The Puning Lamasery in Chengde, a popular summer resort in north China's Hebei Province about 200 kilometers from Beijing, is preparing for what it hopes will be an influx of visitors during the Olympic Games, which run from Aug. 8-24.

Puning is one of 12 temples and monasteries around the famed Imperial Mountain Resort built here between 1713 and 1780 by emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Lamaism was a major religion during the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Qianlong had a host of temples and lamaseries built in hopes of improving ethnic solidarity, according to Peng Junbo, a local researcher of Buddhist temples and lamaseries.

"To me, the 12 temples and lamaseries stand as proof of ethnic solidarity among Tibetans, Mongolians and Han Chinese," said Tunglaga, 40, chief of the Puning monastery."

Apart from Puning, the Potarak Doctrine Temple, which was devoted to the Eighth Dalai Lama, was built in the style of the Potala Palace in Lhasa and has been known as the Mini Potala Palace.

There are 80 lamas attached to Puning. Most are Mongols, five are Tibetan and two are from the ethnic Tu group, according to Wang Hui, deputy director of the Ethnic Minority and Religious Affairs Bureau of Chengde City.

The 11th Panchan Lama visited Puning last July and was warmly welcomed by the lamas and local people, said Meri Gentu, the deputy abbot of Puning.

"The Panchan told us to love our religion and our country, which is a tenet of Lamaism. We are against any secessionist activities, including the Lhasa unrest and destructive activities while the Olympic torch relay was carried out overseas, which obviously betray the doctrine of lamaism," said Meri Gentu.