Tashilhunpo Monastery

Tashilhunpo Monastery

Tashilhunpo Monastery is a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction and a key cultural relics protection unit in China. Opening hours: 9:00–17:00 (Buddhist halls closed from 12:00–14:00), and the visit takes about 3 hours.

Tashilhunpo Monastery (Tibetan: བཀྲ་ཤིས་ལྷུན་པོ་, bkra-shis lhun-po; English: Tashilhunpo Monastery), meaning "Auspicious Sumeru Monastery," with the full name "Tashilhunpo Baji Deqin Qutan Jielian Nanbayi Wulin" meaning "Auspicious Sumeru Gathering Blessings Supreme All-Directional State," is located at the foot of Niseri Mountain south of Shigatse City, Tibet Autonomous Region. The Tibetan name means "Auspicious Sumeru Mountain." It was first built in the 12th year of the Zhengtong reign of the Ming Dynasty (1447) and has undergone multiple expansions and renovations since then.

Tashilhunpo Monastery is the highest-ranking temple of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism and also one of the most important temples in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. The Potala Palace is an important religious and political center of Tibetan Buddhism, historically the center of the Tibetan monarchy, and also one of the highest-altitude palace buildings in the world. Tashilhunpo Monastery and the Potala Palace hold extremely significant positions in the history and culture of Tibetan Buddhism and are treasures among the cultural heritage of Tibet and all of China. Both complexes are national 5A-level tourist attractions in China and are also among the world's renowned tourist destinations.

The Tibetan name of Tashilhunpo Monastery means "Auspicious Mount Sumeru." It is the largest monastery of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism in the Tsang region of Tibet and also one of the six most famous Yellow Hat sect monasteries in China. The monastery was first built in the 12th year of the Zhengtong reign of the Ming Dynasty and, through renovations and expansions by successive Panchen Lamas, has developed into the magnificent architectural complex seen today.

Tashilhunpo Monastery was founded under the direction of Gendun Druppa, the first Dalai Lama and a disciple of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug sect. Construction began in the 12th year of the Zhengtong reign of the Ming Dynasty (1447), and over the years, successive Panchen Lamas renovated and expanded the monastery, gradually increasing its scale to cover approximately 200,000 square meters, with perimeter walls stretching about 2,000 meters.

Upon entering the main gate of the monastery, the largest building that comes into view is the Tshomchen Hall. The courtyard outside the Tshomchen Hall is enclosed by corridors and serves as the monastery’s preaching ground. In the past, the Panchen Lama often gave sermons and teachings here to all the monks, and it was also a venue for religious debates. The front part of the hall is the main scripture hall, with the Panchen Lama’s throne situated at the center. Behind the scripture hall are three shrine rooms—the central one being the Sakyamuni Hall, the western one the Maitreya Hall, and the eastern one the Tara Hall. The Sakyamuni Hall houses a more than 5-meter-tall gilded bronze statue of Sakyamuni, said to contain Sakyamuni’s relics, as well as hair from Tsongkhapa and the skull of Gendun Druppa’s teacher, Sherab Senge. The Tara Hall, known in Tibetan as Zhoma Kang, houses a 2-meter-tall copper statue of White Tara, flanked by clay statues of Green Tara. "Tara" is the incarnation of Avalokiteshvara who saves beings from suffering and is worshipped in Tibetan Buddhism.

The Maitreya Hall, known in Tibetan as "Chenbachang," was built in the 5th year of the Shunzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty (1461). The Maitreya statue enshrined here is 11 meters tall and was jointly crafted by Tibetan and Nepalese artisans. On either side are the statues of Guanyin and Manjushri, personally molded by Gendun Druppa, which are the oldest statues in Tashilhunpo Monastery. The Great Maitreya Hall houses a 22.4-meter-tall gilded bronze seated Maitreya statue cast under the supervision of the 9th Panchen Lama, Choekyi Nyima, in 1914. The lotus base is 3.8 meters tall, making the total height 26.2 meters. The construction of this statue used 115,000 kilograms of copper, 279 kilograms of gold, over 300 pearls, and more than 1,400 precious gemstones including coral, amber, and turquoise. Just on the Buddha’s forehead alone, there is one large diamond, 30 pigeon-egg-sized diamonds, and over 60 pearls and other gemstones. It is the largest gilded bronze seated Buddha statue in the world. There are seven stupa halls in the eastern part of the monastery, among which the most famous is the Jokhang Shar Hall, housing the stupa of the 4th Panchen Lama built in the 1st year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1662). The stupa is 11 meters tall, with a gold and silver base and a silver-plated body inlaid with jewels and jade. It contains the remains of the 4th Panchen Lama. The murals on the monastery walls mainly depict biographical stories, including illustrations of paying homage to the Buddha and the Eighteen Arhats. The monastery houses a variety of precious cultural relics, among which the most valuable include the portrait of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty hanging in the "Jianala Hall" and various relics collected there: fine porcelain from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties such as Yingqing, blue-and-white, and Longquan ware; silk or embroidered scroll paintings of Buddhas; jade and crystal handicrafts; and Ming Dynasty bronze Buddha statues with inscriptions—all of which are priceless historical artifacts.

Travel Tips: Tashilhunpo Monastery is very large, and a casual stroll may not reveal much—sometimes you can find many hidden gems in the corners. Many areas inside the monastery are locked, but you can ask the staff to unlock them (it might not always work, but it’s worth a try!). There is a whole street of shops right at the monastery entrance, but it only opens in the evening.

Transportation

Tashilhunpo Monastery is located to the west of the city and can be reached on foot; alternatively, you can take a tricycle for just 3 yuan.

Ticket | Opening Hours

– Free for locals, 55 yuan for tourists. Student IDs do not qualify for discounts. Tickets may be free during Tibetan festivals, such as the Buddha Dance Festival.

9:00–17:00 (Buddhist halls closed from 12:00–14:00). The visit generally takes about 3 hours.

Location

No. 1, Jijilangka Road, Shigatse City, Shigatse Prefecture

Transportation

Tashilhunpo Monastery is located to the west of the city and can be reached on foot; alternatively, you can take a tricycle for just 3 yuan.

Further Reading:

· 33rd Batch of National 5A-Level Tourist Attractions (August 2017)

· First Batch of Key Cultural Relics Protection Units in China