Chambaling Monastery

A Brief Introduction to Chambaling Monastery

Chambaling Monastery is located at the junction of the Ngom Qu River and Tsarchu River in Chamdo Town. It stands at the foot of the Hengduan Mountain. It was built in the year of 1444 of Ming Dynasty by the follower of Tsongkhapa-the founder of Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism after Tsongkapa's religious reform in Tibet. According to Gelugpa sect rules, the Chambaling Monastery ought to harbor 2,500 monks.

Cultural History of Chambaling Monastery

When Tsongkapa made his journey into Tibet via Chamdo in 1373, he predicted that in the future a monastery would be built up and Buddhism would flourish in the area. Later, in Zhengtong the second year of Ming Dynasty (1437), Sherab Sangpo, one of Tsongkapa's disciples, built the monastery on a rocky hill between the Ngom Qu and Tsarchu Rivers.

The main relic is the statue of the Jampa (the Future Buddha) from which the name of the monastery, Chambaling is derived. Chambaling Monastery is the largest monastery of the Gelugpa Sect monasteries in Chamdo region and is divided into five Zhacangs (colleges): the Lingtod, Lingme, Nupling, Kuchuk, and Chagra-khapa. By this time the monastery had one hundred and thirty subordinate monasteries in the Kham region, mostly concentrated in Chamdo, Drayak, Pagshod, Shopado, Sang-ngag Choling, and Powo.

Chambaling Monastery has always maintained close relationship with successive interior imperial courts. The giant living Buddha of the monastery has been granted titles since the reign of emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty. Today, Chambaling Monastery still treasures the brass seal granted to Phagpalha Living Buddha during Emperor Kangxi's Reign.

Chamdo is the gateway between Sichuan and Tibet, and so is an important trading center. The Chambaling Monastery also engaged in trade. It distributed its profits equally among the monks in the form of daily necessities such as butter, "tsampa"(barley flour), brick tea etc. At the end of the year, the monastery equally distributed all the left profits.

Chambaling Monastery was similar to other major Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries, with the well-reserved statues, frescos and Tangkas (Buddhist paintings). As one of the three leading temples in "old" Tibet, it took up a great amount of land and hired bondmen. But all "abbot", "kanbu" and "Living Buddha" could not live luxury life according to the rules. Chamabling Monastery stands high on the mountain, all Buddha had to go down to the river and carry water to the monastery. There were twenty-two big bronze pots, each containing more than 100 barrels of water. Everyday, the residents living around carried drinking water to the monastery to support 2,500 Buddha's daily life.

Attractions of Chambaling Monastery

Because the monastery is located at the highest part of Chamdo Town, you can have a bird view of the whole county, where the roaring Lantsang River converging Ngom Qu River and Tsarchu Rivers.

Chambaing Monastery is famous for its well-reserved statues, frescos and Thangkas. The frescos in Chambaling Monastery and the Thangkas inside the Chambaling Monastery are the reflection of the wisdom of the craftsmen in Chamdo area, representing the highest level of Chamdo area. The most sightworthy attraction in Chambaling Monastery is the religious dance. The religious dance named Guqing is performed during every Tibetan New Year (one month after New Year's Day). Dancers perform in splendid costumes. The dance enjoys high reputation in the Tibet Plateau and is worth looking on your Tibet tour.