Wolfgang's photos with the keyword: Songzanlin Monastery

Dukezong before the worst fire disaster. A blaze in January 2014 has destroyed most of a 1,300-year-old Tibetan town in the historic village which also was called Shangri-la. Hundreds of buildings, including one with monument status dating to the early 17th century, were destroyed in the fire which began early yesterday in Dukezong Ancient Town.

Being the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan, Songzanlin Monastery, also known as Guihua Monastery, is one of the famous monasteries in the Kang region. Its also called The Little Potala.

Construction of the monastery began in 1679 and was completed two years later. The monastery seems like a group of ancient castles and is composed of two lamaseries, Zhacang and Jikang. The gilded copper roof endows the monastery with strong Tibetan features and the 108 (an auspicious number in Buddhism) columns downstairs also feature the monastery with characteristics of Han nationality. The main halls in the monastery are magnificent, and on both the left and the right sides are wonderful frescos, depicting Buddhist tales and legends. The inside-halls are exquisite with cloisters running through. The cloisters are all decorated with beautiful sculptures and consummate frescos.

it was unbeliveable that inside the monastery we discovered two oversized pictures of the Highnes The 14th Dalaih Lama and many pilgrims took meditation and respect gestures in front of the pictures. An other picture shows the last Punchen Lama who also is banned and a taboo in China. The Holy leaders of Tibet cannot be banned - and never in Tibet! (It wasn't possible to take a photo inside the monastery)

Between 700 to 800 Tibetan inhabitants now living in this monastery complex

After destroying most of the Tibetan culture by the Chinese annexation and its culture revolution, the Chinese rebuild many of the cultural assets for international tourism and its business.

The monastery is full of treasures. There are a lot of golden figures of Buddha josses, golden lamps, Tibetan lections, silver censers and so on. All of these are wonderful collections accumulated from each dynasty. They are precious productions made by people of both Tibet nationality and Han nationality.