Gartse Gonpa, its full Tibetan name is “Gartse Gyasar Shadra Thubtan Chokhor Ling,” which means “The Wheel of Dharma Teaching Academy of Gartse Gyasar’s Holy Doctrine.”
It belongs to Gelug pa of Tibetan Buddhism
It is located near the entrance of the Rigou Valley in Ququhu Township, in what is now Gartse Village of Tongren County, about 44 kilometers from Tongren County seat.
Overview
The Gartse tribe originally herded in the area around Gartse Village, Tongren County. According to the History of Politics and Religion in Amdo, the tribe’s leader, “Gartse Dampa Chudeng,” had three sons, and the tribe eventually split into three branches. One branch moved to Gartse in Ququhu, and another moved to Gartse in Tongde, with both establishing tribal monasteries.
The current inhabitants of “Gartse Village in Ququhu Township” and the “Gartse tribe in Tseku County” are descendants of this tribe.
Gartse Gonpa in Ququhu (Chu khol) is the tribal monastery of the Gartse tribe and is said to have a history of over 300 years.
The monastery was approved for reopening as a religious site in 1982, with the original structures well preserved.
Lineage, Offerings, and Affiliated Monasteries
The monastery was named by the 2nd Jamyang Lobsang Jigme Wangpo of Labrang Monastery (1728–1791) and follows the scholastic curriculum of Drepung Monastery‘s Gomang Dratsang in Lhasa. Its major religious ceremonies, held in the first, fourth, and tenth months, as well as its year-round study sessions, all follow the model of Labrang Monastery.
The abbots of the monastery have historically been from the Gartse tribe, such as the reincarnation of Chikan Khechok Gyatso, “Jinme Awang Gayang” (1727–1785), a member of the Gartse tribe, and his reincarnation, “Konchok Dampa Yapei” (1786–?), who was from the Gartse family of Ganjia Sureu.
Historically, Gartse Gonpa had five affiliated monasteries: Gedang, Xiguan, Loure, Yamazhaqiqi, and Youguning. The monastery’s traditional patrons were from Gartse, Wanluhu, Xibsha villages, and the Gartse tribe in Tseku County. Nowadays, the Tseku Gartse tribe has established its own monastery, and the connection between Tseku and Ququhu’s Gartse monastery has mostly dissolved.
According to the History of Politics and Religion in Amdo, “The reincarnated lama of Gartse and the Aongso tribal leader were brothers. The lama was proficient in esoteric mantras and possessed extraordinary powers, and was honored as a spiritual master by the ‘Jinong King.’ When ‘Dorji Dargye’ was assigned to handle disputes between the Mongols and Tibetans, he was granted the title of tribal chief of Aongso and a hundred households upon the request of the Jinong King.” This indicates the historical prominence of Gartse Monastery and its tribal leaders.
Gartse Gonpa Brief History
It is said that the monastery was originally built during the Ming Dynasty, with the first site located in “Gyabcha Valley.”
According to the History of Politics and Religion in Amdo, as recorded in The Life of Ganden Gyatso, the reincarnated lama of the Kagyu tradition in Gartse established a temple (now known as Gartse Gonpa) and a meditation center (known as Shuguning Monastery, now defunct) in the region. Later, Lama Gartse Ten Nechu relocated it to the area of Drakhogongkhang (believed to be 3 kilometers below the current site, near the forest’s edge). Subsequently, the monastery was moved to its current location, “Rongchongto,” by Chikan Khechok Gyatso, Nang Khenpa Awang Shirab, and Raka Chikchin.
The monastery was burned down in the late 1930s but was restored in 1945.
By 1958, it had one assembly hall, one Maitreya Hall, one protector deity shrine, 80 rooms in two monk residences, 13 monk quarters with 195 rooms, 40 acres of farmland, 40 horses, and around 120 acres of forest. The monastery housed close to 100 monks.
In the 1960s, parts of the monastery were destroyed, leaving only some sections of the Tsongkhapa and Manjushri halls intact.
In 1981, the monastery was approved for reopening.
In 1986, local villagers raised funds to build a new 30-room assembly hall and more than 70 rooms in over 20 monk quarters in the traditional timber-and-mudbrick style. The monastery now has 200 head of cattle and 15 sheep.
Today, the monastery has 15 officially registered monks. It has 15 households and 29 people. The resident spiritual leader is Jinme Kezang Longru Gyatso Rinpoche from Rongwo Monastery, while local lama Shirab Bu is in charge of monastery affairs. Lobzang Rinchen serves as the monastery’s management committee director.
The current reincarnation of the Gartse Lama, the eighth in the line, has studied at the Advanced Tibetan Buddhist Institute in Beijing.
Gendun Chophel’s Former Residence
Gendun Chophel (1903–1951) was a renowned Tibetan scholar both in China and internationally. He spent 11 years traveling, studying, and conducting research in India, becoming proficient in Sanskrit, English, Pali, and other languages. He made significant contributions in fields like history, religion, linguistics, literature, folklore, geography, archaeology, and medicine, producing a wealth of written and translated works.
From his first publication in 1936 in The Mirror, a Tibetan newspaper founded by Tharchin in Kalimpong, until his death, Gendun Chophel wrote and translated 103 works over 15 years. He also published 20 poems and produced 125 paintings, leaving behind a rich cultural legacy that cemented his place in the history of Tibetan culture.
His former residence, covering an area of 200 square meters, is built in the traditional Tibetan style and contains many of his personal belongings and works. It is a well-known cultural and historical tourist site in Tongren County and is considered part of the vibrant Rebgong cultural heritage.
Gartse Grasslands
The Gartse Grasslands are the only area in Qinghai Province that brings together the nine major types of Inner Mongolian grasslands. It is also considered the most magnificent and beautiful section of the northern grasslands of China, often referred to as the “Heavenly Grasslands.”
In the summer, the grasslands become a sea of green, dotted with herds of livestock like clouds, yurts scattered like buttons, and silver rivers winding through the landscape.
The grasslands feature “Mongolian Haote,” a cultural hub of Mongolian traditions including food, clothing, and housing customs. There is also the “Nomadic Tribe,” which recreates the ancient lifestyle of the nomadic peoples of the grasslands. Additionally, the “Forest and Grassland Ecological Zone” showcases the unique transition from forest grasslands to meadow grasslands.
Huan Zhu Village
Huan Zhu is an ancient Tibetan village, home to the famous Shugwan Meditation Cave, which is ranked first among the “Eight Great Sacred Caves” in Tongren. It was a place of retreat for the first Jamyang Shepa of Rebgong, and the 10th Panchen Lama, Choekyi Gyaltsen, personally consecrated the cave.
The cave is located behind Shugwan Monastery, 38 kilometers northeast of Tongren County, in Huan Zhu Village, Shuangpengxi Township. The mountain surrounding the cave is steep. It is said that those who enter the cave may hear strange and mystical sounds of chanting and prayers, revealing insights into their karmic actions and consequences.
The cave is approximately 200 meters deep, with numerous stalactites and crystal formations of various shapes. It is a popular destination for summer tourism, exploration, and spiritual retreats.
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