[Lhasa, Tibet] Potala Palace × Jokhang Temple: A Day Walking Into the Heart of Faith

I didn't sleep very soundly last night — my watch even recorded my sleep blood oxygen at only 81%. But when I woke up this morning, I didn't feel especially tired. After a quick wash-up, I headed to the restaurant for breakfast. Although the selection wasn't very rich, there were enough vegetables, fruit, and protein, which was quite satisfying for a body still adjusting to the plateau on its first day. Today's meeting time is 9 a.m., and we're about to set off for Lhasa's two most classic sights: the Potala Palace × Jokhang Temple. Visits to the Potala Palace require advance reservations, and the time slot we've been scheduled for today is 11 a.m. entry. 🗓 Today's Itinerary Photo shoot outside Potala Palace (Yaowang Hill, Potala Palace Square) → Potala Palace visit (enter from the front hill, exit from the back hill) → Jokhang Temple → Free time at Barkhor Street → Night photography of Potala Palace's reflection Yaowang Hill × Potala Palace Square: The most classic spot for photographing Potala Palace Before officially entering Potala Palace, we'll first go to the nearby Yaowang Hill and Potala Palace Square to take photos.

▸ Two Highlights of Yaowang Mountain The Story of Princess Wencheng and the White Pagoda Legend has it that after Princess Wencheng built the city gate, the Tibetans believed it had cut off the dragon vein. So she built a white pagoda atop the gate to symbolize keeping the dragon vein intact. The 50 Yuan RMB Photo Spot Many people take out a 50 yuan RMB banknote and find the angle that lines it up with the Potala Palace behind it for a photo — it's a little ritual almost every tourist does in Lhasa.

▸ Reflections at Potala Palace Square At the square you can photograph the front facade of the Potala Palace, and you can also use the mirrors on the ground to take reflection photos. The mirrors offered by street vendors aren't much different from the natural mirror effect of the ground itself — the only difference is how much cement pavement shows at the seams.

Today the Potala Palace happened to be undergoing wall repairs, so the 200 RMB entrance fee was waived — a little unexpected bit of luck on the trip. The Potala Palace: Stepping into the Red Palace and White Palace, feeling the core memory of Tibet. Our guide, Brother Yong, used to be a teacher, and he explained everything so clearly, making the history and stories of the Potala Palace incredibly engaging. ▸ The Past and Present of the Potala Palace It was originally built by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo and was called the "Red Hill Palace." After being rebuilt by the Fifth Dalai Lama, it became the political and religious center of Tibet. The architecture combines the palace, Buddhist shrine, and stupa hall all in one, forming the palace-fortress complex we see today. ▸ The symbolism of the White Palace × Red Palace White Palace: the administrative and living quarters of the Dalai Lama Red Palace: the stupas of successive Dalai Lamas and the site for religious ceremonies Looking up from the foot of the hill, you can see many volunteers hanging on the outer walls, whitewashing them.

Brother Yong said that for Tibetans, being able to volunteer at the Potala Palace once in a lifetime is the highest honor, but it is also full of danger — every year, people lose their lives because of it. ▸ Climbing from 3650 to 3800 We walked all the way from an altitude of 3650 meters up to 3800 meters.

The first stop is the Wordless Stele Monument, erected to commemorate the completion of the Red Palace, and further up is the "Horse-Mounting Steps," where in ancient times officials of the fourth rank or above were allowed to ride horses into the palace.

Along the way, many people can be seen wearing traditional ethnic costumes as they climb the mountain on pilgrimage, forming a unique sight on the steps of the Potala Palace.

▸ Photography is prohibited after entering the palace After passing through the front hall and the Four Heavenly Kings, you enter the area of the Red Palace, where photography is not allowed inside. The visit will mainly rely on the tour guide's explanations.

The Red Palace's three colors symbolize: Red: religious authority White: political power Yellow: supreme authority The Potala Palace is truly worth visiting in person with a guide, to understand the core of Tibetan Buddhism. We entered from the front hill and exited through the back hill, then went down to see the cityscape on the other side of Lhasa.

Because the explanation was very detailed, it was almost 14:20 by the time we came down the mountain, so we had a simple bowl of noodles for lunch near the Jokhang Temple.

The Jokhang Temple was originally built to enshrine the "Life-sized Statue of Twelve-Year-Old Shakyamuni" brought by Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti, and the process of building the temple is also closely tied to the legend of Princess Wencheng's divination and the Five Elements method of construction. ▸ The History of the Statue Swap Originally: Jokhang Temple: enshrined the 8-year-old life-sized statue Ramoche Temple: enshrined the 12-year-old life-sized statue brought by Princess Wencheng When the Tang Dynasty invaded, the Tibetans swapped the two statues to protect them, which is why the statue now enshrined in the Jokhang Temple is actually the 12-year-old statue. As for the 8-year-old statue, it was already destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. ▸ Pilgrims Outside the Jokhang Temple At the temple gate, you can see many devotees prostrating themselves fully on the ground in long rows of worship — one of the most striking sights in Lhasa. Before entering the main hall, four great guardian deities stand watch, and the walls outside the hall are covered with murals of various Buddha images. Photography is also prohibited inside.

On the curtains outside the main hall on the first floor, you can see symbols such as the Dharma Wheel, the treasure vase, and pairs of deer, which are auspicious motifs commonly found in Tibetan Buddhism. They also represent meanings such as the transmission of the teachings, merit and virtue, and compassion.

After visiting the main hall, we recommend definitely going up to the second floor, where you can admire the details of the Jokhang Temple's golden roof from a closer angle. The golden glazed tiles are especially striking in the sunlight, making this one of visitors' favorite spots for photos.

The whole visit takes about 1.5 hours. Barkhor Street × Old Guang Ming Teahouse: the most authentic Lhasa life After the two main attractions, it's free time to explore Barkhor Street. We first bought the famous A Diao milk tea (it tastes great, but at 22–24 RMB, it's honestly not cheap 😂).

Then we went to Lao Guangming Tea House, recommended by the tour guide.

This is the best place to experience Tibetan life — drink sweet tea, chat, and chant sutras. No need to order: just grab a cup, put your money on the table, and someone will come pour tea for you. Each cup is only 1 RMB.

After finishing the tea, we continued shopping, and Mom bought Tibetan incense and a scarf. The whole afternoon was spent immersed in the atmosphere of Barkhor Street and the Lhasa night city.

Night Photography of the Potala Palace Reflection: The Most Beautiful Ending At 19:30, the sky finally darkened, and we slowly walked back to Potala Palace Square to photograph the night reflection. Compared to daytime, there were even more people shooting at night. Unable to find an empty mirror spot, I brazenly sat down next to a Tibetan street vendor and asked if I could borrow the mirror for a bit. To my surprise, he generously said, "Come on! Let me take a few shots with your phone!" His technique was slick, and after a series of moves he produced "blockbuster-level" shots straight away. Seriously amazing.

By 21:00, we were exhausted, so for the first time we used Didi to book a car and made it safely back to the hotel. Tomorrow we leave Lhasa and head to Shigatse. Summary: Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple — the essence of Tibet's soul Today's itinerary wasn't packed, but it was the day that let us understand the very core of Lhasa. The grandeur of the Potala Palace, the faith of the volunteer workers, the historical threads running through the Red Palace and White Palace, the pilgrims prostrating themselves before the Jokhang Temple, the lively everyday atmosphere of Barkhor Street... All these elements come together to form the most authentic, most heartfelt face of Tibet. The Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple symbolize the two great centers of pre-modern Tibetan culture, and after walking between these two sacred sites, you'll understand even more clearly — Tibet's grandeur lies not only in its mountains and rivers, but also in its faith and way of life.