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Also known as “Banak Shol Gyalkhang,” it is a monastery of Nyingma Pa of Tibetan Buddhism
Nyingma Pa is also known as the “Red Sect.”
Located in the bustling area of Barkhor Street in the center of the old city of Lhasa, Banak Shol Gyalkhang monastery is part of the many cultural relics in Barkhor.
Established in 1395 AD, it is a branch monastery of “Drak Yerpa Monastery” in Dakzi District, with main deities, such as “Nangsi Yundan Jiebu Buddha” and “Jigjig Buddha.”
Northern Rigsum Lakhang is also known as “Northern Rigsum Gonpo Lakhang” or “The Temple of North Three Protectors“
Located on Ramoche Road in Lhasa, it is a nunnery of Gelug pa of Tibetan Buddhism
In Lhasa, there were originally eight monasteries of the “Three Gonpo”, with Jokhang Temple as the center, forming a mandala layout.
Among them, the monasteries of “Three Gonpo” in the east, south, west, and north were founded by Songtsen Gampo,
while the monasteries of “Three Gonpo” in the southeast, northeast, southwest, and northwest were later additions.
In the 1990s, the monasteries of “Three Gonpo” in the south, west, and north among the eight were reconstructed.
The original stone carvings of Northern Rigsum Lhakhang in its east hall are now enshrined in a small hall at the foot of the mountain east of the Potala Palace.
Gonpo, also known as “Natha”, in Tibetan Buddhism, means “protector” or “guardian.” The term originates from Hinduism.
Protectors referred to as Gonpo or Natha include various bodhisattvas, wrathful deities, Khrag Thung, celestial beings, and Vajrapani after attaining enlightenment; “Mahakala” is often addressed to as “Gonpo”.
In Tibetan Buddhism, Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, and Vajrapani are collectively known as the “Three Gonpo (Protectors)” or the “Three Lords of the Snowy Mountain,” representing wisdom, compassion, and power.
“Gonpo” is also used as a term of respect for enlightened practitioners in Tibetan Buddhism, and it is a common Tibetan name.
People believe that powerful “Gonpo (protector)” can offer protection and assistance to followers, reducing their hardships and aiding in their spiritual practice.
Walking south along Ramoche Road will lead you to the Northern Rigsum Lhakhang.
The Lhakhang is located on the east side of Ramoche Road. A plaque with Tibetan and Chinese inscriptions hangs on the street-facing gate
Historically, the temple was reagrded as a branch of Zhide Dratsang, some sources suggest it was under the jurisdiction of Gyume Dratsang
After reconstruction, the Northern Rigsum Lhakhang is managed by Gari Gonpa near Sera Monastery.
Inside the small gate, a long narrow corridor houses over 40 prayer wheels. Beyond this corridor is a spacious courtyard, with residential buildings on the left and the monastery on the right.
The main hall of the Lhakhang is divided into two smaller halls. The inner smaller hall houses newly sculpted statues of the Three Gonpo (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Manjusri Bodhisattva, and Vajrapani Bodhisattva) from the early 21st century.
There is a prayer wheel with a diameter of 2 meters in the corridor of the hall.
In the outer smaller hall near the entrance, to the right when facing the altar, the original statues of the Three Gonpo are enshrined.
In the 1990s, scholars visited this Lakhang for research and discovered an old statue of the Vaisravana(also “Jambhala” in Tibetan) inside the hall. It was speculated that historically, the Four Directions Three Gonpo Monasteries in Lhasa each enshrined the corresponding direction’s Heavenly King, but this theory cannot be verified at present.
Shedrubling Monastery, also known as Gongkar Shedrubling Monastery, was built in the 17th century by the Fifth Dalai Lama.
It is one of the “Thirteen Lings” established by the Fifth Dalai Lama and belongs to the Gelug Pa of Tibetan Buddhism.
The “Shedrubling” in the monastery’s name is a Tibetan transliteration, meaning “a place for teaching and practice.”
Located on the Gonggar Gabu Mountain in Gongga County, approximately 22 kilometers from Gonggar County town,
The national highway from Lhasa to Yamdrok Lake passes through the foot of the mountain where the monastery is located.
Shedrubling Monastery, though not large in size, consists of three main buildings: a library housing a collection of sutras, a main hall, and the throne of the Fifth Dalai Lama.
Upon entering the monastery, the distinction between the old and new buildings are quite apparent.
On the first floor to the left of the entrance, the scripture hall enshrines statues of Master Tsongkhapa and his eight main disciples, three Buddha statues of Master Tsongkhapa and his two disciples,and a thousand small Tsongkhapa statues, as well as the three great Dharma Kings of Tubo Kingdom(Songtsen Gampo,Trisong Detsen, Tritsu Detsen). The second floor of the scripture hall resembles a book depository, containing numerous precious sutras
During the time of the Fifth Dalai Lama, Shedrubling Monastery reached its peak in development, with institutions for Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism, housing over 500 monks who engaged in Buddhist debates, studies, and practices. The monastery still preserves the throne of the Fifth Dalai Lama to this day.
The original site suffered severe damage during the Cultural Revolution in 1960s. The monastery that stands today was rebuilt in the 1980s by the “Living Buddha of Khyentse” from Sera Monastery, relocating the physical statue of the Paldan Lhamo previously worshiped at the foot of the mountain to the mountaintop for devotees to pay their respects.
The newly constructed main hall of Shedrubling Monastery now houses statues of Jampa Buddha(Maitreya), serving as the main site for the Gelug pa‘s practices.
“Goddess of Auspiciousness,” transliterated “Paldan Lhamo“, also known as “Maha Kali“, which is one of the female protectors of Tibetan Buddhism (there are many female protectors of Tibetan Buddhism, such as the Five Longevity Sisters, the One-Bun Goddess, etc.). She is the patron saint of Lhasa City and the Dalai Lama. She is the wrathful incarnation of the Hindu goddess Maha Kali in Tibetan Buddhism. In Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism, the Auspicious Heavenly Mother is highly worshiped and has strong influence.
The most renowned aspect of Shedrubling Monastery is the enshrinement of the physical remains of the “Goddess of Auspiciousness”. She passed away around a thousand years ago at the age of twelve, shrinking in size posthumously to only one cubit high. Adorned with a silver crown and colorful garments, her face slightly darkened, with one eye even slightly open.
Following the monastery’s designated “worship direction,” upon entering the small shrine dedicated to her, she is revealed.
As the legend goes, this “Goddess of Auspiciousness” has never been buried and has been worshiped by generations of Tibetans for centuries at Shedrubling Monastery
There are many legends about Shedrubling Monastery, the most famous being the pagoda enshrining the physical remains of the “Goddess of Auspiciousness”.
Around the year 1042 AD, it is said that the venerable Atisha was invited from India to Tibet to spread the buddhism teachings in the region known as “Guge” today.
Three years later, the venerable traveled to U-Tsang region and near the river in Lhasa, he encountered a young girl who felt deep respect for him. She took off all her gold and silver ornaments and threw them across the river to offer to the venerable; at that time, Atisha was not yet well-known in Tibet, and he was a stranger to the girl as well. When the girl returned home, her parents, upon learning that she had given her precious ornaments to a stranger monk, angrily beat her.
During that era when the Bon religion was prevalent, this young girl was determined to promote the Buddhist teachings and support the monks. Hence, she was treated as a demon by the villagers and thrown into the river, but she floated on the water’s surface, causing fear among the villagers. They then sealed her in a cave on the mountain and smoked her to death.
At that moment, the venerable Atisha manifested his supernatural powers, revealing the transformation of the girl into “Tara” and her rebirth in “Tuṣita” as the “Goddess of Auspiciousness.” He praised the merit of the girl offering her body and life, making people realize that she was a manifestation of the “Goddess of Auspiciousness” protecting Tibetan Buddhism. Consequently, a monastery was built to enshrine the girl’s remains, which later naturally shrank to the size of an elbow and is believed to fulfill wishes.
Due to the various legendary experiences about her, for centuries in Tibetan Buddhism, this Bodhisattva image has been considered the most sacred and spiritual. It is said that her miracles appear everywhere, sometimes taking the form of a woman to help the poor, sometimes appearing as a donor carrying goods on a mule to distribute to the impoverished monks in Tibet, and sometimes manifesting as a divine figure riding a yellow mule flying through the sky. Those who offer wine, food, and other offerings to her image are said to have their prayers answered.
Jampaling Monastery is named after the Jampa Buddha (Maitreya Buddha) as the main deity inside the monastery. “Jampa” in Tibetan means “future.”
Jampaling Monastery faces south and is located about 300 meters south of the town of Zhanang County, halfway up the mountain.
Established by “Tunmi·Tsangsrub Tashi” in the year 1472 AD, it belongs to the Gelug pa of Tibetan Buddhism.
It is a branch of the Gomang Dratsang of Drepung Monastery in Lhasa city
The magnificent architecture of the Jampaling Monastery covers an area of 137,100 square meters (457 meters long from east to west and 300 meters wide from north to south).
The monastery complex consists of nine main buildings, including the Jampa Hall, Jampaling Ladrang, Jampa Buddha Hall, Jampaling Pagoda, Jampaling Dratsang, Danni Shop (Bhutan Shop, Nepal Shop), Buddha Exhibition Platform, and Dzongden Temple.
Surrounding the monastery are polygonal stone walls with a perimeter of 1,360 meters, a thickness of 1 to 1.5 meters, and a height of approximately 1 to 2 meters, following the natural contours of the mountain ridge. The southern and northern walls are adjacent to steep cliffs, making the terrain very challenging.
Originally, there were four to five watchtowers on each side of the walls, with sides ranging from two to four meters and mostly three stories high, while those at higher elevations were two stories high, each approximately two meters tall.
Unfortunately, during the “Cultural Revolution” in the 1960s, the monastery was almost entirely destroyed, with numerous cultural relics lost,
It is the main hall of Jampaling Monastery, located at the center of the architectural complex, is surrounded by outer walls carved with eight auspicious treasures patterns.
In front of the main hall, there are seven stone steps, six meters long and three meters wide.
There is a porch with two columns beyond the steps, 18 meters wide and 12 meters deep.
On each side of the main door, there is a small room.
Upon entering the main door, you will find the main scripture hall with 36 columns adorned with painted and carved patterns on the column heads. Flanking the scripture hall are wooden niches containing clay sculptures of famous historical figures of the Gelug pa such as Tsongkhapa.
Surrounding the scripture hall are various ceremonial instruments like horns, ritual bells, and drums. In the Buddha hall, there is a front altar with offerings such as water basins and butter lamps.
Behind the altar is the main Buddha statue: a gilded bronze statue of Sakyamuni Buddha in the center, a clay sculpture of the Tara on the right, and a silver-made Bodhi stupa on the left. On both sides of the Buddha hall door stand two clay sculptures of guardian deities.
Encircling the Buddha hall is a circumambulation corridor.
The walls of the porch, main scripture hall, Buddha hall, and circumambulation corridor were once adorned with murals depicting the Jataka tales and stories of the Buddha’s life, but they were destroyed
Located to the south of the main hall, it is managed by “Kundeling” in Lhasa City.
Jampaling Ladrang was built in memory of Panchen·Jampaling Sonam Namgye (1400-1475 AD, the brother of Tunmi·Tsangsrub Tashi).
Covering an area of 120 square meters (12 meters long from east to west, 10 meters wide from north to south), it has 20 columns with round column bases, finely carved and decorated, with no painted decorations on the column heads, intricate yet orderly.
It has three floors:
The first and second floors serve as the residence for the living Buddhas and abbots.
The third floor houses a small Buddha hall, measuring 12 meters long from east to west, 10 meters wide from north to south, covering an area of 120 square meters, with murals painted on the walls around the Buddha hall.
Inside the hall, there is a gilded bronze statue of Panchen·Jampaling Sonam Namgye, with murals covering the four walls. To the west, there is a stupa of Panchen·Jampaling Sonam Namgye, with a square base and circular body, measuring 1 meters on each side, constructed of stone blocks and surrounded by walls on the east, south, and north sides.
The roof of Jampaling Ladrang is crowned with gold, presenting a magnificent appearance.
Located to the east of Jampa Hall, facing south, it is two stories high and covers an area of 100 square meters. There are 12 columns, the column bases are decorated with lotus petals, and the stigmas have original carvings and paintings.
In the hall, there is an eight-year-old life-size gilded bronze statue of Jampa Buddha, a silver statue of Vajrapani Bodhisattva on the right, and a gilded bronze statue of Master Tsongkhapa on the left. There is also an eleven-faced clay statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.
The four walls of the Buddhist hall are covered with murals depicting the story of Jampa Buddha, focusing on describing the historical process of Jampa Buddha from becoming a monk to becoming a Buddha. The first details are described vividly and realistically. This palace was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.
The buildings of Jampaling Dratsang are distributed around Jampa Hall and built according to the mountain terrain. The walls are painted with 8 auspicious patterns
There are buildings such as gate, scripture halls (with an area of 16 columns), and Buddhist halls.
From the gate to the scripture hall, there are murals depicting the six realms of samsara, monks begin their monastic life, and rigorous practice, all of which are grand and magnificent.
Located about 26 meters southeast of Jampaling Pagoda, built with large stones, the rectangular platform is 18 meters high, 16 meters long, and 7.5 meters wide, with walls 1.5 meters thick. Each level of the Buddha platform is adorned with murals.
There was originally a huge thangka depicting a Jowo Buddha embroidered with golden threads, approximately 16 meters long and 8 meters wide, bordered with brocade on all sides and exquisitely detailed with scrolls at the top and bottom.
On the 30th day of the fifth month of the Tibetan calendar, Jampaling monastery celebrates the Thangka unfolding festival, where monks from various monasteries such as Tshongdu Dratsang, Jampaling monastery, Dratang Monastery participate.
During this festival, the huge thangka is hung on the platform for Buddhist followers to admire and pay their respects.
This platform is the best-preserved building within the Jampaling monastery
Located southwest of the Jampa Hall, covering an area of 3100 square meters. Surrounded by a square stone wall, 7 meters high and 1 meter thick, with a small square tower at each corner.
The Jampaling Pagoda, reaching 13 stories high, was constructed by “Panchen·Jamling Sonamgye” and “Lhochen Sonam Gyatso” and was repaired by “Jekyi Pude Hutuktu” in 1915.
The tower is made of stone blocks and slabs, covered with mud and white lime on the outside, displaying exquisite craftsmanship.
Today, only the base of the tower and some treasure vases remain, with the top part missing.
Legend has it that a grand celebration was held when the pagoda was completed, and since then, various activities such as dancing and Tibetan opera performances have been held at Jampaling monastery from the 24th to the 30th day of the fifth month of the Tibetan calendar each year. Additionally, a lively seven-day trade fair starts on the first day of the sixth month.
Located on a hill about 200 meters east of the Jampa Hall, facing south and occupying an area of 418 square meters.
Originally situated in Skong Township, the temple was named “Garchen Gunba.” It was later relocated to this location in the year 472 AD and was constructed by monks from the Sakya pa.
Consisting of a porch, scripture hall, and Buddha hall, the temple is adorned with murals from the porch to the Buddha hall, spanning two floors.
The first floor houses the scripture hall and Buddha hall, with a central well leading to the second floor, supported by 14 columns.
The second floor serves as the Buddha hall, housing a gilded statue of Sakyamuni Buddha.
Murals adorn the temple from the porch to the Buddha hall.
The shops of Bhutan and Nepal are located on the east and west sides of the front of the Jampa Hall, established slightly later than the Jampaling Pagoda
Every year, from the first day of the sixth month of the Tibetan calendar, the Jampaling monastery holds a grand annual trade fair, which lasts for seven days.
The reason for this is that during the completion ceremony of the Jampaling Pagoda, a famous Tibetan merchant named Losang attended. In commemoration of Losang, the first day of the sixth month of the Tibetan calendar was designated as the annual trade fair, lasting for 7 days.
Jampaling monastery specifically built the shops for merchants from Bhutan and Nepal to conduct business here. Each shop has 8 rooms, covering an area of 360 square meters, and is a Tibetan-style flat-roofed building.
They are all two-story buildings, with the first floor being the shop and the second floor being the residence for the merchants.
In addition to business, the Tanne shop also engages in cultural exchange activities. It is very rare to open a shop within a monastery, which is uncommon in other monasteries in the Tibetan area.
About three hundred meters outside the main gate of Jampaling monastery, there is a rock with a pair of large eyes painted on it. Legend has it that these eyes are specifically watching to see if there are any thieves among the crowd going to worship the Buddha, if they are devout to the Buddha, and if there are any monks in the monastery who are not following the rules or truly believe in the Buddha.
If there are indeed these two types of people, these eyes will manifest and bring retribution; there are three such large eyes inside Jampaling monastery
Jampaling monastery was established in the flourishing 15th century of the Gelug pa, it uniquely combines Buddhist rituals with business, making it distinctive.
Engaging in business within a monastery with strict religious doctrines and rules is itself a violation of common customs, but due to the involvement of the prominent merchant “Losang”, this was an inevitable outcome of the religious development at a certain historical period.
Simultaneously, it also facilitated cultural exchanges between Tibet and countries like Bhutan, Nepal, and the mainland of China
Also known as “Gongkar Monastery” and “Dorje Dan Monastery“, which means Vajra Monastery,
Gonggar Chode is located in Gangdui Township, Gongga County, Shannan City. It is 18 kilometers away from Gongga County and by the highway from Gonggar Airport to Lhasa city.
In 1464 AD, the monastery was founded by “Tubten·Gonggar Namgyal” and belonged to the Sakya Pa of Tibetan Buddhism.
This monastery is the ancestral monastery of the Gonggar sect, a esoteric（tantric） branch of the Sakya Pa, and currently the only practice site of this sect;
Gongkar Chode was founded by the Sakya Pa master known as “Tubten·Gonggar Namgyal (1432 AD – 1496 AD)” who was regarded as the incarnation of the great master “Padmasambhava“.
“Tubten·Gonggar Namgyal” was born into the “Tumi” family in the “Ten” region (present-day Nyemo County, Lhasa City), and hence revered as “Tubten”.
His father, “Gyewa Sherab”, was said to be a descendant of the Tibetan minister and creator of Tibetan script, “Thonmi Sambhodra”.
As a child, “Gonggar Namgyal” displayed exceptional intelligence, mastering Tibetan reading and writing at a young age.
Due to his proficiency in reciting the five major “Dharanis” from a young age, he was given the name “Draan Gyebu”.
At the age of 13, he became an attendant of the Nedong King “Drakpa Chongne” as his mother wished, and at 15, he was appointed as the “Tsongben (chief)” of “Gongkar Tsong” and married to raise a family.
However, at the age of 18, he chose to become a monk. He received novice ordination from Gye Jangba Linba (Master Cizhou), full ordination from “Sonam Namgyal”, and studied under eminent monks like Tsongba·Sonam Sambu.
Subsequently, he studied sutras and tantras under Indian and Tibetan Buddhist masters such as “Dratoba·Sonam Sambu”, “Pandita Nag Renchen”, and “Shalu·Yeshe Gyantsen”, gradually becoming a highly knowledgeable Sakya pa master proficient in both exoteric and esoteric teachings, the great and minor of the “Five Science”.
At the age of 30, he vowed to build Gongkar Chode. After years of hard work, the monastery was finally completed, as well as establishing a comprehensive educational system and ritual practices within the monastery.
The Venerable “Tubten·Gonggar Namgyal” passed away at the age of 65 in Gongkar Chode
Gongkar Chode was built according to “Mandala.”
The layout consists of the main hall in the center, Gong Sangtse to the north, Renchenn Gang to the east, Gong Tang to the south, and Drepung to the west; in addition to these main buildings, there are also some smaller auxiliary buildings.
According to the “Gongkar Chode Annals”:
The main hall of the monastery is shaped like a cross Vajra mandala, surrounded by protruding small halls on all sides. There are four pillars in the rear hall which the main statue of Sakyamuni Buddha is enshrined, additionally, there are statues of the eight great disciples, and the two protectors of Indra and Shri Vajramahabhairava.
After the completion of Gongkar Chode, the monastery has always been the most important place for the propagation of the Sakya pa’s Tantric teachings in the U-Tsang region.
According to the “Record of U-Tsang’s Sacred Sites,” Gongkar Chode was exquisitely built. In the clean incense room behind the main hall, there is the skull of Panchen Gayadara, inside which there is an extremely exquisite portrait of Sakyamuni.”
Within the monastery, there are forty-five types of practice methods such as “external practices(Things Tantra)” (emphasizing the external phenomena of the three karma of body, speech, and mind), “conduct practices(Action Tantra)” (emphasizing the external body, speech, and the internal mind in the yoga samadhi practice), “yoga practices (Yoga Tantra)” (focusing on internal mind meditation practices), and “supreme yoga practices (Supreme Yoga Tantra)” (engaging in the most superior meditation practices of internal yoga, such as the practices of union of wisdom and emptiness, and the great samadhi practices).
During the time of the 5th Dalai Lama, due to the continuous decrease in monks at the monastery, the area of the main hall was reduced, leading to the formation of some auxiliary halls on both sides.
At the beginning of this century, Gongkar Chode underwent its final large-scale renovation.
The monastery’s existing buildings consist of the main hall and a two-story building on the north side of the main hall, namely Gong Sangtse, while the rest of the subsidiary buildings have been destroyed. The current buildings are all original structures from the time of the monastery’s construction, and their architectural style is largely consistent with the records in the “Gongkar Chode Annals”
The overall architecture is Tibetan-style earthen and stone construction, with flat roofs and thick walls. Inside the buildings, elements such as beams, columns, brackets, and lintels are mostly constructed using wood.
The main Hall is two stories high and has a square floor plan. In front of the main Hall is a square, with mulberry burning platforms on both sides. There are two prominent pillars in front of the main Hall’s entrance, and the four heavenly kings are painted on the left and right door walls.
The main Hall faces west and consists of the scripture hall, Buddha hall, subsidiary halls, and a circumambulation corridor. It measures 65 meters long from east to west, 55.5 meters wide from north to south, with an additional Kitchen attached to the southwest corner.
Inside the main Hall, there are a total of 49 columns, each adorned with thangkas, allowing for thousands of monks to chant simultaneously.
The four walls of the main Hall are adorned with colorful and exquisitely painted murals depicting the “Life of Sakyamuni(Buddha Jataka),” created during the Ming（AD 1368 – AD 1644） and Qing（AD 1636 or AD 1644 – AD 1912） dynasties.
To the left of the entrance of the main Hall is the Dharma Protectors’ Hall, with statues of Dharma protectors at the entrance and main deities such as Yamantaka and Paldan Lhamo inside.
To the right of the main Hall is a small Buddha hall, where the statues have been destroyed, and miscellaneous items are stored. However, some parts of the “Life of Buddha (Buddha Jataka)” murals are preserved, showcasing a distinct style from the main hall murals influenced by the Palcho monastery and the Guge painting style, suggesting an earlier origin than the main hall murals.
In the central 1st level of the main Hall, the Buddha hall enshrines Shakyamuni Buddha, with the Jampa Buddha hall on the left, all statues that are housing in this halls are very tall
There is a concave circumambulation corridor adorned with Buddhist scripture stories behind the buddha hall of the main Hall that dating back to before the Qing dynasty. However, due to dampness in the corridor, most of the murals have peeled off and deteriorated.
There are murals of approximately 2 meters high depicting the “Sakya Five Forefathers” on the walls to the left and right in front of the Buddha hall, vividly highlighting the characteristics of Sakya sect monasteries.
In front of the Buddha hall,there are rectangular skylights for natural lighting, with murals on the inner walls depicting the Sakya Five Forefathers, Tsongkhapa and his two disciples, and the Maitreya Buddha in a Han-style painting, vividly showcasing the influence of the Gelug pa on the monastery’s murals.
Legend has it that one day, “Gonggar Namgyal” was reading the “Vajra Sutra” on the roof of the Gongga Tsong’s office and a few pages of scriptures were blown by the wind to the site where the Gongkar Chode is located today. A crow preserved these pages of scripture.
Seeing this extraordinary phenomenon, he believed it was a sign from the Bodhisattva and decided to build a monastery there. In 1464 AD, he constructed the Gongkar Chode here, and began to promote several teachings of the “Four Tantric Classics.”
Since its establishment, the Gongkar Chode has gradually developed a comprehensive system of study and practice, exerting significant influence in the regions of U-Tsang. Particularly popular in the Tibetan region are the monastery’s “Tantric Rituals” and “Vajra Dance,” such as the annual “45 Tantric Mandala rituals” and the “Cham Dance”, among various distinctive Buddhist activities.
The monastery also houses precious Buddhist relics, including the skull of the great practitioner Gayadare, Buddha statues and stupas blessed by the great translator Atisha, Tangka paintings from the Yuan and Ming dynasties, as well as numerous statues of eminent monks and masters from Tibet and India.
However, due to the changes in the world, the original Tantric rituals, Cham performances, and especially the ancient Tantric scriptures from various Tibetan Buddhism sects, the Buddhist scriptures personally written by “Gonggar Namgyal”, and many other scriptures used in daily monastery activities suffered unprecedented destruction.
During the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, the monastery, being used as a warehouse, remained well-preserved with minimal losses. Most of the main buildings were intact, with many murals still preserved.
Since 1984, through the arduous efforts of several elderly lamas in the monastery, Gongkar Chode has been restored and renovated. The monastery’s study and practice systems, along with daily Buddhist activities, have gradually returned to normal.
In the early 21st century, there are about 60 monks in Gongkar Chode
Within the monastery halls, there are a large number of murals painted by the Tibetan artist Master “Gonggar·Khyentse Chenmo” five hundred years ago.
These murals, belonging to the “Khyentse” painting style, are not only abundant and well-preserved but also hold high Buddhist artistic value, playing a significant role in the history of Tibetan Buddhist art.
Although it is not certain if these murals were indeed created by the renowned “Khyentse Chenmo” due to lack of material evidence, it is acceptable to consider them as representative of the “Khyentse” painting style in the current context.
The murals existing in the current Gongkar Chode can be roughly categorized into three themes: Patriarch, deity and protector
These murals are divided into four parts, described as follows:
On the south walls of the Buddha hall, there are depictions of eminent Sakya Pa monks. The three figures on the left side are “Lobon·Sonam Gyanri”, “Sachen·Kunga Nyingpo”, and “Jetsun·Drakpa Gyatso”; The three figures on the right side are “Drogong·Chokye Paba”, “Sakya pandita·Kunga Gyaltsan”, and “Dangba·Sonam Gyantsen”.
The west, north, and east walls depict a complete story of Buddha’s life(Buddha Jataka).
The story is arranged in a clockwise direction, beginning with scenes of Prince Siddhartha’s family before his birth, showing a grand procession with luxurious chariots and attendants, depicting a royal atmosphere. It then progresses to Siddhartha’s birth and youth, including scenes of him archery and enjoying music and dance. Some scenes are blurred, with Indian-style dancers playing musical instruments below, captivating the viewers. The story continues with the Midnight Escape, where the Prince quietly leaves the city on a white horse accompanied by a servant, and then shows him meditating in the forest, resisting temptation from two demonesses. The narrative then shifts to Siddhartha receiving milk rice from a shepherd, leading to his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, followed by his teaching and guiding of beings after attaining Buddhahood. The story concludes with the Parinirvana of the Buddha, peacefully passing away under the Sala tree surrounded by grieving disciples.
These murals exhibit a bold style, with free and clear compositions, vigorous brushwork, and vivid depictions of facial expressions and movements. Unfortunately, due to intentional damage, most of the colors have faded, leaving only faint traces. From the remaining parts, the predominant colors are green backgrounds, red clothing and buildings, and yellowish skin tones, with additional earthy hues in decorations. The overall decorative style is simple and elegant. These murals date back to the same period as the construction of the monastery
This section of murals is located on the west wall of the east side hall and the west wall of the west side hall of the main hall, depicting stories of the Buddha’s life
These stories are distributed among some main images. The main image is 1 meter wide, 1.8 meters high, and 2.5 meters apart. They are all images of Sakyamuni. They have headlights, backlights, and lotus seats, all of which are in a seated posture of sitting cross-legged. These scenes of the stories of the life of the Buddha are the essence of the murals in Gongkar Chode.
The murals show the painter’s great interest in these subjects, thus fully embodying the superb artistic ingenuity.
Story 1: There was a rich man who did all kinds of evil during his lifetime. He unleashed his dogs to bite monks who begged for help. In later life, he fell into the animal realm and turned into a yak-like monster. He was slaughtered by herdsmen with knives and spears, and was also killed by tigers, lions, poisonous snakes, scorpions, etc. The bite is excruciating; there is a picture of the Buddha preaching on it, and there are many monks and laypeople surrounding it listening carefully and understanding the principle of cause and effect. It is worth noting that this story scene is also seen in the sutra hall murals painted in the later period. However, in comparison, the former depicts a more secular life, and the style is more like a genre painting. Unlike the latter, which is more conceptual and Illustration.
Story 2: A businessman was robbed on the way. He committed suicide under a tree and was rescued by the Buddha. Later, the man was so grateful that he converted to Buddhism. Before the death of the Buddha, he came to the Buddha and knelt down to listen to the Buddha’s teachings. The picture shows the touching image of the Buddha teaching people tirelessly before his death. In addition, great attention is paid to the consistency of facial features of the characters in the picture. In addition, the pictures are full of life-like details, such as scenes of folk bands, eminent monks giving sermons, and rituals, as well as the personalities of monks, nobles, common people, beggars and other people from all walks of life.
These story scenes are set amid decorative buildings, trees, flowers, and valleys, with clear and free compositions, either upwards or downwards, left or right, all determined by the overall density. The figures and overall style exhibit a refined elegance reminiscent of traditional Chinese paintings. The story scenes are outlined in black or red lines, with skin tones mostly in earthy yellow, garments in red, and backgrounds in green. These murals are from the main hall before the fifth Dalai Lama’s small hall, which is contemporary with the time when the monastery was built.
The subject matter is the same as that of the original main Hall murals, which are all stories from the biography of Buddha and the story of the Buddha’s life, but they have different characteristics in terms of artistic techniques.
These story scenes are also centered on several main statues. The main statues are 1.1 meters high, 1 meter wide, and 1.2 meters apart. They are smaller and denser than the main statues of the original main Hall. On each side of the entrance are two heavenly kings. The last image in the prayer corridor on the east wall is the statue of the fifth Dalai Lama, and the rest are all portraits of Sakyamuni.
These main images all have a headlight, a backlight, and all in a posture of sitting cross-legged. Their skin color is earthy yellow, their clothes are red, the backlight part is blue, and there is an orange-red flame around them. The handprints are different. The characters in the story scenes are outlined with red and black lines, the monks are all dressed in red, the lay people are mostly dressed in blue, the buildings are mostly in red, and the tops of the buildings are painted in gold. The composition of the picture has a stylized trend, and is all decorated with green background colors to form mountain lines in a triangular composition, which play the role of dividing the picture. The brushwork is rigorous and meticulous, the colors are rich and luxurious,the plot description tends to be conceptual and diagrammatic, the naturalistic style and the color of secular life gradually become lighter, and the decorative style appears complicated and gorgeous.
This hall is located on the north side of the second floor of the main hall. It is a square hall with dimensions of 8.9 meters in length and width. The walls of the hall are adorned with murals starting from 0.5 meters above the ground, with a 0.15-meter-wide Sanskrit decorative border serving as the baseline, and murals extending from the baseline to the ceiling, with a width of 2.6 meters. Additionally, there are windows of 1 meter and 1.2 meters on this wall, and one window each of 0.7 meters and 1.4 meters on the east and west walls.
Tshongdu Dratsang, also known as “Tshongdu Monastery” or “Tshongdu Tsogpa,” is one of the four major Tsogpa in Tibet, the other three are Tse Tsogpa in Nedong County, Tsanggang Tügang Tsogpa in Shigatse, Gyangling Tsogpa in Zhanang County.
It belonged to Kadam Pa of Tibetan Buddhism when it was funded, then after it converted to the Sakya sect in the mid-13th century.
The monastery is situated on the southern bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful scenery. Located in Tshongdu Village, east of the county seat of Dranang (Zhanang) County,
Tshongdu Dratsang was founded by the renowned Indian Buddhist scholar “Kache Panchen·Sakya Sribhadra” (AD 1127–AD1225 AD).
“Kache Panchen” means “the great pandita of Kashmir (Pandita equivalent to a Buddhist philosophical doctorate).”
“Kache Panchen·Sakya Sribhadra” was born in present-day Kashmir. He was the last abbot of the Nalanda Monastery in India and a prominent Buddhist scholar.
At the age of 10, he mastered the “Five Sciences,” and at 23, he became a monk, Since then, he traveled extensively in eastern India to promote Buddhism, possessing profound knowledge of esoteric teachings.
In 1204 AD, at nearly 80 years old, “Kache Panchen·Sakya Sribhadra” was invited by the “Lotsawa·Yampa Pal, AD 1173 – AD 1219, the great translator)” to Tibet to propagate the Dharma. He nurtured many prominent figures in the Tibetan Buddhist community across Tibet.
The monastic discipline he brought from India belonged to the “Sarvasti-vada” (one of the Buddhist sects), holding a significant position in Tibetan Buddhist history.
The architecture of the old buildign of Tshongdu Dratsang is grand, however, the new one is much smaller than the old one in scale, consisting of a three-story courtyard-style building. The central area features a courtyard with the main hall and monks’ quarters built around it. The main hall is located on the second floor, while a separate small hall on the third floor serves as the Buddha hall.
Surrounding the main hall is a two-story monk’s dormitory.
The main entrance is on the second floor, accessed via a wooden staircase leading to the corridor of the main hall, which is supported by four large square pillars.
The corridor’s murals depict the Four Heavenly Kings, the Six Paths of Reincarnation Diagram, the Ideal World, and a four-faced and two-armed statue of Guanyin.
The main hall is 15 meters in depth and 6 meters in width. Inside, there is a gilded bronze statue of Sakyamuni Buddha as the main deity. To the west, a gilded bronze statue of Avalokiteshvara with a thousand arms and eyes is enshrined, while to the east, a statue of the goddess Tara is worshipped.
In a Buddha niche on the west side, statues of the renowned figures “Kon·Gongcho Gyalpo (AD 1034 – AD 1102)” and his disciples from the Sakya sect are enshrined.
The walls of the main hall are adorned with murals depicting the founder of the Sakya Pa, “‘Dromi·Sakya Yeshe (AD 994 – AD 1078)”, along with images of successive abbots and the third abbot of the Sakya Pa, Dragpa Gyaltsen (AD 1147 – AD1216), as well as various protective deities.
On the north wall of the courtyard, murals depict Vajrapani Bodhisattva.
The west wall features depictions of Sakyamuni Buddha, Vajradhara, Sarasvatī, and Manjusri.
The east wall showcases eight different images of Padmasambhava.
The third floor of the main hall is an independent small building used as a Buddhist shrine.
The murals inside the Buddha hall are well-preserved, depicting a thousand Buddha statues throughout the hall. The statues are outlined with a single line, standing at 0.17 meters tall, with circular halo and back light, high topknots, wearing draped robes on the right side, and the right hand touching the ground in a gesture, seated in a lotus position.
On the lower parts of the left and right walls inside the Buddha hall, there are four Bodhisattva statues on each side, namely the “Eight Great Disciples”: Manjushri, Vajrapani, Avalokiteshvara, Ksitigarbha, Dribpa Namsel, Akasagarbha, Maitreya, Samantabhadra, all depicted standing with various forms. The statues are 0.35 meters tall, with oval halos and back lights, tall crowns, adorned with precious silk-bound hair, draped shoulders; bare upper body with tight-fitting diagonal pants, holding a lotus flower in the left hand, and the right hand hanging down with palm facing outward; adorned with earrings, necklaces, bracelets, armlets, waistbands, and flowing robes hanging from the shoulders, giving a sense of movement; standing barefoot on a lotus pedestal.
The Buddhist hall houses Tryadhva-buddhah clay statues and two sandalwood-carved small pagodas.
Tshongdu Dratsang, built around the year 1200 AD,
Underwent a major renovation in the 19th century by a person named “Deba Benden”, who repainted the murals and constructed a new monk’s quarters to the south of the main hall.
After 1959, it was requisitioned and converted into a granary.
During the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, the monastery suffered damage.
In 1981, reconstruction planning began following the implementation of a new religious policies.
Today, after the granary was relocated and the white paint and slogans on the walls were wiped away, the religious-themed murals reemerged, with very few remaining structures of the monastery.
In 1998, it was designated as a county-level cultural heritage site.
Nechung Monastery, also known as “Nechung Dorje Drayangling”, was initially a Nyingma Pa monastery of Tibetan Buddhism but later converted to the Gelug Pa.
It is a subordinate monastery of Drepung Monastery and serves as the residence of Nechung Oracle.
Located in the western suburbs of Lhasa, it is approximately 1 kilometer away from Drepung Monastery.
The name “Ne” of “Nechung” means “place” and “chung” means “small”. Therefore, “Nechung Monastery” refers to the “small place” below Drepung Monastery.
The monastery venerates “Pehar“, a three-headed, six-armed deity, who is the main deity of the Gelug Pa as a worldly protector deity. Monks in the monastery serve as Nechung Oracle, allowing Pehar to possess them and deliver prophecies.
Nechung Monastery, built in the 7th century, is where the largest worldly protector deity of Tibetan Buddhism, Pehar, resides as the representative deity of the protector deity “Nechung Tablama“.
There are various versions in Tibetan literature regarding the origins of the monastery:
The 1st one states that Pehar, originally a local deity in “Uzangna”, later moved to the “Badehao Temple” in “Yugu”, becoming the guardian deity of the “Hor” tribe. Upon the completion of Samye Monastery, Padmasambhava, on the advice of the mountain god “Nyenchen,” invited “Pehar” from Hor to become the protector deity of Samye Monastery, residing on Mount Pekar.
It is said that after spending 700 years at Samye Monastery, Pehar moved to the Gungtang Monastery of the Kagyu Pa on the south bank of the Lhasa River. During his time at Gungtang Monastery, a conflict arose between Pehar and the abbot of the monastery Lama Shang·Dzunzhui Drakpa who instructed the painters not to paint Pehar’s portrait on the monastery murals when the monastery was being rebuilt. Pehar was very angry about this, so he changed his appearance to be a young worker who helped the painters work, and was deeply loved by the painters.
When the mural was almost completed, the painter asked the young worker what he wanted. The young worker asked the painter to draw a monkey holding burning incense anywhere on the mural. Late at night, Pehar transformed into the monkey in the mural and burned the monastery to the ground with the burning incense. Lama Shang·Dzunzhui Drakpa was very angry about this and designed to capture Pehar with a cross-reticulated spiritual weapon, put it in a wooden box and throw it into Gyichu (Lhasa River).
When the wooden box flowed and passed Drepung Monastery along the river, it was fished out by a lama. The lama was very curious and opened the lid of the box to take a look. Pehar took advantage of this and turned into a white dove and flew to a nearby birch tree and disappeared. Later generations built a monastery around the tree and called it “Nechung Monastery”.
Since then, Pehar has continuously proven his presence at Nechung Monastery, with his representative deity being Nechung Tablama. This deity was later appointed by the 5th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (1617 AD – 1682 AD), as the oracle deity of the Kashag Regime.
The 2nd one states that the 5th Dalai Lama saw the wooden box in which Pehar was imprisoned floating on the Lhasa River near Drepung Monastery. He instructed a Khenpo from Drepung Monastery to retrieve the box and told him not to open it. However, out of curiosity, on the way to bring the wooden box back to Drepung monastery, the Khenpo opened a small slit in the box, and at that moment, a dove flew out and perched on an ancient tree. The Dalai Lama reprimanded the Khenpo and ordered the construction of a monastery around the tree, naming it Nechung Monastery.
The 3rd one states that Pehar was moved to Drepung Monastery to fulfill a promise he made to Tsongkhapa’s great disciple Jamyang Choje Tashi (1379 AD–1449 AD) during the construction of Drepung Monastery. It is said that this protector deity had vowed to protect Drepung monastery, leading to the construction of Nechung Monastery.
The 4th one states that it was not Pehar himself but his emanation, the “Dorje”, who moved from Samye Monastery to Gungtang Monastery in Lhasa. “Dorje” aspired to become an important and prominent protector deity of Gungtang Monastery for a long time. To prove it, he appeared various illusions in front of the monks of Gungtang Monastery. Though, the monks the monks disliked this troublesome protector and called him an “evil ghost”. Finally, the monks used the evil method to force him into a wooden box and threw him into the Lhasa River. The wooden box was fished out of the river by a lama and carried to Drepung Monastery. After opening the box, the “Dorje” escaped from the box and flew to an ancient tree and disappeared. Later, a monastery was built around the tree and was called “Nechung Monastery”. Soon, Pehar appeared in “Nechung Monastery”.
Yet, the 5th one involves a resident of Cai-gong-tang who was placed in a wooden box like a dead person and thrown into the Lhasa River. The box was retrieved by monks from Drepung Monastery, and upon opening it, a flame shot out and vanished into a nearby ancient tree, and the person in the wooden box regained consciousness and was taken to Drepung Monastery. Later, a monastery was built around the tree and called “Nechung Monastery”, and this individual later became the first representative deity (Nechung Tablama) of Nechung Monastery.
According to Tibetan historical texts, Pehar is also known as the “Great Warrior God Nechung,” the leader of the demonic deities. Followers of Bon religion refer to him as the “Protector Deity of Zhang Zhung Kingdom.” Descriptions of Pehar in Tibetan literature depict him as having three heads and six arms, each with a white, sky-blue, or red face. His three right hands hold iron hooks, arrows and sword; His three left hands hold Knife, bow and staff; He wears a white silk coat and a waist made of human skin and tiger skin. He wears a rattan hat similar to a straw hat. He rides a white lion and is pulled by a “Menpu Bucha”. The god of companionship is Atquma, jackdaws is his envoys.”
The current layout of Nechung Monastery is just a small square courtyard with the east gate open.
The entire architectural layout is rectangular, with the front courtyard occupying about one-third of the total area, and the ancient hall occupying two-thirds.
The front and east side of the monastery are monks’ residences, monks enter and exit through the east gate, with a small stone lion on each side of the gate
Upon entering the east gate, you will find the front courtyard, covering an area of about 50 square meters. The courtyard is paved with bluestones, with a Han-style stele without words standing in the center, flanked by incense burners.
At the south gate of the front courtyard is a small door that remains closed all year round. It is said that the “Vajra Power God (Dorje Shugden)” has been waiting at the south gate for the day he becomes the main Dharma protector. At that time, Pehar will become the transcendental protector and ascend to the heaven, and Dorje Shugden will succeed Pehar as the main worldly protector
According to historical records, the Vajra Power God is often referred to as the “God of War” or “Lord of Fate,” evolving from the soul of a senior monk named “Sonam Drakpa” from Drepung monastery during the reign of the Fifth Dalai Lama.
About 20 meters northwest of the west gate of the front courtyard, there are three stone shrines: the central shrine enshrines White Pehar, the shrine on the west side enshrines Vajra Power God, and the shrine on the east side enshrines Tseumar protecor which also known as the “Red Yaksha Dharma Protector”. Among them, the shrines in the center and on the west side are white, while the shrine on the east side is red.
To prevent evil forces from entering the monastery, the ceiling of the west gate is covered with iron arrowheads, and in the past, many wild animal skulls were hung here.
In front of the main entrance of Nechung Monastery, there are two stone lions in Han-style. Steps lead up to a double row of eight-pillared corridor.
The walls on both sides of the main entrance are painted with statues of Pehar and Dorje Shuten respectively. Upon entering the main hall through the main gate, the main hall is divided into several passageways by three rows of large pillars. The middle passageway is lined with cushions and scripture tables for the monks to chant sutras.
There are several auxiliary halls surrounding the main hall, the most famous of which is the Pehar Hall located in the northwest corner of the main hall. In the hall, there is an ancient tree where Pehar transformed into a white dove, but now only a section of the tree trunk wrapped in Hada can be seen.
To the left of the sacred tree, there is a shrine of Pehar in warrior attire, and to the left of the shrine is a statue of the great master Padmasambhava.
The most sacred place in Nechung Monastery is due north of the main hall, known as the “Hall of Nechung Dharma King,” where a silver-carved seat is placed. On the seat,there are the robes and helmet worn by the Nechung shaman during the descent of the deity, and the shaman’s boots are placed in front of the sea
The Dharma Protector Temple is at the northeast corner of the main hall, which houses the statues of Dema Sogyemu (another incarnation of Palden Lhamo) and Nyima Shunu
According to historical records, at the beginning of the 20th century, Nechung Monastery was very prosperous. The monastery had a special warehouse for storing treasures; luxurious decorations, and a surrounding forest reserve where leopards and other wild animals were kept. There were 101 monks in the monastery, from whom Nechung Dharma King selected his successor after he stepped down. The entire monastery is exquisite, compact, solemn, and dignified, with its red walls blending into the blue sky, green trees and gray-brown rocks.
The mural art of Nechung Monastery is another classic masterpiece of ancient classical Tibetan mural art, in addition to the murals of the Guge Kingdom and the Palcho monastery.
From the perspective of style, the murals of Nechung Monastery are a concentrated embodiment of the artistic style of an era. They differ from the murals of the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, and other temples in terms of depicting subjects, composition, use of color, and character styling.
Painted on the walls of the main hall and corridors, these murals date back to the mid-17th century.
The murals in the monastery mainly depict Pehar and his incarnations with accompanying deities, as well as scenes of sentient beings being punished in hell for their evil deeds in previous lives.
The content of the paintings is relatively independent, lacking the narrative scenes commonly found in traditional Tibetan murals.
Due to the absence of narratives, there is minimal background decoration, with a large proportion of the painting dedicated to the figures, resulting in a full composition.
The backgrounds often use cool colors, gold, black purple, creating a rich and brilliant tone. The painting technique alternates between single-line flat painting and shading, using slightly darker colors close to the main subject to outline forms.
In terms of styling, influenced by Han Chinese art, Indian art, and Mongolian nomadic art, the murals of Nechung Monastery perfectly depict the characteristics of various deities. For example, the warriors depicted in helmets, armor, wielding weapons, and riding horses first appeared in Tibetan art sculptures in the 13th century, reaching perfection in the 17th to 18th centuries, with a clear influence of the Central Asian Mongolian nomadic art style.
On the other hand, tantric images are influenced by Indian art styles, while influences from Han Chinese art and neighboring countries like Nepal and Kashmir are prominently displayed in the portrayal of secular figures and ornaments. The attire of figures in the early Qing Dynasty period （（1636 AD or 1644 AD – 1912）, as well as the Loong motifs from Han Chinese patterns. These are examples of the precious mural art heritage of Tibet.
Tsantang Lakhang, also known as “Tsantang Yuyi Lakhang“, “Yuyi Lakhang” or “Tsantang Temple,” is a early Buddhist temple built during the period of Tubo Kingdom, with an elevation of 3576 meters.
The term “Tsantang” means the flat land where the king stayed, and it is said that the first Tibetan king, “Nyatri Tsenpo” of Spu Gyal clan arrived at this place from the southwest direction of “Lari Gangtok Mountain.”
The original roof of Tsantang Lakhang was made of turquoise-like glazed tiles, surrounded by lush green grass, hence its name “Yuyi Lakhang,” meaning “a turquoise-like Buddhist temple.”
Located approximately 1.5 kilometers southwest of Nedong district in Shannan City, it stands opposite to Tradruk Monastery and is one of the famous “Three Buddhist Temples” in the Yarlung River valley.
About 500 meters west of Tsantang Lakhang, at the foot of the mountain, there is a tall pagoda called “Tsekung Pagoda” or “Tsaku Pangba,” with a square tower base and a circular top and spire, believed to be the Clothing Mound of Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo.
Tsantang Lakhang is relatively small in scale, consisting mainly of a main hall, a small scripture hall, and three connecting corridors, surrounded by a wall. The dimensions of the Lakang are 44 meters east to west, 24.5 meters north to south, 1 meter thick, and 3 meters high.
Upon entering, there is a small courtyard, with the main hall in the center. The main hall has two floors, with a wide three-bay scripture hall in front, flanked by two small side halls. This section of the architecture is considered later additions in terms of style.
The rear hall of the scripture hall serves as the entrance to the main hall, with a width of three bays. The upper part of the door is painted with the Tryadhva-buddhah, while the left side depicts Drom Tonpa, Atisa, and the three figures of Tsongkhapa,Gyaltsab Je, and Khadrub Je. On the right side, there are images of Padmasambhava, Trisong Detsen, and a Bodhisattva. The right wall of the scripture hall depicts historical legends of Tibet, the left wall shows a mural of the future world defeating demons, and the front wall features Yamaraja and Dharmapāla.
Inside the main hall, eight pillars are evenly arranged in front of the eaves, each consisting of two columns standing side by side. The base stones are carved like lotus petals.
Though not spacious, the main hall’s architectural structure differs from typical main halls. It has no columns inside. Instead, at the upper corners, “beveled beams” are placed along the walls, supporting “false beveled beams,” which in turn support “crossbeams,” on which the ceiling is laid. Apart from a central painting of intertwined circles representing victory, the other eight sides depict lotus flowers.
The main hall houses statues of the Tryadhva-buddhah and eight great bodhisattvas. At the corners in front of the hall, there are statues of guardian deities, with the backlit areas of all statues gilded with copper, except for the central Shakyamuni
Buddha statue, which has a winged lion biting a leaf above its backlit area. The other bodhisattvas have flame-shaped backlit areas. The central statues and guardian deity images in the backlit areas are the most exquisite.
On the rear wall behind the Tryadhva-buddhah statues, more images of the Tryadhva-buddhah are painted, while the side walls depict thousands of buddhas. The statues in the main hall are solid and simple, reflecting the early Ming Dynasty artistic style.
Outside the main hall is a left-turning corridor, with walls adorned with Vajrayana Buddha images. The exterior walls display a thousand buddhas holding alms bowls. Beyond the corridor, there is an outer corridor, where the left wall features an image of the venerable Subhūti with white hair.
According to the records of “Naidong County Annals” and “Naidong County Cultural Relics Annals”, Tsantang Lhakang was built by the consort of “Songtsen Gampo”, “Angchung Bek who also known as Mugang Yungpal, (she is the one after the Nepalese Princess and Princess Wencheng)”.
Some other documents, such as “Situgujizhi”, record that Tsantang Lhakang was built by the consort of “Murug Tsenpo (763 AD – 804 AD)” , the “Ngangchu Yangtshul Gyamug during the Tubo period, with a history of more than a thousand years.
In the 1950s, Tsantang Lhakang underwent a large-scale renovation.
In 1962, Tsantang Lhakang was listed as a district-level cultural relic protection unit by the Tibet Autonomous Region government.
Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the subsequent ten-year “Cultural Revolution”.
In the early 1980s, the local government implemented a new religious policy, and the local villagers began to prepare for the reconstruction of the temple.
In 1988, Tsantang Lhakang began to be rebuilt, and the architectural style and size were basically restored to their original appearance.
Tsantang Lhakang was originally a sub-temple of Ganden Chokhor Ling Monastery, so the butter lamp master here was appointed by Ganden Chokhor Ling.
Today, Tsantang Lhakang holds a prayer ceremony on the tenth day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar, during which monks from Ganden Chokhor Ling Monastery participate.
Tsantang Lakhang is one of the early Buddhist temples built during the period of Tubo kingdom. Its historical significance is undeniable. The temple was constructed in a style completely different from the local Tibetan architecture, showcasing the exceptional craftsmanship of Tibetan artisans with its glazed walls and hip-and-gable roof. It holds special importance for studying the history of Tibetan-Chinese relations and Tibetan architecture.
