Ta'er Monastry was built in 1577 to honor the memory of Tsong Khapa (1357-1419), the founder of the Yellow Hat Sect (also called the Gelugpa Sect) of Tibetan Buddhism, and can be found 26 kilometers (about 16 miles) south of Xining. It is one of six famous monasteries belonging to the Yellow Hat Sect.
The monastery is vast, with over 9,300 rooms and 52 halls: the temples & halls rise up into the mountain side, and the courtyards evoke feelings of peace and calm
The Great Hall of the Golden Roof sits squarely at the center of the monastery and is unsurprisingly one of the most frequently visited sights at the Ta'er Monastery. The tiled wall is embedded with hundreds upon hundreds of pearls and semi-precious stones, making the entire hall sparkle. A silver tower built to commemorate Tsong Khapa (also embedded with semi-precious stones) is wrapped in ten layers of pure white silk to express purity, honesty and respect. Gold and silver lights sit in front of the tower, surrounded by over 5,000 tiny golden figures of Buddha. In the ark behind the hall, the treasures of the Yellow Hat Sect are stored.
Other notable structures within the Monastery include the Great Hall of Meditation, in which a gold tower containing the ashes of Tsong Khap stands, the Lesser Hall of the Golden Roof, the Peace Pagoda, the Buddha Pagoda and the Kitchen. These beautiful structures showcase generations of craftsmanship and are no less impressive than the Great Hall.
The Monastery is also famed for its unique works of art: the butter sculptures, barbolas (or appliqués), and murals are thought to be particularly fine & visitors should make sure not to miss them. The Butter sculptures are made several months ahead of the Spring Festival from a mixture of pure white butter and minerals of various colors. The sculptures depict mountains, rivers, flowers, plants, figurines, trees, elephants, white cranes, Buddha, towers, pavilions, terraces and stories of religious life. These sculptures are extremely lifelike and represent a phenomenal level of technical and artistic ability. The barbolas are made from colorful silk cuttings sewn onto large silk panels and stuffed with wool and cotton, to achieve a three-dimensional effect. The completed barbolas hang from the ceilings or upon pillars all over the Monastery
Visitors should be aware that this is an important spiritual destination for many Buddhists, and photography is strictly prohibited inside the temples.
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