Dazang Temple

Dazang Temple

Dazang Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The full name of Dazang Temple is Ganden Dazang Henglin, located in Sharzong Township, Barkam County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. "Dazang" means "merit" in Chinese. Dazang Temple was built in 1414 by the renowned Gyarong lama, Master Ngawang Drakpa. It was the last of the 108 temples he constructed and has a history of over 950 years.

The full name of Dazang Temple is Ganden Dazang Henglin, located in Sharzong Township, Barkam County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Due to its long history and grand scale, Dazang Temple is revered as the "Second Great Monastic College." To this day, the temple still preserves a ivory seal gifted by Emperor Qianlong, woven silk fabrics offered by him, imperial jade robes and the Five Buddha Crown, historical imperial edicts and decrees, as well as a bronze gong donated by a Ming Dynasty general. This gong is a treasured artifact of Dazang Temple, known far and wide for its exceptionally loud and melodious sound. Throughout history, Dazang Temple also received support and offerings from eighteen local chieftains, establishing it as an authoritative center of Tibetan Buddhism in northwestern Sichuan.

Surrounding the temple is a corridor over a thousand meters long used for circumambulation. The area features expansive alpine meadows rich in vegetation. Against the blue sky, it complements the surrounding snow-capped mountains and forests. Visitors can enjoy grass sledding, horseback riding on the meadows, listen to the temple bells, and watch the sunrise over the snow mountains, making it a great destination for both religious exploration and adventure.

The climate in Aba Prefecture is mild with distinct seasons. The northern part has a quasi-south subtropical monsoon humid climate; the mountainous southern region features climates ranging from mid-subtropical and north subtropical to south temperate and north temperate zones, characterized by a three-dimensional mountain climate. The annual average temperature ranges from 17.1°C to 18.5°C, with annual precipitation between 748.4 mm and 1184.2 mm, sunshine hours from 1200 to 1400, and a frost-free period of 300 to 358 days. The land is fertile and the region is rich in produce, embodying the charm of the Jiangnan region with its spring blossoms, summer vibrancy, autumn harvests, and winter beauty.

Dazang Temple is located in Sharzong Township, Barkam County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, 54 kilometers west of the forestry road from Dalangzhu Valley to Sharzong Township. It belongs to the first residential group of Chunkou Village in Dazang Township, at an altitude of 3530 meters. It borders Sharzong Township and the urban area of Barkam Town to the southwest, and the Sizhai Township of Hongyuan County to the north.

The site of Dazang Temple is shaped like a giant elephant, with the temple built at the neck of the elephant. Additionally, the nearby mountain ridges naturally encircle the center, forming the layout of a Thirteen-Deity Yamantaka Mandala. From the center of the temple, one can see peaks to the east, south, west, and north, representing the four directions of the mandala.

Over the centuries, Dazang Temple grew to include over a hundred buildings, resembling a small town. At its peak, the temple housed more than 800 monks, though historical records commonly cite 500, symbolizing the 500 Arhats in Buddhist tradition.

Before the 1950s, Dazang Temple had six main halls including three Maitreya Halls, the Tsongkhapa Hall, the Main Assembly Hall, and the Tantric Hall, as well as two residence towers — the Zhizhu Tower and the Kankan Tower — which served as the dwelling places for successive throne holders. Each hall contained countless sacred relics and precious scriptures. The Maitreya Hall housed a future Buddha statue dozens of meters tall. Even the ordinary monk’s quarters each had a complete set of the Kangyur and Tengyur (the two main sections of the Tibetan Buddhist canon), with walls and ceilings covered in murals depicting the life stories of the Buddha and lineage masters. The roof of the main hall was covered with gilded copper tiles, a gift from the emperor of China. Behind the temple lies a retreat center for monks’ meditation and seclusion. In front of the temple stands a 30-meter-high stupa containing numerous precious relics.

Dazang Temple was built in 1414 by the Gyarong lama Master Ngawang Drakpa (whose name means "Renowned for His Speech"), and it has a history of nearly 590 years. Historically, Dazang Temple was highly renowned and considered the principal monastery of the Gelug school in northwestern Sichuan. It is frequently mentioned in the biographies of Tsongkhapa, the History of Amdo's Politics and Religion, and historical records from the Ming and Qing dynasties. A mural in the Potala Palace in Lhasa depicting "Important Monasteries of Tibet" also includes this grand temple.

Master Ngawang Drakpa was born in mid-14th century Gyarong. In his youth, he originally followed the indigenous Bon religion of Tibet and gained considerable fame due to his intelligence and talent. Around 1381, he traveled to central Tibet to study under Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school, where he took monastic vows and systematically studied Buddhist doctrines such as logic, wisdom, abhidharma, madhyamaka, and vinaya. He also received empowerments and practiced various tantric methods, attaining accomplishments in both exoteric and esoteric teachings. Tsongkhapa bestowed upon him the title "Khenchen," meaning "Great Abbot." During a chanting session at a Lhasa monastery, Ngawang Drakpa famously manifested the supernatural ability to walk through a wall when arriving late and finding the doors closed. In the early 15th century, he made significant contributions to the newly formed Gelug teachings. He was one of the key figures in two of Tsongkhapa’s major endeavors — the establishment of Ganden Monastery and the founding of the annual Great Prayer Festival in Lhasa (begun in 1409, gathering tens of thousands of monks and hundreds of thousands of lay practitioners for prayer, a grand spectacle).

In 1409, Tsongkhapa and Ngawang Drakpa undertook a Nyungne (fasting and purification retreat) in front of the famous self-manifested Five-Deity Avalokiteshvara statue at Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. Tsongkhapa instructed Ngawang Drakpa to observe his dreams. That night, Ngawang Drakpa dreamed of two white conch shells descending from the sky, merging into one, and falling into his lap. He picked it up and blew it toward the east, and the sound shook the entire eastern realm. The next day, he described the dream to Tsongkhapa, who responded, "This is an auspicious omen, foretelling that your karmic connection lies in your homeland — eastern Tibet — and that your spiritual undertakings will be vast, benefiting many beings there. Dreaming of blowing the conch means you are destined to teach; blowing it eastward signifies teaching in eastern Tibet; the resounding sound predicts the vast success of your mission." At this point, Ngawang Drakpa’s karmic path was clear, and he bid farewell to his master and returned home. In Tibetan oral histories, it is said that upon parting, Tsongkhapa gave Ngawang Drakpa his rosary, upon which the disciple vowed, "As many beads as there are on this rosary, I shall build that many temples to repay my teacher’s kindness!" Though not found in official historical texts, this story is widely circulated.

After leaving Tsongkhapa, Ngawang Drakpa first traveled to what is now the area of Ta’er Monastery in Qinghai — the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, though the monastery was not yet established at the time. He then spread Tsongkhapa’s teachings across his homeland, first establishing what is now known as Andou Monastery (also called "Yage Monastery," meaning "First Monastery," named so because it was the first of the 108 temples he built according to oral tradition). He went on to establish Querdengjia Monastery, Dongri Monastery, Nanmujia Monastery, Luoruo Monastery, Maergai Monastery, Sangdeng Monastery, Maitreya Monastery, Kangmao Monastery, Songduo Monastery, and Chagu Monastery, among others.

Historically, due to its long history and grand scale, Dazang Temple was honored as the "Second Great Monastic College," second only to Ganden Monastery, the founding seat of the Gelug school. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the temple received great reverence from emperors and the imperial court, enjoying long-term support that included ritual objects, seals, gold, treasures, fabrics, and daily necessities for monks. Today, Dazang Temple still preserves an ivory seal gifted by Emperor Qianlong, fragments of woven silk fabrics offered by him, fragments of imperial robes and the Five Buddha Crown (originally fifty sets, invaluable), numerous imperial edicts and decrees, as well as a bronze gong donated by a Ming Dynasty general. This gong is a treasured artifact of Dazang Temple, known for its uniquely loud and beautiful tone. In addition to priceless offerings and reverence from emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties and from central Tibet, Dazang Temple also enjoyed the support and offerings of eighteen local chieftains throughout history, establishing it as an authoritative center of Tibetan Buddhism in northwestern Sichuan.

Protected Area: A 5-meter buffer zone extending outward from the base of Dazang Temple’s surrounding wall.

Construction Control Zone: A 5-meter extension beyond the protected area.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units