Trip Moments Recommendations
#Qutan Temple Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)
Qutan Temple: A 600-Year Historical Imprint, A Palace of Buddhist Art
Qutan Temple in Ledu, Qinghai, is a famous Tibetan Buddhist monastery and also the most completely preserved Ming Dynasty architectural complex in the northwest region. 'Qutan' is a Sanskrit word meaning 'Buddha'.
⛰【Travel Tips】
📍Detailed Address:
At the entrance of Maquangou, 21 kilometers south of Ledu County
🚗Transportation Tips:
Take the long-distance bus from Xining Bus Station (opposite the train station) to Ledu, about 80 kilometers away, with a journey time of around 60 minutes.
🕙Opening Hours:
Monday-Sunday, all day, 09:00-17:00, no entry after 17:00
💰Ticket Price:
50 RMB per person
🌟Highlights:
1. The architectural style is quite different from most Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in Qinghai; it resembles more the Han Buddhist monasteries in the inland, earning it the nickname 'Little Forbidden City of Qinghai'.
2. It is divided into three courtyards: front, middle, and back, arranged along a central axis, successively featuring the Mountain Gate, Vajra Hall, Qutan Temple Hall, Baoguang Hall, Longguo Hall, and other major halls. Symmetrically on both sides of the halls, there are Stele Pavilions, small Bell and Drum Towers, cloisters, pagodas, subsidiary halls, scripture halls, and large Bell and Drum Towers.
3. The interior murals are over 600 years old, exquisitely brilliant, and worth appreciating
📌Little Tips:
1. Respect the temple etiquette, no loud noises or littering.
2. It is recommended to drive by oneself as the location is somewhat remote.
Gutham Temple, an ancient Tibetan Buddhist temple on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Gutham Temple, located in Gutham Township, south of Ledu County, Haidong Region, Qinghai Province, is a Tibetan Buddhist temple with an official palace architectural style, known as the "Little Forbidden City". According to historical books and inscriptions, this temple was built under the background of the Ming Dynasty supporting Tibetan Buddhism to rule Tibet. During the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1399), Zhu Yuanzhang strengthened the affiliation between the Ming Dynasty and the upper leaders of Qinghai by granting the title "Gutham", with the words "Established in the 26th year of Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty" on the right. The Hongxi and Xuande periods of the Ming Dynasty expanded it successively.
The temple covers an area of 27,000 square meters, with the main halls such as the Vajra Hall, Gutham Hall, Baoguang Hall, and Longguo Hall arranged in order from the mountain gate. The stele pavilion, mural gallery, bell and drum tower and other buildings on both sides form a large-scale architectural complex.
Entering the mountain gate, the first thing that comes into view is the Vajra Hall, which is the front yard of the temple. Going up the stone steps, you come to the middle courtyard, where you can see the Gutham Hall and Baoguang Hall. Gutham Hall is one of the main halls of the temple, where the statues of Sakyamuni Buddha and the Eighteen Arhats are enshrined. It is an important place for believers to come and worship. The Baoguang Hall enshrines the statues of Amitayus Buddha and Medicine Buddha, and is the center of the Medicine Buddha faith in the temple.
Through the middle courtyard, the back is the backyard, where buildings such as the Longguo Hall are distributed. The Longguo Hall is the largest building in the temple, about 30 meters high and covering an area of 912 square meters. It is a place for holding Dharma meetings and gatherings. The carvings of the Sumeru seat and the scenery seat in the Longguo Hall are very exquisite, among which the more than two meters high elephant drum stone seat (commonly known as the elephant back drum) is the most prominent. In addition, the murals in the Longguo Hall are also one of the precious artworks in the temple.
On the east and west sides of the temple are the large and small bell towers and drum towers. The large and small bell towers and drum towers are connected by a semi-open mural gallery, forming a mural gallery that is several kilometers long. The gallery has more than 50 rooms, 28 of which are full of large color murals, with a total area of more than 360 square meters. These murals are rich in content, with various themes such as Buddhist legends, Buddha statues, and pagodas. They are exquisite in painting skills, bright in color, vivid and lifelike, and very precious.
In addition to the murals, there are many precious cultural relics in the temple. The most famous is the bronze bell cast during the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty. This bronze bell is 2.5 meters high, 1.5 meters in diameter, and weighs more than 10,000 catties. It is known as the "Ten Thousand Catties Bronze Bell". The casting process of the bronze bell is very exquisite, with auspicious patterns and sutras carved on the bell body, and the sound is loud and melodious.
In addition, there are many other Buddhist artworks and cultural relics in the temple, such as Ming Dynasty wooden Buddha statues, Qing Dynasty porcelain, etc. These cultural relics and artworks show the historical and cultural heritage of Gutham Temple and are important materials for studying Chinese Buddhist culture and art.
In summary, Gutham Temple is an ancient temple with a profound historical and cultural heritage, famous for its large-scale architectural complex, precious artworks and cultural relics, and beautiful natural scenery. It is one of the important representatives of Chinese Buddhist culture and art, and a tourist attraction worth visiting.
Qinghai, the temple, the sun sets, enjoy the peace and quiet.
This is a quaint temple with a history of more than 600 years. It is the only official group building in the early Ming Dynasty in Qinghai. It is called the Little Palace
It is the first to see it. The elegance of the brick and wood structure and the quietness of the long years are very warm, especially in the heart. It is peace.
Sunset, I am roaming in ancient civilization...
The temple is located at Maougoukou, 21 km south of Ledu County, Haidong City, Qinghai Province. It was built in the 25th year of Ming Hongwu (1392) and is a Tibetan Buddhist Gelugpa monastery.
This is the most complete and large-scale Ming Dynasty temple building in northwestern China. The reason why this temple was preserved for more than 600 years is that it has a lot to do with the Sanluo Lama Sandan Luos pursuit of helping the Ming government to settle Qinghai.
In 1392, Zhu Yuanzhang sent troops to the northern part of Qinghai to trace the remnants of the Yuan soldiers. The local Tibetans also followed the chaos and formed a chaotic situation. The Three Luo Lama wrote and convinced by virtue, so that the Tibetan tribes returned to the Ming Dynasty. .
This incident not only caused the Qinghai region to end the chaos caused by the change of the dynasty, but also made Zhu Yuanzhang realize the religious power represented by the Three Lama and his role and status in Qinghai.
In 1393, the Three Luo Lama went to Nanjing to pay tribute and asked for the protection and name given to his temple. In fact, it was a small Buddhist temple at that time, because the monk of the temple, Sanluo, held the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang. The emperor gave a gold plaque entitled "" and ordered the granting of a temple.
The four emperors of the early Ming Dynasty (Ming Taizu, Ming Chengzu, Ming Renzong, Ming Xuanzong) successively made seven passes, and sent eunuchs to craftsmen to build the temple in 36 years.
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