A vulture casts a shadow over a man who attended a sky burial near the Larung valley located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. In early afternoons, on a hill near famous Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute relatives and onlookers gather for sky burials in which bodies of deceased people are offered to vultures to prey upon it. Such burials are practiced by some Tibetans and Mongolian in China as an extreme type of Buddhist's "self-sacrifice almsgiving". It is believed that feeding vultures with decomposed corpse of relatives on top of a mountain is a respectful to pay tribute to their passed-away beloved ones. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Tibetan prayer flags flutter above the Larung valley and its Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. The Institute was founded in 1980 by Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, an influential lama of Nyingma sect of Tibetan buddhism with only around 30 students but is now widely known as one of the biggest centres to study Tibetan Buddhism in the world. Today, tens of thousands monks and nuns live in small houses and log cabins surrounding the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Ethnic Tibetan people pray on the hill above a Buddhist laymen lodge, where thousands of monks and nuns gather for morning chanting session, during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. The eight-day gathering starts every year around the 22rd of the ninth month on Tibetan calendar, the great day of Buddha’s Descending from Tushita Heavens. The Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level was founded in 1980 by Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, an influential lama of Nyingma sect of Tibetan buddhism with only around 30 students but is now widely known as one of the biggest centres to study Tibetan Buddhism in the world. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





An ethnic Tibetan woman prostrates herself in front of prayer wheels as she circles around a monastery above the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level, in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A Tibetan Buddhist monk looks through the window of his cabin near the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Hot tea is distributed to monks and nuns gathering in sub-zero temperatures at Buddhist laymen lodge, where thousands of people gather for morning chanting session, during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Ethnic Tibetan people protect themselves from the smell of decomposing bodies as vultures come from skies during a sky burial near the Larung valley located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. In early afternoons, on a hill near famous Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute relatives and onlookers gather for sky burials in which bodies of deceased people are offered to vultures to prey upon it. Such burials are practiced by some Tibetans and Mongolian in China as an extreme type of Buddhist's "self-sacrifice almsgiving". It is believed that feeding vultures with decomposed corpse of relatives on top of a mountain is a respectful to pay tribute to their passed-away beloved ones. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Padma Tsering, a popular Tibetan Buddhist monk spins his prayer wheels at a monastery above the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





An ethnic Tibetan woman from Kham area wears traditional amber and other stone headwear at the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





An ethnic Tibetan woman walks under the picture of Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok behind prayer wheels at the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A boy joins other ethnic Tibetan people in praying as the sun comes out from behind the hill above a Buddhist laymen lodge where thousands of monks and nuns gather for morning chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Vultures fly over an ethnic Tibetan woman from Kham area wearing traditional amber headwear during a sky burial near the Larung valley located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Pictures of missing people are placed on the wall near a monastery above the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. According to local people, placing photos of those missing near screed places in the valley can help relatives find their loved ones. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Frost remains on a prayer wheel, traditional Tibetan hat and monks robes as people gather in sub zero temperature at Buddhist laymen lodge for morning chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Small houses of monks and nuns of Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute are built on the hill of Larung valley located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Tibetan Buddhist monks pray at Buddhist laymen lodge where thousands of people gather for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Yeshe Tso (rear, C), an ethnic Tibetan woman from Kham area wearing traditional amber stone headwear and her relatives wait in sub zero temperature on a hill above a Buddhist laymen lodge where thousands of people gather for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China early November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Ethic Tibetans wait for hot tea and food to be distributed on a hill where people gather to listen Buddhist monks' teaching above Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Young Tibetan Buddhist monks look out from inside their cabin at others praying at Buddhist laymen lodge where thousands of people gather for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Vultures come from skies over ethnic Tibetans gathering for a sky burial near the Larung valley located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Ethnic Tibetan people gather in sub zero temperatures on the hill above a Buddhist laymen lodge for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China early November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Volunteers prepare yak butter tea to be distributed to people gathering in sub zero temperatures at a Buddhist laymen lodge for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China early October 30, 2015. The traditional tea is made of zanba (roasted Qingke highland barely floor), milk and butter. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Monks and nuns walk across a steep hill back to their dormitory after attending a daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China early November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Tibetan prayer flags flutter above the Larung valley and its Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Thousands of monks, nuns and believers gather at a Buddhist laymen lodge attending a daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China early October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Tibetan Buddhist nuns keep yak butter lamps burning at a Buddhist laymen lodge where thousands of people gather for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A Tibetan Buddhist monk take pictures with his smartphone of a daily chanting session at a Buddhist laymen lodge during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China early October 30, 2015. The eight-day gathering of people chanting mantras and listening to teachings of monks starts every year around the 22rd of the ninth month on Tibetan calendar, the great day of Buddha's Descending from Tushita Heavens. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





An ethnic Tibetan woman from Kham area wearing traditional amber headwear looks at fake human skulls placed inside a room at the site for sky burials near the Larung valley located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





An ethnic Tibetan man, wearing traditional clothes prays at a monastery above the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Tibetan Buddhist nuns protect themselves from sub zero temperatures with yak butter tea and warm clothes as they wait for morning chanting session to begin at Buddhist laymen lodge during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Ethnic Tibetan Buddhist believers hold electronic mantra counter (L) and prayer beads on the hill near the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute where people gather to listen to monks' teachings in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





An ethnic Tibetan Buddhist believer uses a selfie stick on the hill near the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute where people gather to listen to monks' teachings in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China early October 31, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Monks and nuns walk between their dormitories after attending a daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China early October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





An ethnic Tibetan woman, wearing a traditional decoration in her hair prays at a monastery above the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





An ethnic Tibetan woman, carrying her baby on the back, prays at a monastery above the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Ethnic Tibetans carry a body of their deceased relative, before being taken for a sky burial, around a monastery for 80 times at the Larung valley located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A traditional Tibetan hat and belt are put aside as an ethnic Tibetan woman prostrates herself at a monastery above the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A woman prays as ethnic Tibetan people gather in sub zero temperatures on the hill above a Buddhist laymen lodge for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A Tibetan Buddhist monks spins a prayer wheel at Buddhist laymen lodge where thousands of people gather for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





People watch as bodies are prepared and vultures come from skies before a sky burial near the Larung valley located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. In early afternoons, on a hill near famous Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute relatives and onlookers gather for sky burials in which bodies of deceased people are offered to vultures to prey upon it. Such burials are practiced by some Tibetans and Mongolian in China as an extreme type of Buddhist's "self-sacrifice almsgiving". It is believed that feeding vultures with decomposed corpse of relatives on top of a mountain is a respectful to pay tribute to their passed-away beloved ones. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A Tibetan Buddhist monk protects himself from the smell of decomposing bodies as vultures come from skies for a sky burial near the Larung valley located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns walk back to their dormitories after attending a daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A Tibetan Buddhist nun spins a prayer wheel in sub zero temperatures at a Buddhist laymen lodge where thousands of people gather for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A Tibetan Buddhist monk looks from inside a Buddhist laymen lodge where thousands of people gather for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China as the sun comes out October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Tibetan Buddhist monks take a break at a Buddhist laymen lodge where thousands of people gather for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A Buddhist monk collects his belongings as vultures gather around a body of a deceased person during a sky burial near the Larung valley located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. In early afternoons, on a hill near famous Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute relatives and onlookers gather for sky burials in which bodies of deceased people are offered to vultures to prey upon it. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Thousands of ethnic Tibetans gather to listen Buddhist monks' teachings near Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





An ethnic Tibetan man prays at a monastery above the Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute, located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Vultures come from skies for a sky burial near the Larung valley located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Ethnic Tibetans offer yak butter tea at a Buddhist laymen lodge where thousands gather for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. The traditional tea is made of zanba (roasted Qingke highland barley flour), milk and butter. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A doctor throws some pills to Tibetan Buddhist monks protecting themselves from cold weather at a Buddhist laymen lodge where thousands of people gather for daily chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A Tibetan Buddhist monk takes pictures with his smartphone from inside a tent during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 30, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





A girl joins other ethnic Tibetan people praying at a Buddhist laymen lodge where thousands of monks and nuns gather for morning chanting session during the Utmost Bliss Dharma Assembly, the last of the four Dharma assemblies at Larung Wuming Buddhist Institute in remote Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China November 1, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)





Fake human skulls are placed inside a room at the site for sky burials near the Larung valley located some 3700 to 4000 metres above the sea level in Sertar county, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China October 31, 2015. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)