Photo shows the statues of Gesar (L) and Guandi in the Guandi Temple in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
Tibet has put an investment of over 6 million for the maintenance of the region's largest existent Guandi Temple so far, according to the Lhasa Cultural Relic Bureau.
The Guandi Temple of Lhasa, full named Guandi Gesar Lhakhang, is located on a small mountain in the west of Potala Palace. Though often seen in inland areas, Guandi temples are rare in Tibet.
The Guandi Temple of Lhasa is the largest and best preserved temple of its kind in Tibet, which was inscribed into the list of the regional key cultural sites under protection in 2007, said Li Liangqi, Deputy Director of Lhasa Cultural Relic Bureau.
The temple now takes on a bright new look after renovation, which is integrated with Han and Tibetan architectural characteristics after the main structure and attached facilities have been well repaired.
"Due to erosion of decades, the crumbling temple was once in really bad shape with the collapse of its main structure, and some tablets were lost in nowhere, but luckily some of them have finally been regained," Li said.
"Guided by the principle of restoring the old as the old, the cultural department has restored the temple to its original appearance to the hilt, kept and protected the Tibetans' unique way of pilgrimage as well," Li said.
"The Guandi Temple reflects the history of national unity and ethnic solidarity of China, which is an important historic relic for Han and Tibetan people's joint efforts in resisting the invasion of foreign power," Li said.
"As a significant patriotism education base, the temple will gain lasting protection and maintenance," Li added.
The Guandi Temple was built to mark the joint efforts of the soldiers sent by the central government and Tibetans in resisting the invasion of Gorkhas from Nepal in the Qing Dynasty over 200 years ago.
Generation after generation, in the Guandi Temple, the Tibetans have been worshipping the general Guan Yu of the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280) and King Gesar known as the most famous hero in ancient Tibetan epic, two heroes in Han and Tibetan history respectively.