We have selected some pretty nice pieces of music from the Himalayan Region for you. There will be frequent update, hope you enjoy.
Please click to play.
Shigatse area is historically titled as ‘Back Tibet’, which is the orbit of the leader of Tibetan Buddhism, Panchan Lama. It constitutes Shigatse city and other seventeen counties, bordering with Nepal, Bhutan, and India. Shigatse holds rich tourism resources. Besides Tibetan Buddhism culture, natural sceneries are extremely beautiful. There are five peaks 8,000 meters above sea level. Namely, they are the Everest (8,844m), Mt. Lhotse (8,516m), Mt. Makalu (8,463m), Mt. Qowowuyag (8,021m), and Mt. Shisha Pangma (8,012m). International tourists’ reception has become an important backbone to local economy. Please contact us to make a detailed plan if you would like to do mountaineering or other special tour. (Tibet Entry Permit and Alien’s Travel Permit is a must for foreign travelers)
Tashihungpo Monastery
Built in 1447, the Tashilhungpo (meaning auspicious Sumeru) Monastery is located on the southern slope of the Nyima Mountain to the west of the Shigatse city. It is one of the four monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. According to historical documents, the monastery was built under the supervision of the first Dalai Lama Genden Zhuba, a disciple of Zongkapa, the founder of the Yellow Sect. When the fourth Panchen Lobsan Qoigyi became the abbot, it was expanded to a large scale. Since then, the Tashihungpo Monastery has become the residence of Panchen Lama. Listed as a key relic under state protection by the State Council on March 4, 1961, the monastery occupies 150,000 square meters. Facing south, the complex is built symmetrically against the Nyima Mountain. Its wall, over 3,000 meters long and built according to the topography of the mountain, surrounds 57 buildings, or more than 3,600 rooms.
The earliest building in the Tashihungpo Monastery is the Coqen Hall (Large Scripture Hall), whose construction lasted 12 years. Inside are 48 red pillars, which support the ceiling. In the center of the hall is the throne of the Panchen. To the left of the hall is the Great Buddha Hall, built in 1461 with financial support from Jorwo Zhabung, king of Guge Kingdom in Ngari. Inside stands the 11-meter-tall, benevolent-looking Maitreya. To the right of the hall is the Tara Hall, which houses a two-meter-tall bronze statue of White Tara and two clay statues of Green Tara. The interior is decorated with schist collected at the foot of the Himalayas and radiates a peaceful aura. In front of the hall is a 600-square-meter area where the Panchen gives Buddhist lectures and lamas discuss Buddhist scriptures. On the surrounding stone walls are engravings of the images of the Buddhism founder, the four Heavenly Kings, the 18 arhats and 1,000 statues of Buddha with different facial expressions. In the middle of the northern wall are engraved images of sages such as Zongkapa, the founder of the Yellow Sect, 80 senior monks and variously styled flying apsaras and Bodhisattva.
Gyinalhakang, the Han Chinese Buddhist Temple, houses many gifts to the Panchen from the Chinese emperors of past dynasties, such as ancient porcelain wares, gold and silver goblets, tea sets, bowls and plates, jade containers and refined fabrics. The earliest objects, the nine bronze Buddha statues, are said to have been brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). A red Tara bronze statue is believed to have been made in the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368). A 16.5-jin gold seal, inscribed with the three languages of Chinese, Mongolian and Tibetan, is a gift from an emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1616-1911). There are also Buddhist beads made of precious stone, imperial mandates and Buddhist scriptures. Inside the hall hangs a huge picture of a Qing-dynasty emperor in kasaya holding a Dharma wheel. Before the picture is a tablet inscribed with long live Emperor Daoguang (reigning 1821-1851). When the emperor issued a decree, the Panchen would kowtow to express his gratitude before the tablet after receiving it. The side hall of the Han Chinese Buddhist Temple is the meeting room where the Qing-dynasty grand minister resident of Tibet and the Panchen used to meet.
West of the Tashilhungpo Monastery is the Qamba Buddha Hall, which was built in 1914 under the supervision of the ninth Panchen Qoigyi Nyima. The hall is 30 meters high and covers 862 square meters. In the hall, the bronze statue of Qamba Buddha is the highest of its kind in the world. It took 110 workers four years to finish casting it. The statue used 6,700 taels of gold and 115,000-odd kilograms of copper. The statue sits on a 3.8-meter-high lotus seat. It is 26.2 meters high, his shoulder 11.5 meters wide, his foot 4.2 meters long, his hand 3.2 meters long, his middle finger 1.2 meters long and his ear 2.8 meters long. Between his eyes are inlaid a total of 1,400 pieces of diamond of various sizes, pearls, amber, coral and other precious stones.
In 1985, the State Council allocated special funds to renovate the divine pagoda of the fifth to ninth Panchen Lamas, which had been destroyed during the 1966-1976 Cultural Revolution. Under the personal supervision of the 10th Panchen, the sacrificial hall built to the memory of past Panchen Lamas was named Tashinamgyi (Auspicious Heaven), which opened on January 22, 1989. The whole project lasted three years and eight months. Covering a floor space of 1,933 square meters, the hall is 33.17 meters high, inside which the divine pagoda is 11.52 meters high. The gilded pagoda is covered with a layer of silver and inlaid with precious stones. Its decorative patterns look grand and solemn. The remains of the Panchen Lamas in five sandalwood boxes are placed inside. In its center is the bronze statue of the ninth Panchen Qoigyi Nyima, while the walls of the hall present murals depicting the contributions of famous lamas of different sects?
The 10th Panchen Erdeni Qoigyi Gyaincain passed away on an inspection tour to Shigatse on January 20, 1989. Three days later, the State Council issued a decision to build a sacrificial hall to enshrine the body of the 10th Panchen Lama for people to pay their respects and to remember his love for the country and his devotion to Tibetan Buddhism. On an inspection tour to Tibet in 1990, President Jiang Zemin paid a special visit to the Tashilhungpo Monastery to the memory of the 10th Panchen Lama and inquired about the construction of the hall. With careful choosing of the design, the construction started on September 20, 1990. The state allocated 64.24 million yuan of special funds, and 614 kilograms of gold and 275 kilograms of silver to be used in building the hall. The project lasted three years. A grand inaugural ceremony was held on September 4, 1993 and the hall was named Shesongnamgyi, meaning sacrificial hall for the three sages of Paradise, Human World and Nether World. The naming itself was a serious matter. Four names were submitted, and each was wrapped inside a zanba in the shape of a ball. The four balls were put in a bottle before the body of the Panchen Lama. After three days of sutra chanting, a ball jumped out of the bottle when it was being shaken. Peeling off the zanba, the name appeared: Shesongnamgyi. The 35.25-meter-high sacrificial hall covers a floor space of 1,933 square meters, and its wall is 1.83 meters thick. The style of the building is at once traditional and modern, displaying both ethnic and religious features.
The 11.55-meter-high pagoda covers 253 square meters, its exterior covered with a layer of gold and inlaid with pearls and precious stones. On the pagoda are 818 bags, which hold 24 different kinds of stones, altogether 6,794 pieces. Strictly in accord with religious rituals, the interior of the pagoda is composed of three storeys. The first storey holds barley, wheat, rice, tea leaves, salt, various kinds of dried fruits and candies, sandalwood, various medical herbs, silk and satin, elaborately carved saddles, pilose antlers, rhinoceros horns, silver, pearls, stones, kasaya and Tibetan costumes. The second storey holds Tripitaka, classical works by the three founders of the Gelug Sect, works by all the Panchen Lamas in history and Buddhist scriptures written with gold powder ink. The top storey has Buddhist scriptures and Buddha statues. On August 30, 1993, the body of the 10th Panchen Lama was moved into the pagoda. The body was first put in a sandalwood bier, which was then put into a specially made safety cabinet and finally moved into the Precious Bottle in the pagoda. At the entrance is a life-size statue of the 10th Panchen Lama. Around the body are a variety of religious articles, such as kasaya, tangka painting scrolls, Buddha statues and scriptures.
Deqen Galsang Phodrang is the summer palace of the Panchen Lama. The summer palace of the Panchen Lama was originally built in Gongjor Lingka; thus, it is also called Gongjor Ling Palace. In 1954, the Nyang Qu River flooded due to snow avalanche and the rare floods destroyed the Gongjor Ling Palace. Because of the concern of the late Premier Zhou Enlai, the state allocated funds to build Deqen Galsang Phodrang, which was called New Palace. Located east of Xigaze city, the palace comprises the living quarters for the Panchen Lama, his office and five sacrificial rooms enshrining more than 100 Buddhist statues. The building complex looks classical and elegant, with verdant trees and lush grass and flowers. The 10th Panchen Lama died there and, four months later, his body was moved to the Tashilhungpo Monastery where he was buried and worshipped.
In August on the Tibetan calendar each year, lamas in the Tashilhungpo Monastery hold the Ximoqenpo Festival the Holy Dance Festival. Originally a religious ritual to drive away evil spirits, it gradually evolved into a traditional festival in Xigaze. According to historical documents, the festival was first sponsored by Dainbai Nyima, the seventh Panchen Lama, about 200 years ago. On August 3 on the Tibetan calendar each year, a dance contest is held among lamas in the monastery, and the festival formally commences on August 4 and lasts three days till August 6, when it is open to the public. The monastery now boasts 39 lamas who can dance 61 different kinds of dances. A huge tent is set up on a platform. On its left are seats for distinguished guests; on its right is the orchestra of the monastery; and in front of the platform is the audience who have traveled far to attend. The whole activity is imbued with a strong religious fervor and follows a strict protocol. The dance is simple in rhythm and slow in execution. To enliven the atmosphere, some short, light pieces are performed between the dances, which always make the audience rock with laughter. During the three-day festival, dozens of holy dances will be performed, such as Buddhas Warrior Attendant Dance, Skeleton Dance, Deer and Cow Dance, Bhiksu Dance and Six Longevity Dance.
On the first day of the festival, the first to take the stage are people wearing deity masks, who dance while circling the stage before retreating backstage. Several minutes later, four ghosts jump onto the stage; they have long fingers and toes like skeletons. They dance and then retreat, too. The third group, wearing iron hats, dances while circling the stage. The fourth group of 20 enters the stage with hats and different silk ribbons hanging on their bodies. The fifth come to the stage imitating the animals. The sixth groups are clothed in yellow, red, indigo-blue and purple masks, baggy pattern clothes and hats with tassels. Among the seventh group, four lamas dress up like ghosts, carrying a body molded of butter and zanba; they are followed by deities. After chanting sutras, the dancers stab the body with a knife, pour oil on dry firewood, light it and throw the body (representing ghost) into the fire.
The second day starts with a lama wearing a large Buddha mask and sitting straight on a lotus seat, motionless like a wood or clay sculpture, with two boys waiting on him on both sides. On the stage are two lamas wearing masks and colorful clothes, and dancing according to the rhythm. They soon retreat. Then pair of lamas dressing up like guards of Dharma comes onto the stage, followed by more than ten pairs. The last four wear skeleton masks and strange costumes. Two small ghosts carry a bag of zanba and let the four in skeleton masks take zanba out to spread in all directions.
On the third day, six images of longevity appear on the stage: crane, deer, human, mountain, water and village. The lama sitting on the lotus seat expounds Buddhist scriptures to the wolf and deer. Two white-haired old men then appear on the stage, holding bows and arrows and aiming at the wolf and deer upon seeing them. The lama stops them, telling them it is a sin to kill. Then he talks eloquently about the cycle of incarnation. Finally, the old men and the animals, led by the lama, ascend to the immortal world.
Mt. Everest
The Tibetan name for Mt. Everest is "Mt. Quomolangma" which literally means "The Third Goddess". Located in bordering areas with Nepal in Tingri County, Mt. Everest is 8,848.13 meters high, the tallest mountain in the world. In the area of 5,000 square kilometers around the mountain, there are four peaks being more than 8,000 meters high and 38 peaks being more than 7,000 meters high. Thus Mt. Everest is reputed as the Third Pole on the Earth. At the foot of Mt. Qomolangma or 40 kilometers away stands the Rongpu Monastery, with the highest elevation in the world. The monastery has become a camp of mountaineers form northern slope to Mt. Qomolangma. On the northern slope of the peak there are 217 glaciers with the Rongpu Glacier being the largest.
Palcho Monastery
Palkhor Monastery, also name Palcho Monastery, is very different from other monasteries. It lies about 230 kilometers south of Lhasa in Southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region and 100 kilometers east of the Shigatse Prefecture, at the foot of Dzong Hill.
The Palkhor Monastery was founded in 1427 and completed 10 years later. The compound housed approximately 15 different monasteries, made up of three different sects (Gelugpa, Sakyapa, and Kahdampa) in a rare instance of tolerance amongst the Tibetan sects of Buddhism. Palkhor Monastery is the only monastery that housed monks from different sects in harmony. As a result, its structural style, enshrined deities, and murals are very special.
Palkhor Monastery also features its Bodhi stupa (Kumbum in Tibetan, meaning hall of 10,000 Buddhist figures).
Deemed as the symbol of the monastery, the spectacular stupa (Buddhist shrine) consists of hundreds of chapels in layers, housing about a hundred thousand figures of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Vajras (thunderbolt symbols), Dharma Kings, Arhats (enlightened Buddhists), and disciples and great experts of different orders in Tibetan Buddhist history. The stupa also contains roughly 3,000 statues of outstanding figures in Tibetan history such as Songtsen Gampo and Trisong Detsen, so it is also called Myriad Buddha Stupa.
Covering a space of 2,200 square meters, the stupa has a total 108 gates and 77 chapels, each of which has a dominant religious figure and murals. The cylinder, 20 meters in diameter, has four chapels inside. The elegant structure is worth a visit.
Rongpu Monastery
At the Rongpu Qinzhogma Hill at the foot of Mt. Qomolangma, the monastery is 90 kilometers away from the Tingri County seat and is 5,800 meters above sea level, the highest of its kind in the world. Annually Rongpu Monastery holds three-day sorcerers activities on the 15th of the fourth month and the Ghost-Beating Festival on the 29th of the 11th month of the Tibetan calendar.
It is 60 kilometers from New Tingri to the Rongpu Monastery. Tourists can take a taxi to go to the Rongpu Monastery because there is no regular bus.
Sakya Monastery
Being 160 kliometers west of Shigatse, the Sakya Monastery is composed of Southern and Northern Monasteries. The Northern Monastery of Sakya Monastery was built in 1097 and was damaged now while the Southern Monastery in 1268. The Southern Monastery houses great amounts of cultural relics including the titles, seals, crowns, garments and ornaments awarded by the Yuan imperial court to the local officials, the statues of Buddha, ritual instruments and porcelains from the Song, Yuan and other later dynasties, and the precious murals of historical themes. Also the monastery preserves great numbers of books such as the Bakgyur, Bstanggyur, Pattra-leaf scripture and other Tibetan classics on astronomy, geography, history, medicines and literature.
Sakya Monastery reached its heyday in the second half of the 13th century, when it was showered with gifts and privileges and given control over all Tibet by Kublai Khan, the Mongolia emperor of China. A separate sect of Tibetan Buddhism, named Sakyapa, also took from here. Sakye Monastery is reputed as the Tibetan Dunhuang, for its great amount of Mongolian fineries, porcelain, statues, fresco, precious Tangkas and original Buddhism Scriptures.
Shalu Monastery
Shalu Monastery is located 20 kilometers southeast of Shigatse. It was first built in 1087. Shalu Monastery demonstrates a combination of the Tibet and Han architectural styles. It is famous for its sandalwood slips carved with Buddhist scripture and a jar for filling sacred water. It is said that for years the water does not decrease or deteriorate. The murals in the monastery are rich in contents and excellent in workmanship and are one of the rare fine arts in Tibet.
Xalhulhakang, the main building of the Shalu Monastery, has an arch-like ceiling, glazed tiles and bells hanging on the roof, a complete imitation of the style of inland temples. Yet it still retains the characteristics of a Tibetan monastery with red mud-and-stone walls and interconnecting halls. It can be considered a perfect combination of Han and Tibetan architectural styles. The murals in the halls are rich and lively with a strong Yuan-dynasty flavor. The images of Buddha are particularly refined and special. Among the relics housed in the monastery are eight precious Yuan-dynasty proclamations of the Pagba time, besides religious implements, Buddhist scriptures on pattra, sacrificial utensils and tangka painting scrolls.
The Shalu Monastery is famous for its four treasures. The first is the printing plate of Buddhist scriptures, which is made of 108 blocks of wood by Abbot Purdain. It is said to be able to last one thousand years, yet it cannot be broken apart because it is impossible to arrange them in their original positions. Master Purdain had written many works in his life; the most well-known are Dangyur and History of Buddhism by Master Purdain in 1322. The second treasure is the holy jar made of bronze. It is claimed that inside the jar is the clearest water in the world, which is replaced every 12 years. The mouth of the jar is covered with red cloth. Legend says that the water can cure diseases and wash away dirt and filth. The third is the stone tablet with six characters. It is said that the tablet bore the six characters when it was unearthed during the construction of the monastery. Its edge is engraved with four exquisite small towers. The fourth is the huge basin-shaped stone in which the Living Buddha Jigzun Xerab Qoinnyai, who built the monastery and Pandit Gonggar Gyaincain of Sagya, had once washed their faces. It is said that the stone basin would not overflow even if filled with water on a rainy day.
Zongshan Ruins
The Gyantse Zongshan Anti-British Battle Ruins are located in the seat of Gyantse Country. In the 30th year of Emperor Guangxu or 1904 during the Qing Dynasty, patriotic armies, monks and secular people in Tibet constructed barbettes and other defense systems in front of the Zongshan Mountain to resist the British invaders. Although they fought bravely against the aggressors, they paid a heavy cost.
Built in 1447, the Tashilhungpo (meaning auspicious Sumeru) Monastery is located on the southern slope of the Nyima Mountain to the west of the Shigatse city. It is one of the four monasteries of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. According to historical documents, the monastery was built under the supervision of the first Dalai Lama Genden Zhuba, a disciple of Zongkapa, the founder of the Yellow Sect. When the fourth Panchen Lobsan Qoigyi became the abbot, it was expanded to a large scale. Since then, the Tashihungpo Monastery has become the residence of Panchen Lama. Listed as a key relic under state protection by the State Council on March 4, 1961, the monastery occupies 150,000 square meters. Facing south, the complex is built symmetrically against the Nyima Mountain. Its wall, over 3,000 meters long and built according to the topography of the mountain, surrounds 57 buildings, or more than 3,600 rooms.
The Tibetan name for Mt. Everest is "Mt. Quomolangma" which literally means "The Third Goddess". Located in bordering areas with Nepal in Tingri County, Mt. Everest is 8,848.13 meters high, the tallest mountain in the world. In the area of 5,000 square kilometers around the mountain, there are four peaks being more than 8,000 meters high and 38 peaks being more than 7,000 meters high. Thus Mt. Everest is reputed as the Third Pole on the Earth. At the foot of Mt. Qomolangma or 40 kilometers away stands the Rongpu Monastery, with the highest elevation in the world. The monastery has become a camp of mountaineers form northern slope to Mt. Qomolangma. On the northern slope of the peak there are 217 glaciers with the Rongpu Glacier being the largest.
Palkhor Monastery, also name Palcho Monastery, is very different from other monasteries. It lies about 230 kilometers south of Lhasa in Southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region and 100 kilometers east of the Shigatse Prefecture, at the foot of Dzong Hill. 
At the Rongpu Qinzhogma Hill at the foot of Mt. Qomolangma, the monastery is 90 kilometers away from the Tingri County seat and is 5,800 meters above sea level, the highest of its kind in the world. Annually Rongpu Monastery holds three-day sorcerers activities on the 15th of the fourth month and the Ghost-Beating Festival on the 29th of the 11th month of the Tibetan calendar.
Being 160 kliometers west of Shigatse, the Sakya Monastery is composed of Southern and Northern Monasteries. The Northern Monastery of Sakya Monastery was built in 1097 and was damaged now while the Southern Monastery in 1268. The Southern Monastery houses great amounts of cultural relics including the titles, seals, crowns, garments and ornaments awarded by the Yuan imperial court to the local officials, the statues of Buddha, ritual instruments and porcelains from the Song, Yuan and other later dynasties, and the precious murals of historical themes. Also the monastery preserves great numbers of books such as the Bakgyur, Bstanggyur, Pattra-leaf scripture and other Tibetan classics on astronomy, geography, history, medicines and literature.
Shalu Monastery is located 20 kilometers southeast of Shigatse. It was first built in 1087. Shalu Monastery demonstrates a combination of the Tibet and Han architectural styles. It is famous for its sandalwood slips carved with Buddhist scripture and a jar for filling sacred water. It is said that for years the water does not decrease or deteriorate. The murals in the monastery are rich in contents and excellent in workmanship and are one of the rare fine arts in Tibet.
The Gyantse Zongshan Anti-British Battle Ruins are located in the seat of Gyantse Country. In the 30th year of Emperor Guangxu or 1904 during the Qing Dynasty, patriotic armies, monks and secular people in Tibet constructed barbettes and other defense systems in front of the Zongshan Mountain to resist the British invaders. Although they fought bravely against the aggressors, they paid a heavy cost.