved on the road around the temple, and are also engraved in the hearts of tourists who stop in awe involuntarily.

The golden roof, striking red walls, and powerful black windows never dim even on rainy days.

We can walk along the sacred streets together and see the cleanest footprints.

There are religious activities in the temple, and people are divided into different levels based on the color of their clothes.

The area is not very large, all the space is occupied by Buddha statues, and there are not many lamas to be seen.

All kinds of people on the street prayed for their beliefs in different ways. They first circumambulated devoutly outside the temple and then kowtowed in front of the temple.