Kumbum Jampaling Monastery
Kumbum Jampaling, or Kumbum Monastery (Ch: Ta’er Si), lies 25 km southwest of Xining, the capital city of Qinghai Province. Kumbum was founded in 1560 to commemorate the birthplace of Tsongkhapa by Renchen Tsondru Gyaltsen. The monastery is built around a sandalwood tree that marks the actual birthplace of Tsongkhapa, where his mother built a stupa in 1379. Later, the Third Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso asked Renchen Tsondru Gyaltsen to build a Maitreya Temple (Jampa Lhakhang). From then on, the site became known as Kumbum Jampaling Monastery.
As one of the six great monasteries of Tibet, Kumbum hosts several important Buddhist festivals each year. One of the most significant is the Saga Dawa Festival, held on the full moon of the 15th day of the 4th month in the Tibetan lunar calendar. It commemorates the Buddha Shakyamuni’s Enlightenment and Parinirvana.
On this day, the monastery is filled with a festive atmosphere. Around 300–400 monks gather in the assembly hall to pray for world peace. Immediately after the morning prayer session, a giant thangka (Tibetan Buddhist painting) is unfurled on the mountain slope in front of the monastery. The thangka unveiling ceremony is accompanied by other activities such as monks’ parades, a local protector riding a horse, and various ritual offerings.
Afterwards, monks return back to assembly hall and start preparing for Cham (monks ritual mask dance).
Following this, the monks return to the assembly hall to prepare for the Cham (ritual mask dance). This spiritual performance lasts three to four hours and features different protectors and mystical animals of Tibetan Buddhism and culture.
Another unique highlight is the Fire Offering Ceremony, which takes place at the monastery’s Tantric College.
Kumbum Monastery is fully open to tourists and easily accessible. You can reach it by bus or private taxi from Xining, which takes about 50 minutes. Public buses depart every half hour, and shared taxis leave from the intersection of Kunlun Middle Road and Nanchuan East Road. The bus fare is 10 CNY, while a shared taxi costs around 20 CNY per person.
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