Tashilhunpo Monastery, founded in 1447 by the First Dalai Lama, is one of the Big Six Monasteries of the Gelug sect of Buddhism in Tibet. Also called the Heap of Glory, the monastery covers nearly 300,000 square meters in Shigatse, Tibet's second-largest city, after expansions by the Fourth Panchen Lama and his successors. The monastery is comprised of grand palaces that house gigantic statues and wall paintings showcasing of Buddhist art. [China.org.cn/Photo by Han Jiajun]