Gedan Sumtseling Monastery
Gedan Sumtseling Monastery is 5 km from the seat of Zhongdian County. Construction began in 1679 and was completed in 1681, built under the conduct by the fifth Dalai Lama.
It is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan province, as well as one of the impact lamaseries through Tibetan regions. Covering an area of 33.35 hectares, the monastery houses around 600 monks. A five-story Tibetan-style building serves as the main hall. Seen from the distance, the gilded copper stupa at the top of the structure and the gilded copper tiles seem to shine eternally in the plateau sunlight. The monastery has many treasures. The most famous are the eight gold-covered sculptures of Sakyamuni, fashioned between the time of the Fifth and Seventh Dalai Lamas.