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Lhasa Tour of
Chakpori Hill
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Rising up beside Potala Palace, the spired peak of Chakpori Hill
(Yao Wang Shan) is 3725 meters (12, 221 feet) high. Ascending the
winding path to the top, one has the opportunity to view a panorama
of the ancient city and its surrounding landscapes.
Quite a few figures of Buddha, gods in different poses, and Buddhist
scripture in Tibetan characters are engraved on the cliff. There is
an extremely well preserved grotto with a history of more than a
thousand years on the southeast mountainside. The grotto is 27
square meters (0.0067 acre) and in the shape of unequal rectangle.
There are 69 stone statues engraved on the rock, vivid and lifelike,
which represent the soul of Tibetan stone inscription art. At the
north foot of the mountain is a spring. The fountain, pure and
sweet, was named "Holy Water". It is said that the fountain was the
favourite of the Dalai Lama half a century ago.
During the middle of 17th century, in the early Qing Dynasty, a
temple was erected on the top of the mountain. Within this temple
was placed a sapphire figure of a certain Tibetan Medicine King.
Legend has it that the King was the avatar of Sakyamuni, who was
able to treat patients no matter what the disease or how difficult
the cure. During the period of the fifth Dalai Lama (1642-1682),
lamas from all over the country were brought to this temple to
systematically study and coordinate the knowledge of traditional
Tibetan medicine. Later, the temple became the Tibetan Medicine
Bureau, but over time it fell into ruin.
Chakpori Hill (Yao Wang Shan) is also the ideal location for taking
photographs of Potala Palace. In the early morning of holidays or
peak seasons, dense crowds of photographers and photography
aficionados come here to shoot a rare view of Potala Palace
irradiated by the first rays of the sun.
These days Chakpori Hill (Yao Wang Shan) has become one of the hot
tourist destinations in Tibet. Every year, millions of visitors from
both home and abroad will pay a visit for both sightseeing and
historical interests.
Tour Lhasa
with Great Wall Adventure Club, the best
Lhasa
tour agent to help
you with your hotel booking and transfers.
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