Kumbum Monastery (塔尔寺)

The Kumbum Monastery (塔尔寺, Tǎ'ěrsì) sits 27 km southwest of Xining at 2,690 metres, and it is the most important religious site in Qinghai. It was founded in 1577 by Tsongkhapa (宗喀巴), whose ideas became the Gelug school followed by every Dalai Lama since, on the exact spot where he was born.

What to See

The Golden Tile Hall (大金瓦殿) - Thousands of gold-plated sheets and four gilded finials on the roof; inside, the reliquary of Tsongkhapa himself. The most photographed building in the province.

The Nine-Storied Pagoda (如意宝塔) - Built in 1587 over the founder's birthplace: a square white pagoda with eight smaller ones at its corners, lined with 108 stupas holding senior lamas' ashes and scriptures.

The Great Sutra Hall (大经堂) - 108 dragon-carved stone columns, and shelves holding complete sets of the Kangyur and Tengyur sutras - one of the largest woodblock-printed collections in the world.

The Eight Pagodas (八塔殿) - 100,000 small clay stupas in a hillside grid, built as memorial reliefs. The most extraordinary thing on the site and almost nobody stops for it.

The Kora Path - Pilgrims walk clockwise around the Golden Tile Hall, spinning prayer wheels. Join the flow, never walk against it, and never step in front of someone prostrating.

¥70-80 ($9.80-11.20), 3-4 hours. Buses run from Xining's west bus station (西宁汽车站), 45-60 minutes, ¥10-15 ($1.40-2.10). A taxi one way is ¥120-150 ($17-21).

Practical Tips

• Photography: not allowed inside the main halls, and not of monks, nuns or worshippers. Put the camera away before you enter.
• Dress: shoulders and knees covered, no hats inside the halls.
• Go early. Between 10:00 and 14:00 the courtyards are shoulder to shoulder with tour groups. At 8:30 the monks are chanting and the light is low and gold.
• Hire a guide. An English-speaking guide is ¥150-250 for the site, and worth every yuan. Without one you are looking at buildings, not meaning.
• Altitude: 2,690 m, 360 m above Xining, on a climb. Take the first hour slowly even if you feel fine.