Kumbum Monastery, Buddhist monastery in Huangzhong District, China.

Kumbum Monastery, also called Ta'er Temple, stands in a narrow valley near Lusar village in Amdo. Its four-storey Golden Tiled Temple, roofed in gold plate, encloses the holy sandalwood tree marking Tsongkhapa's birthplace. The complex includes the Great Assembly Hall, colleges, living quarters and the butter-lamp-lit shrine with a large gilded statue of Tsongkhapa.

In the 1360s Tsongkhapa's mother built a small temple and stupa at his birthplace. In 1560 the meditator Tsöndrü Gyeltsen founded a small monastery there, and in 1583, at the request of the 3rd Dalai Lama, a larger monastery called Kumbum Jampa Ling was completed and an annual Monlam festival established.

The monastery serves as a living center where Tibetan artisans pass down traditional crafts across generations within its walls. Visitors encounter the results of this work throughout the buildings, from painted scenes to intricate textile pieces.

The monastery sits roughly 25 kilometers southwest of Xining and contains many halls and living areas to explore at your own pace. It helps to allow plenty of time for walking through the different sections to see everything the site has to offer.

The monastery is known for three distinct art forms: butter sculptures, painted walls, and sewn thangkas, each following centuries-old traditions of Tibetan craftsmanship. These three art traditions together represent a rare artistic combination found in few other places.