Monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism in China

Tibetan Buddhism is one of the three main branches of Chinese Buddhism. With its heartland on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, it has a history of more than 1,000 years. This religion incorporated the indigenous primitive Tibetan Bon religion, and took the shape of Tibetan Buddhism, or what is referred to by the Chinese as Lamaism. It's unique feature is the system of reincarnation of holy men. Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and temples were built all over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as well as at Garze and Aba in Sichuan Province, Depen in Yunnan Province, Gannan in Gansu Province, some areas inhabited by Tibetans in Qinghai Province and many places in the hinterland. In addition to the monasteries belonging to the Tibetan Buddhist sects, there are also many other Buddhist temples and monasteries scattered around China. These monasteries, while contributing greatly to the recording and preservation of history, and the spreading of culture, have attained very high artistic levels in the aspects of architecture, painting and sculpture. They are the most precious historical and cultural treasures the Tibetans and people of other ethnic groups living on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have bequeathed.