'''Huangzhong''' {____, Tibetan: ''Tsongkha'' or ''Lushaer''} is a city in Haidong prefecture, Qinghai Province.
Understand
Huangzhong is about 28 km southwest of Xining, and although is small, it is very important to Tibetans. This is the birthplace of Tsongkhapa (Je Rinpoche), the founder of the Dalai Lama's Gelukpa (Yellow Hat) order, and it is the site of Ta'er Si Monastery, one of the 6 greatest Gelukpa monasteries. There are many Han and Hui in the town itself but the area around the monastery is full of tourists mingling among the throngs of Tibetan pilgrims who flock to the site from across the Amdo (Eastern Tibet) region.
Get in
Bus leaves from Xining Tiyuguan (Gymnasium) every half hour throughout the day til evening. The bus takes about one hour to travel to Huangzhong.
Get around
See
'''Ta'er Si Monestery''' (______, Kumbum in Tibetan) - perfectly situated and beautifully appointed throughout the monestery with frescoes and murals. Butter sculptures, frescoes and padded embroidery are the three treasures of the monestery. Kumbum means 'A Hundred Thousand Buddha Images' in Tibetan, and it is one of the 6 great Gelukpa monasteries boasting enormous influence in both the religious and secular life of the Amdo (Eastern Tibet) region. The present 14th Dalai Lama studied at this sacred site.
[http://bbs.cn0km.com/thread-295-1-1.html Some more photos of Ta'er Si (Site in Chinese)]
Do
'''Four Summons Ceremonies''' - at Taersi Monestery, four times annually with large visits of pilgrims, sunning a large portrait of Buddha, butter sculpture shows and Buddhist philosophy debates (provided you speak Tibetian
Buy
Eat
To the left and downhill from the entrance to Ta'ersi there is a small area of tourist shops and a scattering a traditional Tibetan restaurants.
Drink
here, you could buy yark acidophilus milk, only RMBY 2 per bottle, the taste is very good.
Sleep
Kumbum Fandian is located in the Monastery and is a Tibetan-style guesthouse popular with pilgrims.
Ta'er Si Binguan is where most tour groups end up.
Get out
The bus station is about 2-3km down the road from the monastery towards Xining. During the day many taxis wait at the entrance to Ta'ersi and will leave to Xining only when full; they shouldn't charge much more than Y50-60 for the trip, so expect to pay about Y15 per person.