Tagtsa Monastery

Tagtsa Monastery, formally known as “Tagtsa Auspicious Virtuous Dharma Monastery,” is located in the northeastern part of Tagtsa Town, the capital of Zoigê County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture.

The monastery was founded in 1663 AD by the 1^st Tagtsa Rinpoche, Chökyi Molang Lhundrup, and belongs to the Gelug pa of Tibetan Buddhism.

Overview

The monks of Tagtsa Monastery strictly uphold monastic discipline and diligently practice various Buddhist teachings, earning the monastery the reputation of being a sacred site of Chakrasamvara.

Before 1958, the monastery had direct administrative authority over the Zoigê and Washa tribes and indirect authority over the Doma tribe.

Historically, it was under the jurisdiction of Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse.

During the tenure of the 6th Tagtsa Rinpoche, Gesang Jigmey·Tenpé Gyaltsen, he attained a high level of spiritual realization, was known for his profound wisdom and analytical insight, and was well-versed in both Sutrayana and Tantrayana teachings. In 1956, he was granted the title of “Sharwa Chökyi” by Drepung Monastery in Lhasa.

Currently, the monastery operates three major Dratsangs (monastic colleges): the College of Dialectics (Shungten Academy), the Tantric College, and the Kalachakra College.

At present, the monastery has about 172 monks, including 50 Geshe scholars, and is home to two living Buddhas (tulkus).

The ancient buildings and cultural relics of the monastery are well preserved, and in 2004, it was designated as a Provincial-Level Key Cultural Heritage Protection Site by the Sichuan Provincial Government.

Architecture

The entire monastery is built along the mountainside, covering an area of 88,000 square meters, with a total building area of approximately 23,838 square meters.

The architectural style combines traditional Tibetan stone-wood structures with Han-style architectural elements such as beam-frame structures and gilded rooftops. This seamless integration of Tibetan and Han construction techniques and artistic styles results in a grand, uniquely designed monastery complex, characterized by its well-organized layout and distinct hierarchy of structures.

The main buildings include the assembly halls of the three major Dratsangs (monastic colleges), the Tagtsa Academy, the living quarters of the Tagtsa Rinpoches, the monastery’s Tibetan medical clinic, the Tsongkhapa Hall, the Guardian Deity Hall, the Vajrapani Protector Hall, the Kalachakra Stupa, the Bodhi Stupa, the Victory Stupa, the Demon-Subduing Stupa, as well as 86 meditation rooms for monks, a circumambulation hall with 900 large and small prayer wheels, a retirement home, a Dharma supply center, a dining hall, and the monastery administrative office building, all built in traditional Tibetan architectural style.

Tagtsa Academy

Tagtsa Academy is the only monastic academy of its kind in Kham. Located on the right front side of the monastery, it covers an area of 3,570 square meters and is a three-story building in traditional Tibetan architectural style.

Originally, it was a scripture hall within Tagtsa Monastery. Recognizing the limited educational resources among local nomadic and farming communities, as well as the uneven study opportunities for monks, the 7th Tagtsa Rinpoche, Garang Töpten·Rabshe Gyangtso, took five years to establish the first modern multifunctional monastery academy in Tibetan regions.

The academy was founded with the aim of promoting and preserving Tibetan culture and providing broader educational opportunities for the local population. This initiative has been warmly welcomed by Buddhist devotees.

The academy was opened to the public in 2006 and houses a collection of over 100,000 Tibetan and Chinese books. The Tibetan texts cover subjects such as religion, medicine, astronomy, calendrical sciences, and biographies.

The academy is divided into several functional areas: a library, an exhibition hall, a Grand Master Hall, a general administrative section, and a training center.

• The first floor houses the library, which includes a book storage hall, a reading room, and a lecture hall. The library holds over 100,000 books, including precious Buddhist scriptures in Tibetan and Chinese. The reading room accommodates nearly 100 people, while the lecture hall is equipped with modern educational tools such as computers and projectors for hosting academic lectures, seminars, and cultural training sessions.
• The second floor features the exhibition hall, which displays a variety of religious and cultural artifacts, including gold and bronze Buddha statues, wooden carvings, Bodhisattva images, tsa-tsas (small clay votive tablets), murals,thangkas, ritual instruments, as well as various musical instruments, handicrafts, and traditional household items.
• The third floor houses the Grand Master Hall, where over 100 statues of eminent Tibetan Buddhist masters and scholars who have significantly contributed to the preservation and dissemination of Tibetan culture and Buddhism are enshrined.

The main deity enshrined in the hall is Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug pa of Tibetan Buddhism, along with his two main disciples, Gyaltshab Je and Khedrup Je.

Tagtsa Monastery’s Academy provides a valuable cultural and spiritual resource for local nomadic and farming communities while serving as an important platform for Tibetan cultural research and preservation.

On March 5, 2013, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China designated Tagtsa Monastery as a National Key Cultural Heritage Protection Site under the seventh batch of listed sites.

Collections

The monastery houses a vast collection of sacred statues, including numerous Buddha and Bodhisattva images. Among its most treasured relics are a Prajñāpāramitā Sutra written in golden ink, a Buddha statue over 3,000 years old, a high lama’s skull inscribed with Tibetan letters, and a stone stele imprinted with the handprint of the 6^th Tagtsa Rinpoche.

Dharma Assemblies

Tagtsa Monastery holds numerous religious festivals and ceremonies throughout the year.

The main annual Buddhist events include:

• The Great Prayer Festival (Mönlam Chenmo) in the first lunar month, which features rituals such as the Buddha Unfolding Ceremony (Thangka Display), butter sculpture exhibitions, scripture recitations, and a Maitreya procession.
• The Nyungne Retreat in the fourth lunar month, a fasting retreat in which all monks observe a sixteen-day period of strict fasting and intense Avalokiteshvara practice while reciting the Six-Syllable Mantra.
• The Debate Festival in the seventh lunar month, also known as the “Festival of Teachings.”
• The Lamp-Lighting Festival in the tenth lunar month.
• The Calamity-Averting Rituals and the Dance of the Dharma Kings in the twelfth lunar month.

Seventh-Month Debate Festival

The Seventh-Month Debate Festival at Tagtsa Monastery, held during the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar, is a traditional monastic debate period known in Tibetan as “Denbé Rozha”, meaning “Seventh-Month Grand Debate”.

This debate session coincides with the monks’ summer retreat (Yarne), creating a period that is both intense and contemplative.

The festival begins on the 7th day of the seventh month and concludes on the 15th day, with a dedication ceremony on the 16th.

The primary focus of this period is Buddhist debate, with daily debates occurring in the morning and afternoon. The topics cover Buddhist Logic (Pramāṇa), Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā), Madhyamaka (Middle Way), Abhidharma (Treasury of Knowledge), and Vinaya (Monastic Discipline). On the 15th day, the debates culminate with a special session known as the “Turning of the Wheel of Dharma.”

Debate Format

• The debate takes the form of a one-on-one debate in front of the entire assembly in the main prayer hall,
• Each debate is a one-on-one session, lasting for the time it takes to burn a single incense stick (approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour).
• Participants are selected through a rotational system within their classes.
• The final selection is made at the Dorma Mani Dharma Assembly at the end of the third lunar month, where the Chief Dharma Teacher and Geshe Supervisors announce the chosen participants.
• In the following months, the debate participants undergo a preparation period. Besides reciting the required texts, their practice primarily focuses on debate topics.
• Selected monks spend over three months preparing for the debates, though the actual debate lasts only about 40 minutes.

Debate Process

The formal debate ritual spans three days:

1. Day One: Flower Gathering – Participants, accompanied by family and friends, gather fresh flowers from the monastery grounds and surrounding grasslands.
2. Day Two: Offering & Prayers – The two debate participants present their offerings, including fresh flowers, khatas (ceremonial scarves), butter lamps, and other ritual items, at the main prayer hall and various shrine rooms.
3. Day Three: The Grand Debate – The debate takes place in the monastery’s main hall, with monks gathered in complete silence, attentively observing the two participants. Fresh flowers are scattered across the hall, symbolizing blessings and auspiciousness.

This debate serves as a rigorous examination, testing not only the depth of their knowledge but also their mental resilience under high-pressure conditions.

Once the debate concludes, classmates, friends, and family members present khatas to the participants as a gesture of congratulations and respect for their successful completion of the debate.

Brief History

Tagtsa Monastery has undergone development and expansion under the leadership of seven generations of reincarnated lamas (Tagtsa Rinpoches).

• 1663 CE – When first established, Tagtsa Monastery was merely a small meditation retreat, with only a dozen resident monks.
• 1829 CE – The Fourth Tagtsa Rinpoche, Losang Tenzin Gyatso, along with his brother Solang Tashi, relocated the monastery from the confluence of the Heihe (Black River) and Rhe River to its current site. They constructed the Main Assembly Hall, the Prajnaparamita Shrine, and established the Upper Tantric College.
• 1960s – The monastery suffered severe destruction.
• May 1981 – Restoration of Tagtsa Monastery began.
• 1984 onwards – Large-scale restoration projects were carried out, including the reconstruction of major shrine halls and the sculpting of over 2,000 Buddhist statues.
• July 2, 2006 – The Tagtsa Academy was completed and officially opened.
• 2009 – The Main Buddha Hall (Mahavira Hall) was reconstructed.