Located in the quiet piedmont area of the Shannan Region, the Samye Monastery is the first temple to be built in Tibet, with a history of more than 1,000 years. It combines the Han, Tibetan and Indian architectural styles.The frescoes of the Samye Monastery are well known in the world for their wide variety of subjects, rich content and exquisite artistic skill. "The Tibetan Epic Picture", this 92-meter-long picture records the historic ancient legend of the 9th Dalai Lama. It is a rare jewel in the Tibetan fresco treasures. [Photo by Liu Yunzhi]