Labrang Monastery

Built in 1709 in Xiahe County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Labrang Monastery ranks among the six major Gelug sect monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism and earns the title “World Tibetan Academy” for its complete six Buddhist colleges of scripture, medicine, astrology and tantra. It features a 3.5-kilometer covered prayer wheel corridor lined with over 2,000 prayer wheels, countless golden-roofed halls, ancient thangka murals and precious Buddha statues. The whole monastery sits beside Daxia River, with active daily monk chanting and scripture debate sessions, blending profound religious culture and spectacular Tibetan architecture, and it served as the shooting location for the hit movie A World Without Thieves.