Lhasa Tour – Strategies of Photographing Jokhang Temple

Lhasa Tour – Season of Photographing Jokhang Temple

Since Jokhang Temple is human landscape, the effect of season and climate on photography is small. It is suitable to photograph Jokhang Temple in the four seasons of one year. There are various pilgrims from everywhere in the world in the Jokhang Temple everyday. Only if pay attention to observe, you always can get satisfied photos. In addition, if you come across Tibetan national festivals or religious ceremonies in your Lhasa tour, the Jokhang Temple is also an ideals place to photograph the photos of human landscapes. It is a good opportunity you should not miss in your Tibet tour.

In summer, the rain season of Tibet, you may see the grand scene of rainbow, even double rainbows at the Jokhang Temple. Especially, in the afternoon of one day of August, you should go to the Jokhang Temple to have a look if the weather holds up from rain. You may photograph the beautiful photos of Jokhang Temple with the background of rainbow if you are lucky enough.

Lhasa Tour – Location of Photography Jokhang Temple

Jokhang Temple Square

The Jokhang Temple Square is the best location to photograph the outdoor scene of Jokhang Temple. In general, the photographers would like to photograph with front lighting in the afternoon. In addition, the streams of pilgrims, believers from each prefecture of Tibet, old people with prayer wheels and pilgrims who are doing prostration on the square are very good human materials. You are suggested to choose a good point of view and sit down to shoot the wonderful photos with large aperture telephoto lens.

Golden Roof of Jokhang Temple

The golden roof of Jokhang Temple is often regarded as the foreground to increase the depth of focus when photographing the Potala Palace on the red mountain. The dazzling dharma-cakra, golden glazed roof tile make the photos become more mysterious. If you want to photograph at the golden roof of Jokhang Temple, you are suggested to photograph with front lighting in the morning.

Lhasa Tour – Features of Jokhang Temple

The Jokhang Temple is existent the most splendid architecture which was built in Tubo Period in Tibet, as well as existent the most ancient civil structure architecture in Tibet. It opened the history of Tibetan style monastery's layout. The Jokhang Temple which integrated the architecture style of Tibet, Tang Dynasty, Nepal and Indian became the eternal model of Tibetan religious architecture.

The Jokhang Temple is the place to hold the "lot-drawing from the golden urn" ceremony of reincarnation of Living Buddha in Tibetan history. In 1995, the "lot-drawing from the golden urn" ceremony of confirming the reincarnation of the tenth Panchen was held in Jokhang Temple.

In 1409, Tsongkapa who is the founder of Gelug Sect created Worshipping Festival at the Jokhang Temple and confirmed it as the largest religious activity of Tibetan Buddhism. Since then, the reputation of Gelug Sect spread widely. During the worshipping festival, the monks of each large monastery of Tibet will gather in Jokhang Temple to watch the debate of monks who are elected by each monastery.

The Jokhang Temple is regarded as the center of Lhasa. It's status in Tibetan Buddhism even higher than Potala Palace. It is a good place to photograph pious pilgrims because various pious pilgrims from everywhere of Tibet gather there.