Zangnyang Stupa and Sangzhou Monastery

Zangnyang Stupa and Sangzhou Monastery

Zangnyang Stupa and Sangzhou Monastery are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Zangnyang Stupa and Sangzhou Monastery are located on the southern bank of the Tongtian River in Zhongda Township, Chengduo County, Yushu Prefecture, Qinghai Province. Originally, it was an ancient Bon temple named “Ren Zhen Ao Sai Temple.” The earliest surviving ancient structure is the “Zangnyang Stupa • Shengde Mountain.”

In the fourth year of the Xuande era of Emperor Xuanzong of Ming (1430 AD), the three Bon temples around Zangnyang—Ren Zhen Ao Sai Temple, Bao Qin Banjue Temple, and Bagda Zong Temple—were merged into one, and Sangzhou Monastery was established at the foot of Zangnyang Stupa. It included dozens of structures such as halls, Buddha halls, stupas, and monks’ quarters. Currently preserved are large and small scripture halls, the 0 Hall, monks' quarters, and other ancient buildings. The walls are painted with vertical black-and-white striped patterns, which are clearly symbolic of Sakya sect monasteries.

Zangnyang Stupa and Sangzhou Monastery hold significant value as ancient architectural relics and also preserve a collection of extremely precious religious and historical artifacts. These include bronze bells, silver bowls, drums, and horns passed down from Bon temples dating before the Song Dynasty; clay sculptures of the “Goddess of Fortune” and some ritual instruments gifted by Phagpa, who was appointed Imperial Preceptor by the Yuan Dynasty emperor, during his visit to the monastery; millions of small clay Buddha statues offered by generations of monks and devotees; the monk’s robes, boots, - , scriptures, thangkas, and other items of Master Mengdejiania, the founder of Zangnyang Stupa and Sangzhou Monastery; monastery chronicles from the Song to the Qing Dynasties, eulogies by eminent monks, official documents, and other textual materials; thousands of religious ritual instruments, offering utensils, Buddha statues, and also a vast number of stone carvings of Buddhas, 0, figures, and mani stones from various dynasties; over 50 square meters of Song Dynasty murals on the corridor walls of the stupa, which remain vivid and striking. Among the relics, there is also a type of miniature stupa, exquisitely crafted and lifelike, with eight smaller stupas carved on them, some containing medicinal substances that can be consumed or used for protection. It is said that the clay mini stupas can stand upright on a single blade of grass without falling. Many experts have confirmed that such small yet highly refined stupa models are rare in the world.

Zangnyang Stupa was designed and supervised by Master Mengdejiania (also known as Nidejiania), one of the representative figures of the early Later Propagation period of Tibetan Buddhism and a key figure in establishing standards for Buddhist iconography and stupa measurements. It was built in the seventh year of the Tian Sheng era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1030 AD). As a result, this stupa can be considered a physical exemplar of a standard Tibetan Buddhist stupa. It is widely recognized by eminent lamas and masters of various Tibetan Buddhist sects, including the Nyingma (Red Hat), Sakya (Flower Hat), Kagyu (White Hat), and Gelug (Yellow Hat) schools, as the essence of Tibetan Buddhist stupas. Together with Nepal’s Bha'i Stupa and Tibet’s Palcho Stupa, it is hailed as one of the world’s three famous Tibetan Buddhist stupas.

The thangka art and Buddha sculpture art left by Mengdejiania have spread widely throughout the Yushu region. Therefore, Zangnyang Stupa holds not only religious significance but also profound artistic importance. In the past fifty years alone, the Zangnyang area has produced hundreds of folk artists, among whom the most renowned in Tibetan regions, such as La’e-, take pride in and make a living by spreading Zangnyang art. The thangka art and Buddha sculpture art of Zangnyang are comparable to Regong art in terms of scale, lines, specifications, three-dimensionality, and coloration.

In June 2001, Zangnyang Stupa and Sangzhou Monastery were announced by the State Council as part of the fifth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.