Long'en Temple

　　Located in the southeastern part of Gande County, Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, it is accessible via the Xining–Jiuzhi Highway and is about 70 kilometers from Dawu Town, the prefectural capital. It is a historical and cultural humanistic scenic tourism site. The temple is situated on an earthen platform, backed by mountains and facing a river, in a spacious and sunny location, covering an area of approximately 130,000 square meters. It is the largest Nyingma sect monastery in Gande County, with its mother monastery being Zogchen Monastery in Dege, Sichuan Province. The monastery boasts an exceptional sandalwood art—the Gesar figure sandalwood carving art complex; and a uniquely distinctive architectural art—the Snowland Pagoda Sharringkaxiao, which has now become the tallest pagoda in Asia and is renowned both domestically and internationally. The monastery houses a Tibetan medicine clinic staffed by seven Tibetan doctors with complete sets of medical equipment. In 1982, the Mawei Gesar Culture Center was established, receiving support and attention from Zhao Puchu, former president of the Buddhist Association of China, and many other well-known figures from home and abroad. The plaque inscribed by Mr. Zhao Puchu for the “Mawei Gesar Culture Center” is now preserved at the center. The monastery also formed a Tibetan opera troupe primarily dedicated to spreading Gesar culture and arts, growing from an initial 45 members to over 80. Their service work and cultural activities are very popular among the public. Additionally, the monastery is home to influential artists such as the nationally renowned Gesar epic reciter E Ruo, young author Ge Ri Jian Can who has written five volumes of Gesar recitations, and Gari Luo, known for his exceptional Tibetan thangka painting skills. The main deities enshrined in the monastery include Sakyamuni Buddha, Padmasambhava, and the Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara.