Shatuo Temple

　　    Also known as "Shatuosi" or "Gadansi," it is called "Zhaxiqungke Lin" in Tibetan, meaning "Auspicious Continent 0." Its current location is on the western shore of Qinghai Lake at Heitugen, 46 kilometers southwest of the county seat, within the Buh River valley of Danlonggou in Quanji Township. The temple’s original site was in Nianaisimajia, 6 kilometers southwest of Quanji Township, about 1 kilometer south of Qinghai Lake. The temple was built on a ridge between the Quanji River and the Asihan River, extending along the terrain all the way to the shores of Qinghai Lake.

　　     The temple was first built in 1665 and belongs to the Nyingma sect. According to legend, there was an early “Obo” here used for worshipping the mountain god. In the 10th year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1653), the 5th Dalai Lama Lobsang Gyatso passed through Qinghai Lake on his way back to Tibet after visiting the Shunzhi Emperor in Beijing, where he held religious activities praying for the protection of the sea deity. Since then, Shatuo has become a sacred religious site, attracting countless devotees to burn juniper and worship Buddha. Later, a tent-based monastery was established here. Under the management of the esteemed monk Gadrin from Tongde, the monastic activities flourished even more. By 1941, a scripture hall was built on the site of the original Obo, covering an area of over 400 square meters with around 30 rooms, along with 300 monk dormitories that housed 130 monks, making it one of the more influential Nyingma sect temples in the lake region. The original main scripture hall of the temple featured upturned eaves and painted beams, ochre walls adorned with fragrant decorations, and a roof ornamented with golden dragons and prayer wheels. The incense at the Buddhist altar burned day and night, and with the scenic backdrop of Qinghai Lake, the sight was quite spectacular.