ARTDAILY
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| This file photo taken on September 10, 2016 shows Chinese tourists on the roof of the Jokhang Temple in the regional capital Lhasa. JOHANNES EISELE / AFP. |
BEIJING---Streets around Lhasa's fire-hit Jokhang temple, one of the most sacred sites for Tibetan Buddhism, were reopened to pilgrims Sunday after a blaze broke out the night before, Chinese state media said, but the extent of damage remained unclear. The official Xinhua news agency said the fire had erupted Saturday evening in part of the more than 1,300-year-old Jokhang temple, but was soon put out. Images posted on social media of the blaze showed the eaved roof of a section of the building lit with roaring yellow flames and emitting a haze of smoke. Jokhang temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which lies at the heart of old Lhasa. [
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| Jokhang monastery is home to venerated icons, the Jowo Shakyamuni -- a statue believed to be one of just three crafted during the Buddha's actual lifetime, depicting him at age 12. |
