Shigatse

Tashilhunpo Monastery is the biggest monastery in the Tsang region of Tibet. It is located in the town of Shigatse and was founded by Gedun Drup, a disciple of Tsongkapa, thefounder of the Gelugpa Sect. Gedun Drup was later recognized as the first Dalai Lama. It was formerly built in 1447 and continuously expanded by the syccessive Panchen Lamas. The Ngagpa College (Tantric College), one of its 4 monastic colleges, was the residence of the Panchen Lamas. The most amazing image in this monastery is the statue of the giant Maitreya (Future Buddha) erected by the 9th Panchen Lama in 1914, and took 4 years for its establishment. This giant statue stands 26 meters in height and 275kg of solid gold, great quantity of precious things such as pearls, turquoises, corals and ambers have absolved for its construction. The 4th Panchen Lama's funeral stupa was built in 1662 and it stands 11 meters high and is covered with solid gold and silver.

I have spent 2 days in Shigatse totally. visiting some places on the first day, and waiting for the group to Everest on the second day. to my great disappointment, I cannot meet any of groups. I don't have much free time, thus I decide to return to Lhasa on the third day, and then visited Yamddok Yumtso . here's some photos showing this city.