Mindroling Monastery

An Overview of Mindroling Monastery

Mindroling Monastery is located in the Dranang County of Shannan prefecture of Tibet, 45 kilometers to the east of Lhasa airport. It is the main monastery of Nyingma sect (also the Red Hat) of Tibetan Buddhism in the front Tibet area.

History of Mindroling Monastery

In the late 10th century, a monk of Tibetan Buddhism named Lumei Tsuchenxirao built Balin Monastery here to preach and sermon Tibetan Buddhism.

In Kangxi the 16th year of Qing Dynasty, Jiumin Duoji rebuilt and expanded the monastery and changed its name from Balin Monastery to Mindroling Monastery.

In the early 18th century, Tibet was attacked by Zhunge'er tribe and part of Mindroling Monastery was destroyed and was later invested by Poluonai to repair it.

Mindroling Monastery was again destroyed in the Cultural Revolution. After the year of 1983, it was once again repaired and rebuilt. Today, Mindroling Monastery has been partly recovered.

Attractions of Mindroling Monastery

Mindroling Monastery faces the east in the embrace of the mountains. Surroundings here are quite beautiful with green mountains and clear water.

Mindroling Monastery covers an area of about 100,000 square meters. The walls of the Mindroling Monastery are in the shape of polygon. The main building inside the Mindroling Monastery is Zulakang Buddha Hall. Zulakang Buddha Hall is a three-storey building. The ground floor is the scripture hall with a width of about 5 rooms and a depth of about 6 rooms. There are 20 square columns inside the scripture hall, among which two are 5.5 meters high and lead to the second floor.

In the middle of the second floor of Zulakang Buddha Hall is a courtyard. There are also 5 small Buddha halls and monks' dormitories around it.

There are two Buddha halls on the third floor of Zulakang Buddha Hall. The portrayals of Nyingma sect's Lama are painted in the Lakang Buddha Hall.

The biggest Buddha hall in Mindroling Monastery is the Guihuakang which is a two-storey building with a depth of 7 rooms and a width of also 7 rooms.