Attractions of Jokhang Temple
Entering the monastery from the main gate, you walk in clockwise direction and enter into a spacious open yard, where “Molangqinmo”--the Great Prayer Festival of Lhasa is held. When the festival comes, thousands of monks from the three main monasteries of Lhasa get together here, they pray for happiness and stable society for all pilgrims. At the same time many activities, for instance, scripture debates, exorcising ghosts, greeting the Buddha Majtreya etc. will be held. Molangqinmo first began in 1409, when Tsongkhapa summoned monks of all sects and of all monasteries to hold the Great Prayer Festival during the first month of Tibetan calendar in memory of the achievements of Sakyamuni. The frescoes on the wall of the winding corridor are depicted with a thousand statue of Buddha, so it is called Thousand-Buddha Corridor. The frescoes of the Jokhang Monastery cover more than 4400 square meters.
Turn right and walk across the Yaksha Hall and the Dragon King Hall, and you will get to the “JueKang Hall”(the Buddha Hall) where hundreds of butter lamps flickers in front of the statues of Buddha. The “Juekang” hall is not only the main part but also the essence of the monastery. It stands 4-storey high and with the Grand Sutra Hall being in the center. Pilgrims of Tibetan Buddhism believe Lhasa is the center of the world while it is here that the core of the universe locate. Now, the “Juekang” hall is the place where monks pray and chant sutras. Seeing from the center of the Grand sutra hall, the excellent shaped statue of the Goddess of Mercy with a thousand arms and eyes is flanked on both sides by the statue of Buddha, with the statue of Lianhuasheng to the left and the statue of Qamba to the right.
Around the Grand sutra hall are all small scale Buddha halls. Except the Sakyamuni hall, the rooms of the Buddha halls are not very big, but are very tidy and clean. The Sakyamuni hall is the center of Jokhang Monastery where is the spiritual hope of pilgrims. It is enshrined with the statue of Sakyamuni which the Princess Wencheng brought to Lhasa.
Pilgrims take ritual walks for circumambulation in and around the Jokhang Monastery three times. First, they walk the inner ring around the Sakyamuni hall in the Jokhang Monastery; second, they walk the middle ring which is called Barkhor, that is, walk along an ancient and lively business street--Barkhor street. Third, they walk the outer ring which is called “Lingkor” around the Jokhang Monastery, the Yaowangshan Mountain, the Potala Palace, and the Ramoche Monastery.
The Jokhang Monastery is the spiritual center of Tibet. After the 5th Dalai Lama established a regime of “Gandanpozhang”, government organization of “Gaxag” was resided here, mainly around the two-storey building above the yard. Many important political, religion activities, for example “Treaty of the Jinping system” took place here. The Jokhang Monastery is the most telling witness of the history for the relationship between Han and Tibetan people over thousands of years.