Mendong Temple

　　Mendong Temple is situated 2 kilometers northeast of Cuoqin County. It originated in the 19th century. In 1820, a family from the middle herding class of the Xia Ye Tribe (currently Jiaring Village, Jiangrang Township)—a man named Aidongdanjie (secular name Ye Qianba, originally a nun at Gong Monastery of Nigu Temple) and his sister—shaved their heads and became a nun and monk respectively. At that time, the brother and sister lived in a cave at Maidong in Mendong Township, practicing asceticism. Later, after practicing at Tsurphu Monastery, they returned to Mendong. Influenced by Aidongdanjie, more than ten people from various tribes such as Juesizengjie (meaning “from all directions”), including Bagao, Maikani (‘ni’ means two, referring to different entities), Dadou, Damani, Xiangjihuo, Lani, Luodou, and Luomani, also shaved their heads and became monks or nuns. From then on, the number of monks and nuns gradually increased. In 1867, Karma Aidongdanjie built a tent preaching site in Mendong. After his passing, the tribal chiefs of the Qiaojui and Bengba tribes successively organized manpower and resources to construct Mendong Temple. The original main temple of Mendong Temple was Qiaomu Temple (a nunnery). Three years later, the abbot of the monastery further constructed an assembly hall covering an area of 108 square meters and standing 3 meters high. Behind and in front of the reliquary hall (Lingta Lakhang) and the assembly hall, guesthouses and warehouses were built. To the south was the Mani Prayer Hall (Mani Lakhang), and to the north were over 30 rooms for nuns. The monastery was enclosed by a square wall, with gates on the north and south sides.