2013-01-08

qamba (future) buddha, tashilhunpo monastery, shigatse


"Tibet's Tashilunpo Monastery has the world's biggest gilt Buddha statue and cassock, according to www.tibet.cn"


"Built in 1447 by disciples of Tsongkhapa, founder of the Yellow Sect (Gelug Sect), the monastery is the permanent residence for generations of the Panchen Lama. Considered sacred for Buddhist followers, pilgrims and tourists during the past 500 years, it has greeted more than 400,000 visitors since 1984.

"Situated west of the monastery is the 30-m-high Palace of Qamba Buddha with an area of 862 sq m. There, sitting on a lotus pedestal of 3.8 m tall is a gilt statue of the Buddha with the height of 26.2 m, the shoulder breadth of 11.5 m and the ear length of 2.2 m."