Xarlu Monastery Murals||A must-visit niche temple in Shigatse

If you are a mural enthusiast, if you like very ancient and original temples, you must go to Xarlu Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet. Here, the ancient Buddhist temple is full of ancient charm, the mural art is unique, and the rich Yuan Dynasty style of Han-Tibetan fusion architecture, all make people linger. Xarlu Monastery is an ancient temple built in the early period of the later spread of Buddhism in Tibet. It is a national key cultural relics protection unit and the ancestral temple of the Xarlu sect of Lamaism. Recommended highlights Temple murals The richness of the content of the Xarlu Monastery murals, the exquisite images, and the exquisite art are rare. The murals of Xarlu Monastery are the model works of the mural art of Tibetan Buddhism in the Yuan Dynasty. The subjects are composed of both exoteric and esoteric sects. The exoteric sect mainly focuses on Tibetan stories and Buddha's life stories, mainly concentrated around the corridor of the first floor of the Golden Hall, among which the murals of Buddha's life stories are the most exciting. The murals of Xarlu Monastery are milestones in the history of Tibetan art development in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. Architectural features Xarlu Lakang is currently the only temple in Tibet that retains the Han-Tibetan structure of the Yuan Dynasty Han style, and its distinctive feature is its green glazed tile-covered Han-style structure roof. This kind of Yuan Dynasty style architecture is also very rare in other parts of China. Four temple treasures The first treasure is the 'La Character Sutra Board': During the construction of the temple, 108 small wooden boards were used to form a square, and each wooden board was engraved with a sutra character. The second treasure is the 'Holy Water Jar': A large copper jar with a diameter of 80 cm is displayed in the southeast corner of the Great Hall. The third treasure is the 'Naturally Formed Six-Character Mantra Stone': This stone is said to have been unearthed when the temple was built. When it was dug out, there were six-character mantra traces on the stone, and there were four small stupas at the four corners, so it was passed down as a naturally formed six-character mantra stone. The fourth treasure is the 'Stone Face Basin' Guide 1 Address: Xarlu Monastery is located in the Chundui District, 20 kilometers southeast of Shigatse (altitude 3836 meters). 2 Tickets: 60 yuan, free for locals 3 Opening hours: 9:00-17:30 4 Transportation Bus route: There is a bus at the passenger terminal on Shanghai Middle Road in Shigatse, the fare is 5 yuan. If you rent a car, it is about 100 yuan round trip