Dorje Drak Monastery

Dorje Drak Monastery was found in central Tibet near Lhasa in the 16^th century. The monastery was destroyed first in 1718 by the Mongols and again during the Cultural Revolution in the middle of the 20^th century. Reconstruction began since 1984. It was one of the Six Great Nyingma Monasteries in Tibet, the other 4 are in Kham, currently Garze Tibetan Prefecture of Sichuan Province. Together with Mindrolling Monastery, it is one of the two most important Nyingma monasteries in the central Tibet

The assembly hall has a large Thangkar image of Padmasambhava, replacing an original made by Rigdzin IV Pema Trinle, as well as painted scrolls depicting the Hundred Peaceful and Wrathful Deities, and Murals depicting the Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava. There is a collection of relics that are retrieved from images destroyed in the 1960s’, and a small library which contains the Kan-zhu-er, and the Nyingma Gyudbum in the inner praying room.

The oldest Chapel had been renowned for its enormous column and skull painted gates before the destruction in 1717, it is now still forbidden for all female visitors and pilgrims, which contains some old Thangkar and a copy of the Edition printed by “Derge Printed House” of the Nyingma Gyudbum

There is one monastery located at the hilltop of the mountain on the south side of Kangding in the east Tibet of Kham is called Jin Gang monastery, here, “Jin Gang” means Dorje; the Jin Gang monastery is also called Dorje monastery, which is regarded to be one branch of Dorje Drak monastery. This monastery was severely damaged in 1959 of 20^th century, however, the large statue of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), and Jokhang in the assembly were magically preserved as a whole;

Address

on the north bank by Yarlung Tsanpo River
Gong Ga county

How to get Dorje Drak Monastery

–By public transportation: take the bus to Tsetang, the bus pass through Dorje Drak Monastery

–By chartered vehicle : it usually costs 300 – 500 RMB one way.