Muli Monastery

Muli Monastery

Muli Monastery is a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Most of the people in Muli practice Tibetan Buddhism and still retain many primitive and mysterious religious cultures, revering -- as divine beings, with very distinctive religious characteristics. Muli holds a special status throughout the Tibetan region, boasting three major monasteries and eighteen scripture halls across the county. The most famous among them is Muli Monastery, located in Niyidian Village, Taoba Township, at an altitude of 2,637 meters. Constructed in 1656 under the supervision of the Third Muli Tibetan Buddhist Living Buddha and the Second Great Living Buddha, Songdeng Sangbu, the monastery took 12 years to complete and was finished in 1661, being named Gadeng Xizu · Langba Jiweling. At its peak, the entire architectural complex of Muli Monastery covered over 80,000 square meters, making it the grandest Gelug sect monastery in the region. At that time, there were three renowned large monasteries in Muli — Kangniao Monastery, Warzhai Monastery, and Muli Monastery.

The current monastery looks quite different from what Joseph Rock saw back then. The Muli Monastery of that era has now become a ruin, and beside it stands a brand-new temple just as resplendent as the original one. On festive occasions, the monastery still holds various grand religious ceremonies.

Protected area: 200 meters beyond the site boundary

Construction control zone: 20 meters beyond the protected area