Three Chorten in Tholing

Tholing means "hovering in the sky forever" in Tibetan, and this indicates the imposing position occupied by the monastery. The Tholing Monastery is located in Zanda County, in the Ngari Region of western Tibet. Built by the second king of the Guge Kingdom in 996, it was the oldest Buddhist temple in the region. During its heyday, it was the main centre for the translation of Buddhist scriptures and the holding of religious ceremonies. The kingdom's dominant function in introducing Buddhism to the heart of Tibet also contributed much to this temple. In the middle of the 11th century, the high lama from India Atisha lived and gave sermons there. Then in the year 1076 a religious ceremony to memorize the nirvana of this master was held there during the peak period of this glorious monastery. In subsequent years, the monastery weathered several vicissitudes and was finally recognized as a cultural relic of national importance under the protection of the state at its 1000th anniversary.