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When we were taken on a half day's visit to Drepung Monastery 5 km outside of Lhasa, this largest of all the Tibetan monasteries showed off the classic charms of the Tibetan courtyard structure.
Courtyards and their unique color combinations are the most prominent features of Tibet architecture, seen in both its Buddhist palaces and monasteries and in its ordinary houses. But there is also the play of light, both within and without the complexes.
A slow climb up the mountain path, and the vista opened up to a broad, luxurious view of the whole temple complex, which spread out towards the sun, its buildings nestled close to one another, on top of one another. It was like a small city on the hill, and it can take your breath away, and not because of the high altitude.
From a distance, it looked as if it could sit on the palm of my hand, but as we moved closer and stepped inside the gate, I felt I could get lost very easily within the maze.
The monastery is home to hundreds of monks who study and live here just like at a university. Dim corridors connected room to room, with none alike, which made it rather hard to get my bearings for a complete floor plan.
Unlike Chinese traditional compounds that emphasize strictly symmetrical layout, Tibet's temples, built around the courtyards on the hillside, adjust vertical levels and horizontal axes to fit the changing slopes. Within an hour, I had reached the middle of the mountain without even realizing it.
Some rooms have no windows and rely totally on candlelight, and the smell of the burning wax was so pungent that it could make you dizzy.
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