宗喀巴 (1357-1419) built the school on strict monastic discipline and long, graded study; its monks' yellow hats gave it the popular name
黄教. Its great monasteries include
甘丹寺,
哲蚌寺 and
色拉寺 near Lhasa and
拉卜楞寺 in Gansu. From the 17th century the school's Dalai Lamas also headed the local government of Tibet.