Ta'er Monastery: Where the Transient Meets the Eternal

Ta'er Monastery is located in Huangzhong District, southwest of Xining City. Before visiting, despite its fame, I didn't truly understand it. The moment I stepped inside, I was captivated by the rich religious atmosphere! Everywhere, devout believers prostrated themselves, the air filled with the aroma of burning highland barley, my ears filled with unintelligible Tibetan chants. Coupled with the grand architecture, long history, throngs of devotees, and the monastery's stunning "Three Wonders," I suddenly grasped Ta'er Monastery's significance and couldn't help but feel a sense of solemnity. In such an atmosphere, I dared not take many photos, afraid of disturbing the sacred order (though Tibetan-style portrait photography is permitted within the monastery). Most memorable among the Three Wonders were the butter sculptures. Butter is blended with mineral pigments and molded into various flowers and lifelike figures. The overall effect is vibrant and exquisite. It's said that butter has a very low melting point, deforming around 15°C and melting around 25°C. To prevent this, the monk artists constantly dip their hands in ice water while working. The exquisite craftsmanship and meticulous process have earned these sculptures recognition as a national intangible cultural heritage. Every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the monastery holds a butter sculpture exhibition. Previously, the sculptures were removed at dawn, displayed for only one night, like a fleeting epiphyllum. Since the establishment of the Butter Sculpture Hall, these exquisite works can be preserved for nearly two years. Whether in the cold of winter or the heat of summer, the "bloom" of the butter sculptures is no longer ephemeral. (I truly hold a sense of awe for these breathtaking butter sculptures. The photos of the butter sculpture exhibition are all from the official Ta'er Monastery website.)