Dan Dou Temple

Dan Dou Temple

Dan Dou Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Dan Dou Temple, also known as "Dan Di Temple," "Dan Dou Temple," "Dan Dou Temple," "Dan Dou Temple," and other names, is called "Dan Dou Xie Ji Yang Gong" in Tibetan. It is located 31.5 kilometers southeast of Bayan Town, 18 kilometers south of today's Jinyuan Township, 1 kilometer south of Shigouqi Village, and 2 kilometers north of Kenuoka Village.

The temple is situated more than 10 kilometers away within the Lesser Jishi Mountains on the northern bank of the Yellow River in Xunhua County. Surrounded by steep cliffs and towering rock walls, its Buddha halls are either built into the cliffs, beneath the precipices, or carved from natural caves, giving it a distinctive style. According to records, in the mid-9th century, when the Tibetan King Lang Darma banned Buddhism, three monks—Sherab Sengge, Yönten Gönpo, and Mar Shakya—fled persecution and came to Qinghai from Mount Quwo. They stayed here and ordained Lajin Gonpa Raksha (892–975), from nearby Jiaxu Village, as their disciple. After gaining fame, Lajin established a spiritual center at Dan Dou, recruiting disciples and especially ordaining the “Ten Disciples of Central and Eastern Tibet,” including Lumei Tri Rinchensang, which led to the revival of Tibetan Buddhism. As a result, Dan Dou Temple, as the birthplace of the “Later Propagation Period” of Buddhism, holds an important place in the history of Tibetan Buddhism and has long been a sacred site yearned for by followers of all sects, attracting a continuous stream of pilgrims. Important Tibetan figures such as the Third Dalai Lama have visited Dan Dou Temple. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, Tibetan delegations from various sects traveling to the interior of China for tribute often passed through Qinghai, and many came here to worship, with some even staying for prolonged practice. The main villages that traditionally supported the temple include Koba Tan, Jiaxu, Amacha, and Zhongtang, comprising about a hundred households. Historically, the temple was under the jurisdiction of the Caidan Temple system in Hui County, but since the late Qing Dynasty, it has been directly governed by Caidan Xiarong. The temple’s entire architectural complex remains intact to this day and includes the Ani Lujia Hall, Rezaipa Hall, Bhikkhu Ajidha Practice Hall, the Third Dalai Lama’s Practice Hall, the “Three Sages” and Lajin Practice Hall, the Maitreya Hall, the A’rou Geshe Practice Hall, the Shakyamuni Hall, the Main Scripture Hall, the Caidan Xiarong Labrang, the Yedong Stupa, monk quarters, and a large kitchen, totaling around 200 rooms—a complete architectural ensemble. The Annals of Qinghai recorded there were 18 monks at the time, while the History of Amdo Politics and Religion mentioned over a hundred. After 1958, the temple was closed, reopened in 1962 with 18 monks, and then closed again in 1967. It reopened once more in 1980 and currently has 35 monk households comprising 69 individuals (including 11 novice monks). Nearly a thousand acres of forest around the temple are managed by the monks. Traditional religious activities at Dan Dou Temple included the Prayer Festival in January, the Spring Study Session in March, the Seven-Day Main Deity Offering Ceremony in April, the May Practice Ceremony initiated by Sai Kangba, the 45-day Summer Study Session starting on June 15, the Seven-Day Chakrasamvara Offering Ceremony in August, and the Five Offerings Ceremony on the anniversary of Tsongkhapa’s parinirvana in October.