China Guide
The Northwest
Labrang Monastery
Price: Guided tours (1hr), incl entry to five buildings ¥40
Opening time: Tours at about 10am and 3.30pm
Address: 1500m up from the bus station
There's no wall separating the town from the monastery – the two communities just merge together and the main road goes right through the middle of both. The only markers are the long lines of roofed prayer wheels, which together trace a complete circle around the monastery. To the south side in particular, along the north bank of the river, you can follow the prayer wheels almost to the other end of the monastery. It's a mesmerizing experience to walk alongside the pilgrims (clockwise around the monastery), who turn each prayer wheel they pass.
The monastery was founded in 1709 by a monk called E'Ang Zongzhe, who thereby became the first-generation Living Buddha, or Jiemuyang. Upon the death of each Jiemuyang, a new one is born, supposedly representing the reincarnation of the previous one. The present Jiemuyang, the sixth incarnation, is third in importance in the Tibetan Buddhist hierarchy after the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama. During the Cultural Revolution the monks here suffered persecution and the monastery was virtually destroyed. It was not until 1980 that it reopened, and although it is flourishing once again, it is nevertheless a smaller place today than it used to be. For an idea of its original extent, see the painting in the Exhibition Hall, on the wall at the far end from the entrance. There are now around nine hundred registered lamas, and two thousand unofficial monks, about half their former number.
Monastery buildings include six colleges, as well as temple halls, Jiemuyang residences and a mass of living quarters for the monks. The institutes, where monks study for degrees, are of Astronomy, Esoteric Buddhism, Law, Medicine and Theology (higher and lower). There are also schools for dance, music and painting. The Gongtang Pagoda, built in 1805, is worth climbing for a spectacular view over the shining golden roofs of the monastery.