Meaning "a retreat for nuns", the Ani Sangkhung Nunnery is located to the southeast of the famous Jokhang Temple, in the Barkhor area of Lhasa City. The main attraction here is the multi-armed Chenresig statue that depicts the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Other exhibits worth seeing are the 13 Thangkas (painted silk cloth with appliqué work) dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties that depict Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Today, the resident nuns are self-sufficient and earn a simple living by sewing, making handicrafts, weaving cloth, and by selling religious texts. They also run a street cafe that sells affordable noodles and dumplings.
