Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s3.t25.4

v1.c7.s3.t25.4

The layout of Tholing Monastery looks like a strip and it has such three parts as the hall, monks’ domicile and tower cluster. The main building is the Gaza Hall which is divided into inner and outer parts. The inner part comprises a central hall and four small halls. The square central hall is used to consecrate the body Mandala and the statue of Buddha. The central hall is surrounded by corridors that links with the four small halls. The outer part comprises 16 halls and the circumambulation is in the middle hall. There are four 13 m-high red-brick towers in the four corners of the outer part. The White Hall is located on the northeast of Rally Hall and the walls of White Hall are painted many beautiful paintings. In addition, there are also Arhat Hall, Maitreya Hall, Dharmapala Hall, Atisha Hall, Rinchen Zangpo Lotsawa Hall and so on and the figures and animal on the murals of these halls are true to life. Tower cluster is divided into two groups, each group has three long towers. Each long tower consists of dozens or hundreds of the same connected small towers which looks very spectacular. The style of tower cluster’s construction and mural are obviously influenced by the art of Nepal and India.