Renovation work at temple in Tibet near complete

The Jokhang Monastery in Lhasa, capital city of China's Tibet Autonomous Region, is arguably the most important temple for Tibetan Buddhists. The temple is famous for its long, intricate murals. Over the past couple of years, painstaking efforts have been made to keep them in the best possible condition.

The Jokhang Monastery in Lhasa, capital city of China's Tibet Autonomous Region, 
is arguably the most important temple for Tibetan Buddhists [Credit: CCTV]

Built more than 1,000 years ago, Jokhang Monastery is regarded as one of the holiest sites in Tibetan Buddhism, drawing hoards of worshippers and tourists every day. And the temple's weathered murals are an important reminder of its history.

A renovation project to renovate the murals was initiated in June of 2012. Nearly two thirds of the temple's murals have since been repaired.

"The renovation work has been carried out carefully. We are using the same materials to repair the damaged parts. Some new technologies have been applied during the process. So far the renovation project has been a success," said archaeologist Gao Feng .

Jokhang Monastery is the earliest wooden architecture in Tibet. It was among the first National Relic Sites announced in 1961, and was listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

The temple has nearly 4,000 square meters of murals. The themes depicted include Buddha, the creators of Tibetan Buddhism, the ancient rulers of the region, and how Lhasa was built.

Source: CCTV [November 18, 2014]