Songzanlin Monastery

Also known as Guihua Monastery, Songzanlin Monastery is located 5 kilometers away from Zhongdian County seat. It is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan Province and a major center of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism across Sichuan and Yunnan. Enjoying great prestige throughout the Tibetan regions, it is widely reputed as the "Little Potala Palace".

Officially named Ganden Songzanlin Monastery, the complex resembles an ancient walled town. It embodies the finest achievements of Tibetan architectural and artistic craftsmanship, earning it another title — the "Museum of Tibetan Art".

Construction began in 1679 and was completed in 1681. The 5th Dalai Lama personally bestowed the formal name Ganden Songzanlin upon it.

The monastery boasts resplendent buildings covered with diverse gilded copper tiles. Ornate mythical beast ornaments adorn the upturned eaves of the halls. The grand main assembly hall is spacious and magnificent, housing numerous Buddha statues. Exquisite murals and carvings adorn the side chambers.

Following the traditional layout of Tibetan Buddhist architecture, the two principal halls — Zhacang and Jikang — stand towering at the center. Surrounding them are eight regional colleges and monks' quarters. These buildings vary in height and rise tier upon tier, forming a distinct three-dimensional silhouette that further accentuates the grandeur of the main structures.

The Zhacang Hall, which means "monastic college" in Tibetan, is where monks study Buddhist scriptures and doctrines. Its rear hall enshrines bronze statues of Tsongkhapa, Maitreya Buddha and the 7th Dalai Lama. Each statue stands over ten meters tall, reaching all the way to the upper floor. The middle floor contains eight chapels, including halls for various deities, protector shrines, the abbot's quarters, meditation rooms and dining halls.

The front reception hall is used for entertaining distinguished guests and watching Cham, the traditional masked dance. On the top floor sits an exquisite shrine housing statues of the 5th and 7th Dalai Lamas, alongside palm-leaf scriptures, thangka paintings and antique ritual instruments. To the south of the shrine rises a grand bell and drum tower. Its chimes mark the hours at dawn, noon and dusk, audible for miles around.

The monastery houses a wealth of precious cultural relics. Highlights include eight gold-clad statues of Sakyamuni dating back to the eras of the 5th and 7th Dalai Lamas, palm-leaf scriptures, thangka paintings elaborately painted with colorful golden ink, as well as exquisite gold, gilded and silver incense burners and eternal lamps. Its collection comprises ten volumes of the Kangyur (two hand-copied in golden ink) and more than 200 volumes of the Tengyur.