Shigatse, also Xigatse, means "fertile land" and stands at the junction of the Yarlong Tsangpo and Nyangchu River. It used to be the capital of Tsang and now is the capital of Shigatse prefecture. The 600 year old city is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, who is one of the two prestigious spiritual leaders in Tibet and the abbot of the Tashilhunpo Monastery. About 300 km from Lhasa, it is an important stop between Lhasa and west Tibet where pilgrims and tourists often wander. Shigatse has a population of over 80,000, of which 97% are Tibetan. It is the second largest city within Tibet has undergone large scale development. Most tourist facilities stand along Jiefang Dong Lu, Beijing Bei Lu, Zhufeng Lu and Shandong Lu. West of the market and below the Dzong is the old Tibetan quarter where many people like to visit.

Climate: Summer is usually mild and wet, and brings most of the annual rainfall. Winter is cold, dry and windy.

Feature: There are wonderful monasteries comparable with those in Lhasa, like Tashilhunpo, Sakya and Shalu. The highlight of Shigatse is surprisingly high snow capped peaks. Most of the highest peaks in Tibet, including Mt. Everest, are around Shigatse, in Shigatse prefecture.

Accommodations: Although Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet, the accommodation options are limited. Shigatse Hotel (Tel: 0892-8825525 Fax: 0892-8821900) is the best (3 star) hotel in town and is found on Jiefang Zhong. Lu. Zhufeng Friendship Hotel (Tel: 0892-8821929) on Dechen Potrang Lu is another good choice although it is some distance from the center of the city. Sangzhuzi Hotel (Tel: 0892-8822252) and Tenzin Hotel are hostels, providing basic accommodation. Tenzin has recently undergone renovations. Shigatse Post Hotel and Fruit Orchard are other choices. The Fruit Orchard is just opposite to Tashilhunpo Monastery.

Restaurants: Restaurants can be found on Kesang Ke Lu, Zhufeng Lu, and Tsendu Lu.

Entertainment: At present there is little tourist entertainment in Shigatse. On Shandong Lu, there is an internet access where there are about 20 PCs.

Practical tips: This is your last chance to stock up some Chinese money before you reach Zhangmu. The Bank of China near Shigatse Hotel accepts travelers' cheques but does not accept credit cards. The post office handles international letters and faxes, but does not accept parcels. Shopping in the open market is an interesting experience for most people.

Tashilhunpo Monastery

Tashilhunpo lies 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) west of Shigatse city. It lies at the foot of Drolmari, or Tara's Mountain, on the west side of Shigatse and today is one of Tibet's most influential monasteries. It was founded in 1477 by Gendun Drubpa, the first Dalai Lama and a most outstanding disciple of Tsong Khapa. In 1600, the Fourth Panchen Lama started a large-scale expansion, which was carried on by his successors. In 1713, the Fifth Panchen Lama's title and status were finally ascertained by the Chinese emperor. The monastery became the seat of Panchen Lama. Tashilhunpo had over 4,000 monks and was organized like Lhasa's great monasteries. It had four trantric colleges, each with its own abbot. The monastery buildings are currently 300 thousand square meters in size. Today, there are nearly 800 monks in Tashilhunpo.

The construction of the Main Chanting Hall (Tshomchen) took 12 years. It is the oldest building in the monastery. In front of the hall, there is a flagstone debating courtyard, where Panchen Lamas made religious speeches to the lamas. The courtyard has walls covered by a thousand Buddha Sakyamunis, which were enshrined in the walls. The Main Chanting Hall, capable of holding 2000 chanting monks, contains the Panchen Lamas' throne and three chapels. The Sakyamuni Chapel houses a 24-foot statue of Sakyamuni flanked by his disciples, which was dedicated to his religious teacher by Gendun Drubpa. To the west is the Maitreya Chapel, which contains an 11-meter (36 foot) high Maitreya flanked by Avalokiteshvara and Bodhisattva Manjushri, which, according to history, were made by Gendun Drubpa himself. To the east is the Tara Chapel, in which a White Tara, flanked by two Green Taras, is enshrined. A Tara is a deity in the Tibetan Buddhist religion. A Green Tara is a young girl and has a mischievous or playful nature, while the White Tara is represented as a mature woman, full-breasted and wise.

The Maitreya Chapel was the tallest building in the monastery, 30 meters (98 feet) in height. The chapel lies at the west end of the monastery, and was founded in 1914 by the Ninth Panchen Lama. The chapel houses the world largest brass statue of Maitreya. The Maitreya, with its hands in a symbolic pose of teaching, is 26.2 meters (86 feet) high. The statue is seated on a 3.8 meter (12 foot) high lotus throne. A single finger is 1.2 meters (about 4 feet) long, while a foot is 4.2 meters (about 14 feet) long. The statue is composed of approximately 280 kilograms (614 pounds) of gold, 150 tons (330,000 pounds) of brass and about 1400 precious gems like huge diamonds, pearls and amber. Inside the chapel, stairways and platforms were built around the Buddha. pearls and amber. Inside the chapel, stairways and platforms were built around the Buddha. Visitors may climb the stairs and view the Buddha on many different levels, from the Lotus throne and then continuing upward to the head of the Buddha.

In the Fourth Panchen Lama's Stupa Chapel, visitors may see the stupa tomb of the Fourth Panchen Lama's. Comparable with any in Tibet, the stupa was built in 1662 and was finished four years later. The 11 meter (36 foot) silver and gold stupa contains 85 kilograms (187 pounds) of gold, much more silver and brass and countless precious gems. In 1982 and 1985, national fund monies were allocated to the monastery to renovate the chapel and the stupa. To its left is the Tenth Panchen Lama's Stupa Chapel. After the death of the tenth Panchen Lama in 1989, 64 million RMB and lots of gold, silver, and gems were immediately allocated by the central government to build his stupa. In 1993, the 11 meter (36 foot) stupa was completed and the lama's body was placed inside.

The Thangka Wall sits northeast of the monastery. The huge wall, 35 meters (115 feet) in height and 40 meters (131 feet) in width, can be seen from faraway. Founded in 1468, it was a memorial monument to commemorate the birth, nirvana and initiation into Buddhahood of Sakyamuni. Every year on April 14th of the Tibetan calendar, gigantic thangkas of Buddha are displayed on the wall.

In addition, the trove of thangkas, murals and other religious and artistic treasures certainly will impose an indelible impression upon visitors.

Sakya Monastery

This monastery is a "must see" for visitors to Tibet. The monastery lies 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of Shigatse. Sakya, meaning "Grey Soil" in Tibetan since the soil surrounding it is gray; it is the central monastery of Sakyapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Its walls were painted in red, white and grey strips, which represent Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani respectively. Since the monastery has a colossal collection of highly valuable art pieces, it is deemed as the "Second Dunhuang". The Drum River divides it into the Northern Monastery and the Southern Monastery.

Established first, the Northern monastery was founded by Khon Konchog Gyalpo in 1073, from which Sakyapa rose and once ruled Tibet. Unfortunately, it is nothing but ruins now due to its severe destruction during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). However the ruins still reflect its glory and splendor.

The fifth Sakya Throne Holder, Drogon Chogyal Phakpa, known as Phakpa, built the Southern Monastery in 1268. Phakpa was the spiritual guide of Kublai khan, a Mongolian Chinese emperor who granted Phakpa secular and religious authority over Tibet. After Phakpa, Sakyapa ruled over 100 years in Tibet. The Southern Monastery remains in better condition. A typical Mongolian structure, the fortress-like monastery covers a space of 45,000 square meters and is surrounded by a moat, and has an outer wall and inner wall. With fortifications and battlements atop, it has only one entrance on the east.

Lakhang Chenmo, the Main Chanting Hall, is the central structure of Sakya's inner courtyard. The hall, measuring 5,700 square meters, has 40 huge pillars, four of which are 1.2 meters (4 feet) in diameter. Legend tells us that the four pillars were carried and presented by a Chinese Emperor, a tiger, the Nereus and a wild yak. Wall murals in the hall depict the stories about the pillars. Besides statues of Buddhas, the hall houses the greatest religious library in Tibet, containing tens of thousands of sutras written in Tibetan, Chinese, Mongolian, and Sanskrit. Among them two sutras named Kanjur and Tanjur were written in ink produced from ground gold powder. In the chapel west of the hall mandala-making techniques are taught. Ngudung Lakhang, or the North Chapel, houses 11 silver-wrapped stupas of former Sakyapa Throne Holders. Pukang, the Manjushri Chapel, contains a Jowo Sakyamuni, a Manjushri and other statues.

Sakya has countless murals, mostly of the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). Among them, murals of mandalas and former Sakya Throne Holders are the most outstanding. The Sakyapa sect allows marriage and its religious power is descended from paternal uncle to nephew while its political authority from father to son. Sakya's collection of treasures also contains 3,000 pieces of pattra sutras written in Tibetan, Chinese, Mongolian and Sanskrit which cover a wide range of knowledge; other artifacts such as seals, crowns, robes, Buddhist vessels and statues bestowed by emperors of the Yuan Dynasty are also on display there.

Last year a seventy million Yuan (8.5 million US$) national fund had been allocated to renovate and rebuild Sakya Monastery. The reconstruction has begun although the Northern Monastery is still covered with rubble except for a newly built stupa, which contains relics of the first Sakya Throne Holder.