Labrang Monastery

Labrang Monastery is one of the six great monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, founded in 1709 in Labrang Town, Xiahe County, in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu, China. It sits at an altitude of about 2,900 metres in a river valley, and its whitewashed monastic quarters, golden-roofed halls and a gilded stupa spread across the hillside. The monastery has historically been a major centre of learning, with colleges devoted to subjects such as tantric studies, medicine and astrology, and it still houses a large community of monks. Visitors enter the hall area by ticket and are taken around by a monk guide on the English-language tour, which leaves the ticket office around 10:15AM and 3:15PM; a tip is optional. The tour passes through the Great Sutra Hall, assembly halls with butter lamps, thangka paintings and statues, and the elaborately decorated chapels, though some halls are closed during ceremonies. The optional Gongtang Pagoda offers an elevated view over the monastery and the town for a small extra fee. Photography is not allowed inside the halls, though exteriors and the surrounding lanes can be photographed. Many visitors also walk the kora, the clockwise circuit around the monastery, which takes about an hour and passes a long line of prayer wheels spun by pilgrims, along with prayer flags and small shrines. A visit takes a half day, or three to four hours plus the kora. Early morning is the best time to hear chanting and see monks gather, and festivals such as the Monlam prayer festival in January and February and summer festival periods draw large crowds and pilgrims. Altitude can cause mild breathlessness, and mornings and evenings are cold even in summer. Visitors should dress modestly, walk clockwise, avoid pointing feet at sacred objects and ask before photographing monks. Hours and prices change, so visitors should verify them locally.