Visiting Monasteries of China

Visiting Monasteries and Temples of China might be similar to visiting Churches in Europe.   You can only visit so many before they all start to look alike.  There are many monasteries and temples in China and some special ones that I like to show people during a tour if they are interested.   Some are empty today; but many exist that are special.  The one pictured here is in the remote area of the Sichuan mountains seldom visited by  foreigners.  This is a new one trimmed in 24 ct. gold worth a reported 6 million dollars.  at 12,000 feet above sea level it can be seen from miles around reflecting the sun.   The monks in this monastery preferred not to be photographed; however another monastery not far away, the monks liked to be photographed and were very hospitable and friendly.  Each monastery has its own rules and culture and you can inquire to your guide to ask what is and what is not proper.  I have had some rare experiences including visiting a secret library in one monastery that is locked and forbidden to enter by anyone other than a monk.  The books were hand written and many hundreds of years old.   China is a wealth of sights and experiences and in my 25 years of travelling through out China, I have had many of them.  I hope I will be able to share some of the same experiences with you on a tour too.

                 Click on the photo for a full screen view.