Dajinwa Hall

Dajinwa Hall, in the center of the Ta’er Monastery, with mountains in the back and the front of it, is the main and most majestic hall of the Monastery. It covers the area of 456㎡ and is 84 meters in perimeter and more than 10 meters high. It was built in 1379 (Ming Dynasty)mainly by Tibetan tribes of Shenzhong, Qijia, Longben, Mina and Xina together with all the adherents of Qinghai.

The three-tier Dajinwa Hall has the combining style of Han and Tibetan. It was built by colored glaze bricks with beautiful designs. In 1711(Qing Dynasty), Erdenijiang, King of Qinghai Mongolian Shire, donated gold of 65 kilograms and silver of 600 kilograms to enlarge the building into 15-pillar one and pave the roof with gilded bronze piles. In 1740, Suonanduoji, King of Tibet Shire, donated silver of 1350 kilograms to repave the roof with some decorations. And in 1764 and 1816, it was redecorated again.

The hall is enshrined with Zongkapa silver dagoba on the top of which is a niche with Zongkapa golden statue in it. There are stones once stepped by Zongkapa in his childhood, Gangyur sutra and many valuable treasures like bronze statues, and mural inside the hall. The center platform in form of lotus is enshrined with many Buddha statues and displayed various kind of implements used in worship like golden lantern, Jingtailan (Cloisonné) vases and ivories. On the top of the front gate is a horizontal inscribed board presented by Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty in 1794.

In front of the hall there is a flower pool inscribed with Devanagari and portraits of Buddha. A tree is growing flourishingly in the pool and said its leaves can heal ailments like fever. So many adherents kneel down and kowtow that the floor board have to be replaced for being worn out.

Thousands of MANI wheels in different size are installed surrounding the hall, in Maitreya Buddha Halls on each side of the hall, Wisdom Buddha Hall, Zongkapa Hall and the altar of Buddha wheel. OM MANI PADME HUM(incantation of Buddha) is inscribed on the MANI wheels containing Buddha sutras. The wheels should only be revolved in the left direction. It is said that one revolve is equivalent to reading a sutra. In addition, on the right side of Wisdom Buddha Hall and both side of 3rd Dalailama, there are three Buddha wheel pavilions. The wheels are revolved ceaselessly by the adherents.

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