(Source: CGTN)

Chinese Buddhists celebrated the Great Prayer Festival, also known as 'Monlam', in Gadan Song'zanlin Lamasery on Sunday. The historic Buddhist temple is situated in Shangri-la County, in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Sunday was the 15th day of the first month in the Tibetan calendar, and the climax of this year's Great Prayer Festival .

To mark the event, thousands of Buddhists chanted prayers and made offerings to Buddha at Gadan Songzanlin Lamasery in China's Yunnan province.

I have not missed a single Monlam. It is one of the most important events in Tibetan Buddhism and holds a special meaning for us.

The Great Prayer Festival is purely a religious festival, and has a history of nearly 600 years.

It was initiated in l409 in Lhasa by Tsongkhapa, the founder of Gelug Bhuddisum. Since then it has been held between the 4th day and the 25th day of the first Tibetan month every year. During the festival, monks recite Buddhist sutras, lecture on Buddhism and debate Buddhist doctrines.

The Great Prayer Festival is also celebrated at Sera lamasery and Drepung lamasery in China's Tibet Autonomous Region. The festival marks the end of the Tibetan New Year.