Built in the 8th century, Samye Monastery was the first Buddhist monastery founded in Tibet. Samye is famous for its sacred mandala design: the central temple symbolizes the legendary Mount Meru, center of the universe. It is a popular pilgrimage destination for Tibetan Buddhists, some of whom travel on foot for weeks to reach it.
As part of celebration of the annual festival, lamas wearing masks perform "Qiang Mu" dance in Samye Monastery in Chanang County. "Qiang Mu" is a religious dance of Tibetan Buddhism, which is a well-established performing art form combining scripture chanting in perfect unison with music and dance, and performed in temples by lamas with solemn and splendid atmospheres.