Qucang Monastery

　　Qucang Monastery is located 18 kilometers from Huzhu County and 58 kilometers from Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province.

　　It is surrounded by mountains on all sides. The overall mountain terrain resembles a coiling dragon lying at rest. To the left is Phoenix Mountain, and in front is Lion Mountain, with lush pines and cypresses on the hills, and thousands of acres of verdant farmland stretching out before the monastery.

　　Qucang Monastery was first built in the sixth year of the Shunzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty, which corresponds to 1649 AD, by the First Qucang Living Buddha, Namgyal Panchen. It was destroyed in the first year of the Yongzheng reign due to the Lobsang Danjin incident but was later rebuilt. By 1985, the monastery housed over 150 resident monks. The temple complex includes large and small scripture halls and a Thousand Buddha Hall, as well as grand "Lhakhang" residences (living quarters for high lamas) belonging to the Qucang, Jamyang, Sakyapa, Guihua, Lotus, Aqun, and Sharpa lineages. The main structure, the Thousand Buddha Hall of Shakyamuni, has three stories and ninety-nine rooms. The monastery houses both the Gelug (Yellow Hat) and Kalachakra colleges, following the curriculum of the Ganden Jangtse College of Drepung Monastery, and includes its own “Qucang Khangtsen” within the college. The current abbot is the Sixth Living Buddha, Losang Tenzin Wangchuk.