Situation of the east Tibetan region of Amdo ( Chinese: 安多), is one of the three traditional

areas of Tibet, the other two being U-Tsang and Kham. Amdo was and is the home of many

important Tibetan Buddhist monk scholars or lamas who had a major influence on both politics

and religious development of Tibet, including the 14th Dalai Lama, the 10th Panchen Lama, and

the great reformer Je Tsongkhapa. It was traditionally a place of great learning and scholarship

and contains many great monasteries including Kumbum Jampa Ling (Ta’er Si) near Xining,

Labrang Tashi Khyil south of Lanzhou, and the Kirti Monasteries of Ngaba and Tewo (Taktsang

Lhamo).