Exploring Labrang Monastery: A Journey Through Tibetan Buddhist Heritage
Geographically, the numerous monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism are precisely the cradles of the Qinghai-Tibet religious culture. Labrang Monastery in Gansu Province of China serves as an excellent representation of such culture. The name “Labrang Monastery” comes from “Lajang” as a Tibetan phonetic form, which means the location of the great living Buddha. In the year Jamyang Shepa located his residence, the full name was established, Labrang, or Labrang Tashi Khyil. Over years, it has stood as a place of inclusiveness that welcomes both pilgrims and tourists from all over the world.
The monastic institution, known as Gaden Shartse Chökyi Gyaltsen, was built by Ngawang Tsondru (1648–1722), the First Jamyang Shepa, in 1710. It was then given name Labrang Tashi Kyil Monastery. Going through continuous expansion and refinement, the monastery has become a sacred Buddhist sanctuary and a comprehensive institution for the dissemination of knowledge.
With profound history, multiple activities, and various cultural relics, Labrang Monastery stands as a distinguished entity among the six paramount Gelug school monasteries. For everyone who plans a Silk Road tour in China, Labrang Monastery just offers a wonderful chance to learn the Silk Road history.
Labrang Monastery Facts
- Location: 1 kilometer to the west of Xiahe County town in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province
- Altitude: 2950 meters
- Chinese name: 拉卜楞寺
- Opening hours: 8:00-18:00 from May 1 to Oct. 7; 09:15-16:30 from Oct. 8 to Apr. 30.
- Admission fee: 40 yuan
- Best time to go: All seasons
- Time needed: about 3 hours
Labrang Monastery History
Labrang Monastery was established in the forty-eighth year of the Kangxi Emperor’s reign during the Qing Dynasty (1709) under the direction of the First Jamyang Shepa, Master Xiebei Duoji. It has a history of only a little over 300 years, during which it has been continuously expanded and refined. As one of the six major Gelug (Yellow Hat) monasteries in China, a preeminent Buddhist academy in the northwestern region, it definitely worth visiting during a Silk Road travel. The monastery can house over 4,000 monks and has had a far-reaching influence.
Initial Development
The formation of the grand architectural complex of Labrang Monastery that we see today began with the construction of various Buddhist academies. The First Jamyang Shepa initially founded the monastery, completing the College of Sutra and Treatise in the first year. This college is the largest among the six colleges that were successively built at Labrang Monastery. It typically has more than 1,000 monks, with a peak of 3,000. The College of Sutra and Treatise is where monks study the Exoteric Buddhism, which is the foundation of monastic education.
Further Expansion
Under the Second Jamyang Shepa, the Kalachakra College was built to study the Kalachakra (time cycles) and the Tibetan calendar’s astronomical calculations. The Third Jamyang Shepa completed the construction of the Medical College. The Fifth Jamyang Shepa finally established the other two colleges: the College of Vajrabhairava and the Upper Tantric College.
Final Forms
Along with a number of Buddhist academies, Labrang Monastery has constructed a number of Buddha halls and scripture halls over the years. Over 400,000 square meters of different architectural styles of Buddha halls, scripture halls and palaces, totalling 48 buildings, make up the 860,000 square metre Labrang Monastery, according to statistics. Along with more than 500 monks’ homes, there are numerous stupas and archways with distinctive architectural styles. This is truly an extremely vast complex, and Labrang Monastery is truly a culmination of Tibetan Buddhist architectural art.
How to Visit Labrang Monastery: Top Things to Do in Labrang Monastery
Appreciate the Religious Art
The Labrang Monastery is widely regarded as a treasure trove of Tibetan Buddhist art and culture. The lavish architectural design, the more than 29,000 Buddhist statues, and the extraordinarily large and diverse thangkas, appliqués, and murals are all present.
Both monasteries and the general public are fond of Thangkas, which are distinctive Tibetan Buddhist paintings that portray Buddhist characters and stories. Using a collage technique, appliqués have even more content and resemble reliefs. In particular, the huge appliqué of Buddha displayed during the annual Mao Lanmu Festival is spectacular and magnificent, radiating a divine light that leaves monks and believers prostrating in awe!
Wall paintings are located in various places of Labrang Monastery. If you look around you can see them on walls, hallways, beams, ceilings, and more. They depict Buddhist scriptures, historical figures, and the biographies of important Buddhist figures, all of which are all artistically and visually pleasing. All of these murals make it invaluable in the course of a Silk Road trip.
Enjoy the Dance and Opera
The religious dances and Tibetan operas at Labrang Monastery are also unique and mysterious. Held year-round, it surely is a highlight for your Gansu tour. The solemn figures of various Dharma kings, the bizarre red and green masks, the religiously rhythmic steps, and the strange dance postures of ancient rituals, along with the incredibly long and deep-sounding Buddhist chants, all convey the teachings of Buddhism in a different way that deeply moves the hearts of the believers.
Join in Festivals and Ceremonies
The nimerous festival and ceremonies held here are one of the biggest highlights of a Labrang Monastery tour. The most famous ones include the Mao Lanmu Festival, the February Dharma Assembly, the Nyen Ne Festival, the Shanglang Festival, the Rouza Festival, the Disaster Averting Ceremony, and the Butter Lamp Festival, among others.
Explore Religious Literature
In addition to its artistic treasures, Labrang Monastery also possesses a rich collection of religious literature. This includes over 380 biographies, 35 historical and religious history texts, and 178 classical poems written by eminent monks, Buddhist scholars, and literary masters. These works are invaluable treasures of plateau historiography and literature. The monastery also houses various imperial edicts, documents, seals, relics of living Buddhas, and a large number of precious antiques, all of which enhance Labrang Monastery’s esteemed reputation far and wide.
Festivals and Religious Ceremonies in Labrang Monastery
Labrang Monastery, noted for its architecture such that there is “no wood on the outside and no stone on the inside,” holds special Buddhist activities each year. The First Month Dharma Assembly (during the Tibetan New Year), the Second Month Dharma Assembly, the Seventh Month Great Dharma Assembly for Exhortation to Goodness, the Ninth Month Dharma Assembly, and the Tenth Month Butter Lamp Festival bring many people to visit and enjoy the scenery.
Planning to see the Labrang Monastery on a Silk Road trip of a lifetime but having no idea of what time to visit? If having fun is your top priority, then we highly suggest you come here during festival.
Details of Important Festivals in Labrang Monastery
Prayer Festival in the First Month (Mao Lanmu Festival)
- Time: From the third to the seventeenth day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar
- Activities: This is one of the most important festivals at Labrang Monastery. The main activities include animal liberation, Buddha display, and Cham dance performance.
July Festival (Dunbai Riza Festival)
- Time: From the twenty-ninth day of the sixth month to the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar
- Activities: This is the second most important festival after the Prayer Festival in the first month. The main activities include the Monastic Debate.
October Tsongkhapa Memorial (Butter Lamp Festival)
- Time: The twenty-fifth day of the tenth month of the Tibetan calendar
- Activities: Commemorating the passing of Tsongkhapa, lighting butter lamps on the roofs of the monastery buildings.
Xianglang Festival
- Time: The sixth day of the sixth month of the lunar calendar
- Activities: Outing, camping, cooking outdoors, and singing and dancing.
When to Visit?
The best period to experience Gannan’s attractions is June and August. Gannan experiences its warmest annual temperatures during these months when the average ranges from 10 to 20 degrees Celsius. This period offers the opportunity to experience numerous Tibetan festivals and events that remain etched in memory.
How to Get to Labrang Monastery
- Bus: You can take a bus from Lanzhou South Bus Station (7:30, 8:30, 9:30, 14:00, and 15:00), or from Hezuo City North Passenger Station (from 7:00 to 16:00)
- Join in a private tour: If you are first comer and have no idea of how to travel Labrang Monastery, joining in a private tour with transportation and other logistic work included will be helpful.
Helpful Travel Tips
- When drinking butter tea, the host pours the tea, and the guest should only take and drink it after the host presents it with both hands.
- It is taboo to spit or clap hands on someone’s back.
- Prayer wheels and cylinders must not be turned in the reverse direction.
- It is forbidden for others to touch the top of one’s head.
Nearby attractions
- Daxia River: The Daxia River is an important water system in the upper reaches of the Yellow River basin. The area is dotted with lush green trees and there are flowers and grass in abundance, painted into an overall scene of beautiful mountains and water.
- Sangke Prairie: The Sangke Prairie is a high-altitude grassland surrounded by mountains on all sides, with a flat and open central area. The meadow is dotted with wildflowers, making it extremely picturesque.
