Qinghai Province - Xining 西宁市

Located in the northeast of Qinghai Province, Xining lies at the junction of the Lanzhou-Qinghai and the Qinghai-Tibet railways. The city is the political, economic, cultural and communications center. Lying on the plateau, and with a history of more than 2,000 years, therefore it is named “Ancient Plateau City.” Encompassing 7,597 square kilometer. Xining has a population of 1.14 million. Summer in Xining is an ideal season for tourists who can enjoy fresh and crisp weather. Of interest to visitors are the Dongguan Mosque, Northern Hill Temple and Ta’er Monastery.

Dongguan Great Mosque 东关清真大寺

Built in 1379, the Dongguan Great Mosque is located on Dongguan Street and it was rebuilt in 1946. Since the new China was founded in 1949, the Mosque has been revamped several times. Encompassing 11,940 square meters with the worshipping hall being 1,102 square meters, the Mosque is the largest one in Qinghai Province. This Mosque serves as an educational center and institution of higher learning for Islamism, and also is the leading mosque in Qinghai. All the worshipping ceremonies for Moslems in Northwest China are held here.

Ta’er Lamasery (Great Lamasery of Kumbum) 塔尔寺

Ta’er Lamasery lies about 28 kilometers of Xining. Also called “Kumbum” in the Tibetan language, this lamasery originated in 1379 from a pagoda, which marked the birthplace of Tsong Kha-pa (1357-1419), founder of the Gelugpa Sect in Tibetan Buddhism. The lamasery holds a special place in the hearts of the Tibetan people, because Tsong Kha-pa was the teacher of the first Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. Built in 1560, it is one of the most important lamaseries for Buddhists. Today, thousands of disciples follow their Tibetan Buddhist leaders in devotion surrounded by the splendid culture and art of the lamasery. The most famous items are the “Three Treasures.” The first one is the yak butter sculpture, or “Suyouhua酥油花.” Made from yak butter, the sculptures bring to life Buddhas, animals and flowers, varying from a few meters tall to less than a centimeter. To prepare for the grand butter sculpture show on the night of January 15 on the lunar calendar, the lamas must start working at least three months ahead. To prevent the butter from melting, the lamas must work in sub-zero temperature and the sculptures are kept in giant glass boxes with air-conditioning after the show. Another treasure of the lamasery is the appliquéd embroidery (or Duixiu堆绣) displayed in the Great Hall of Sutra. The pictures are pieced together with silk and the Buddhas in the pictures all have eyes made from rare stones. Murals壁画form another treasure of the lamasery. They were painted with pigments made from minerals and plants, so the colours stay fresh and bright for centuries. But the most interesting scene is perhaps the debate of the lamas. Standing in front of his teacher who is seated, the student must think of some difficult questions from Buddhist sutras, then clap his hands as loudly as possible and extend his right arm to his teacher while raising the question. Generally the teacher will answer succinctly with one or two words. Occasionally, he will speak longer and the student’s smile clearly shows his gratitude for the advice. Tourists are now allowed to watch the debate, and if you show enough respect to the lamas, you might be able to have an interesting talk with them. Wherever you travel in Qinghai, the primary fascination will always be the people. The more than 10 ethnic groups in the province all have their distinctive history and culture. But they are all hospitable and open-minded to visitors.

The wooden structures in the main hall of the Ta’er Monastery, a holy site of Tibetan Buddhism, have been replaced or repaired with anti-corrosive materials. Decorations inside and outside the hall were gold-plated and a lightning rod was installed outside the hall in the spring of 2002.

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