Sera Monastery

Sera Monastery

Sera Monastery is a national key cultural relics protection unit.

Sera Monastery, fully known as Sera Mahayana Monastery, is one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Along with Drepung Monastery and Ganden Monastery, it is collectively referred to as the "Three Great Monasteries of Lhasa," and is the last of the three to be built. It is located at the foot of Serawoze Mountain, about 3 kilometers north of Lhasa.

Sera Monastery is a national key cultural relics protection unit. In the ninth year of the Xuande era, Jamchen Chöje was summoned to Beijing and conferred the title of “Great Compassionate King.” The monastery includes three main colleges: Je College, Mé College, and Ngakpa College. At its height, it housed over 8,000 monks, ranking second in scale only to Drepung Monastery. “Sera” means “wild rose” in Tibetan. Legend says that when building the monastery at the mountain’s base, the area was covered in wild roses, which is how Sera Monastery got its name.

The monastery preserves tens of thousands of Vajra Buddha statues, most of which were made locally in Tibet. There are also many bronze Buddha statues brought from inland China or India. The walls of the main hall and scripture halls are adorned with a large number of original colored murals. The most famous statue is that of the Hayagriva in the main hall.

The area around Sera Monastery is filled with willow groves and flowing streams, and has been a place for eminent monks to preach since ancient times. Many small nunneries and monasteries surround it. To the east and south of the monastery are Pubujue Monastery, Miqueliniuku Monastery, Gongba Monastery, Pabenggang Monastery, Zhaxiqulin Monastery, Qusang Monastery, and Galini Nunnery. Behind the monastery are Zhukang Riwo and Sera Choding Monastery. Lhasa’s debating courtyard is located on the mountain north of Sera Monastery. With luck, you may catch the morning debates early in the day, though the path up to the debating courtyard is quite challenging.

In addition to Buddha statues and murals, the monastery also houses Buddhist scriptures, statues, ritual instruments, monastic robes, silks, and gold and silverware that were brought back by Jamchen Chöje from Beijing after returning from the imperial court. Among them is a colored silk portrait of Jé Yeshi, measuring 109 cm in length and 64 cm in width. Despite being over 500 years old, its colors remain vivid.

The Gelug school is a sect of Tibetan Buddhism in China. The Tibetan word “Gelug” means “good discipline,” and the school is named for its emphasis on strict adherence to monastic discipline. Monks of this school wear yellow hats, hence it is also called the Yellow Sect.

Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and a Buddhist theorist. Statues of Tsongkhapa can be found in temples across Tibet, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Beijing, and other regions—some are gilded clay sculptures, others are cast in bronze.

Tsongkhapa's original name was Lobsang Drakpa, which he received upon taking novice vows. He was born in 1357 on October 10 in Huangzhong County, Qinghai, into a Buddhist family. His father, Darma Drak, and mother, Shingmo Acho, were both devout Buddhists.

Address: No. 1 Sela Road, Chengguan District, Lhasa City (at Serawoze Mountain)

Type: Historical Architecture & Temple

Recommended Visiting Time: 3–4 hours

Phone: 0891-6383639

Opening Hours:

9:00-16:00

Ticket Information:

7:00–17:00: 50 RMB/person, after 17:00: 5 RMB/person (main halls and scripture halls closed, debate courtyard inactive); no debates held on Sundays or special festival days.

Transportation

Take bus routes 6, 16, 24, etc., and get off at the Sera Monastery stop

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units