(English version from the text posted in Jun/2014)
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Larung Gar, located in the Sertar district in the western region of Sichuan province, is the largest Tibetan Buddhist school, housing about 40,000 monks, forming almost a town in the Larung Valley.
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Through the hills surrounding the main building are thousands of small houses, which evenly cover the slopes, forming a pattern similar to small squares painted with maroon color, the same color adopted by the Tibetan monks who follow the Mahayana current of Buddhism.
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The gray of the sky with its heavy clouds contributes to the mystical atmosphere that surrounds the place, intensified by the morning mist that comes out from the slopes covered with a mantle of fine green grass.
From the fireplaces of the small wooden houses comes out a thin column of smoke that slowly mix with the heavy clouds.
The houses, located very close from each other, create an intricate labyrinthine of narrow streets and uneven steps.
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It was a special day, with the celebration of a ceremony attended by the founder of the institute, Lama Jigme Phuntsok, whose image can be seen in houses, cars, restaurants, and shops, in the neighbouring villages such as Sertar and Lughuo, as well as hanging around the neck of many Tibetans.
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The vision and atmosphere of Larung Gar, which until recently was barred to foreigners, is too impressive to be recorded in pictures and even less in words, having been one of the most remarkable places of trip in China.
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