Dewazang Manjusri Temple

　　The First Dewazang, Losang Dongzhu, took full monastic vows in his youth under the guidance of Jamyang Oezongzhe. He then vowed to study Dharma under Jamyang. At the age of sixteen, he traveled to Tibet and entered the Gomang College of Drepung Monastery to immerse himself in Buddhist studies. Due to his exceptional intelligence and outstanding academic performance, the master held great hopes for him. In 1709, he accompanied Master Jamyang Oezongzhe back to what is now Xiahe County, assisting the master in founding Labrang Monastery and taking charge of all temple affairs, which led to the flourishing of both religious and political activities at Labrang. In 1738, he became the third abbot of Labrang Monastery. In 1743, he welcomed the reincarnated soul boy of Master Jamyang into Labrang Monastery for enthronement, thus establishing and continuing the Jamyang lineage. During the tenure of the Second Jamyang, Jigme Angu, recognizing his contributions to the founding of Labrang Monastery, Dewazang was granted the special “Sertshang” status. The Second Dewazang, Jigme Longrug Gyatso, ascended to the throne as the sixteenth abbot of Labrang Monastery in 1772. He strictly upheld monastic discipline and emphasized profound practice, leading to the continued prosperity of both religious and political affairs.

　　 The Dewazang Manjusri Temple stands majestically to the south of Labrang Monastery, facing the Daxia River and backed by the monastery’s main prayer hall. The Third Dewazang, Jamyang Thutob Nyima, built the Dewazang Manjusri Temple at Labrang in 1814. In 1817, the Third Jamyang, Jigme Gyaltsen, the Third Gongtang, Tenpai Dronme, and the Third Dewazang, Jamyang Thutob Nyima, presided over the temple’s consecration ceremony. Since then, the Dewazang Manjusri Temple has become a sacred site for pilgrims and devotees. Later, Emperor Jiaqing bestowed a plaque inscribed in four languages: Chinese, Tibetan, Manchu, and Mongolian. During the Cultural Revolution, the Dewazang Manjusri Temple was completely destroyed. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, the Party’s policies on ethnic and religious affairs were gradually implemented. The Eighth Dewazang, Jamyang Thutob Gyatso, with the deep care of Master Jamyang and the Gongtang lineage, as well as strong support from monks and laypeople, began the restoration project in 1995 after thorough preparations. After five years of meticulous construction, the Dewazang Manjusri Temple regained its former glory and was completed in the summer of 2000. The temple has four stories and covers an area of 780 square meters. Its exterior features a structure of stone walls and tamarisk-covered walls, primarily using Tibetan stone and wood construction — stone on the outside, wood on the inside, so that no wood is visible externally and no stone internally. It presents a neat, dignified, sturdy, and durable appearance. Inside, there is a three-meter-wide corridor, with Buddhist jataka tales painted on both walls. The main hall lies within, making it a temple within a temple. Its scale, along with the types and quantities of Buddha statues enshrined, are exactly the same as the original. The layout is symmetrical and solemn. The roof ridge is adorned with gilded bronze ornaments including a treasure vase, victory banner, dharma wheel, two deer listening to the dharma, and a gilded Sanskrit mirror in the shape of a spire. Under the sunlight, these shine brilliantly and dazzlingly. The inner and outer walls are inscribed with gilded Sanskrit scriptures and covered with Buddhist murals. The main statue enshrined inside is a 12-meter-high gilded bronze Manjusri Bodhisattva. On either side of the main statue are gilded bronze statues of Shakyamuni Buddha and Maitreya Buddha, each over three meters tall. The east, west, and north walls of the hall house approximately 1,000 small gilded bronze statues of Shakyamuni Buddha, each about 1.7 chi (approximately 56 cm) tall. Each statue is exquisitely crafted, serene, and venerable. The restoration and completion of the Dewazang Manjusri Temple not only fulfill the spiritual wishes of devotees for pilgrimage and worship but also add a beautiful attraction to Labrang Monastery.