A monk of Samye Monastery on his way to a neighbouring village for Buddhist ceremony, photo taken on July 20, Xinhua.



Samye Monastery with a history of thousands of years, photo taken on July 20, Xinhua.



Fresco at Samye Monastery, photo taken on July 20, Xinhua.



Believers on their way to Samye Monastery, photo taken on July 21, Xinhua.



Samye Monastery, July 21, Xinhua.



Monks at Samye Monastery are debating Buddhist scriptures, photo taken on July 19, Xinhua.


Padmasambhava at Samye Monastery, photo taken on July 20, Xinhua.



Stone lion sculpture at Samye Monastery, photo taken on July 20, Xinhua.



The Samye Monastery was the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Tibet. Under the aegis of Tubo King Trison Detsan, construction of the monastery began in 779 and was completed in 12 years. The presence of the monastery indicated the growing strength of Tibetan Buddhism.

China Tibet Information Center