The spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism: Jokhang Temple

☘️ Jokhang Temple, also known as Tsuklakhang, means 'house of the Buddha' in Tibetan. Located in the center of the old city of Lhasa, it was founded in 647 AD during the reign of King Songtsen Gampo and has a history of over 1,300 years. It holds the supreme status in Tibetan Buddhism, with the saying that 'First there was Jokhang Temple, then came the city of Lhasa'. 🌿 Jokhang Temple has 5 golden roofs, 108 chapels, and numerous statues of Buddha. The most famous is the life-sized statue of the Buddha at age 12, which was part of the dowry given by Emperor Taizong of Tang to Princess Wencheng (dating back 2,500 years). The sacred reputation of Lhasa is associated with this statue. The Buddha only made life-sized statues at ages 8, 12, and 25, and the other two were either destroyed or damaged. Only the 12-year-old statue remains intact and well-preserved. Since the Qing Dynasty, all reincarnated soul boy selections through the Golden Urn lottery have been conducted in front of this statue. 🌾 The entrance to Jokhang Temple has separate paths for visitors and believers. Believers do not need to buy a ticket, while visitors need to purchase a ticket to enter and can only walk around a few main halls. 🍁 Jokhang Temple is the center of three circumambulation paths: the innermost circle around the central Buddha hall is called Nangkor, the middle circle around the outer wall of Jokhang Temple is called Barkhor, and the largest circle that includes the Potala Palace and Chokpori Hill is called Lingkor. These three circular routes are the paths that Tibetans follow for their ritual circumambulations. 💰 Ticket prices: Peak season 85 RMB/person, off-season 35 RMB/person, free for children under 1.4 meters 🕙 Business hours: 11:00-18:30 ⏳ Recommended visiting time: 1-3 hours 📍 Detailed address: Barkhor West Street, Chengguan District, Lhasa, Tibet