Yumbulakhang

*Yumbu Lagang, located in the center of Yarlung valley and meaning as a castle established on the lap of the female deer-like hill, was built by Nyatri Tsenpo, the first Tibetan King in the 2^nd century B.C. Historical record reads that 4 wonders of Tibet such as earliest village Yarlung Souka, the earliest King, the earliest palace Yumbu Lagang and the earliest Buddhist scriptures Pankong Chagya were born in Tsedang. The palace holds an important role in the origin of Tibetan history and culture. It is listed as one of the key cultural relics under the special protection of the state.

Gonggar Chode Monastery:

This small Sakyapa monastery is by no means an important sight, but is worth wandering down to if you are stuck with a whole afternoon or morning in Gonggar.

Samye Monastery:

*Samye monastery was founded by the King Trisong Detsen in the mid 8^th century with the help of Padmasambhava and Santarakshita, the two renowned Indian masters. As the first formal Tibetan monastery with the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, it was designed and created in the shape of the universe from the Buddhist viewpoint with the characteristics of Han, Tibetan and Indian architectural. It has central hall symbolizes Sumeru. It is splendid and magnificent as an inconceivable monastery by encircling with four giant continents and eight lesser cones, sun and moon chapels and four kinds of pagodas. It is listed as one of the key cultural relics under the special protection of the state. It is the 1^st Buddhist monastery ever built up in Tibet and it is the main place where the full fledge Buddhism was introduced.

Chimpuk Hermitage:

On Mt. Naro 15 km northeast of Samye monastery, standing above 4,300m, is located Chimpuk. Encircled by mountains on three sides, on the south side of the gully of Chimpuk is a gradually widening mountain slope and the vast waters of the Yarlung Tsangpo River. Sights in Chimpuk are elegant. In summer and autumn, the grass and trees are flourishing, wild flowers spreading all over, mountain streams murmuring and birds flocking together. With neither intense heat in summer nor severe cold in winter the climate here is especially pleasant. In early times, before the founding of Samye monastery, the civilization of Buddhism had already appeared in Chimpuk. It was in caves of Chimpuk that the master Shantarakshita preached doctrines of Buddhism to leading ministers of Tibet. After that, Padmasambhava, Trisong Detsen and Byeru Tsana and other renowned historic figures, came here to meditate one after another and left many holy prints. Scholars have proved that Chimpuk and Samye monastery are linked to each other. There is a saying among the masses that “One can’t be counted as having been to Samye without going to Chimpuk”. In Chimpuk, plenty of scenic spots and historical attractions are preserved including 108 meditation caves. Padmasambhava, Shantarakshita, Byeru Tsana and successive devout pilgrims have lived in these caves. 108 Buddhist figures and pagodas carved on cliffs by Padmasambhava with his finger can also be seen. In legend on Chimpuk, there are 108 sky-burial grounds and 108 springs, as well. In addition, there is enormous cliff statues carved by Longchen Rabjampa, a well-known Lama of the Nyingmapa order in the early 14^th century. A stupa for him and a steel erected for the building of it are preserved intact on the whole today.

There are splendid views of the Samye Valley from up here.

Sacred Caves in Nyemalung:

On a precipitous slope of Nyemalung, there is a meditation cave that was used by Padmasambhava in those years. In front of the cave is a small temple, which was built for posterity to commemorate the master and preserve the holy print. It has been said that Padmasambhava chanted the Longevity Sutra 10 thousand times in this cave, where the 5^th Dalai Lama kept chanting the Longevity Sutra for 14 months.

Mindroling Monastery:

Mindroling monastery is a very worthwhile detour from the Lhasa-Tsetang road between the Samye ferry crossing and Gonggar. It is the largest and along with Dorje Drak, the most important Nyingmapa monastery in Wu. Parts of it were dynamited during the Cultural Revolution, but most of it has been beautifully restored. Although a small monastery was founded at the present site of Mindroling as early as the 10^th century, the usual date for the founding of Mindroling is given as the mid-1670s. The founding Lama, Terdak Lingpa, was held in high esteem as a scholar and counted among his students the 5^th Dalai Lama. The monastery was razed during the Mongol invasion of 1718 and later restored. The central building of Mindroling is on the left as you enter the monastery courtyard. It is an elegant brown stone structure. Note in particular the impressive masonry—the fit between the many different sized stones used in the building are near perfect. Immediately inside the entrance to the main building of Mindroling is a hall with chapels along its walls. The most important chapel is the one to the rear, where you can see a large Shakyamuni image. In the hall itself is a statue of Terdak Lingpa, the founder of Mindroling, in a glass case. There are more chapels on the 2^nd floor.

Dorje Drak Monastery:

Dorje Drak, along with Mindroling, is one of the two most important Nyingmapa monasteries in Wu. With a remote and romantic location, samyeit is now pretty close Samye Monastery. Dorjee Drak was forcibly relocated to its present site in 1632 by the kings of Tsang

Sang-ngag Nunnery:

Close by Tsetang monastery and at the foot of Gangpo Ri is Sang-ngag Nunnery. It was spared the outright destruction suffered by Tsetang monastery and has some important images in its main chapel. The principal image is of Avalokiteshvara and dates back to the time of King Songtsen Gampo – according to some accounts, the statue was fashioned by the king himself. The walls are draped with some fine old Thangkas and there are a couple of small chapels with more images to the rear of the building. The nunnery is well worth visiting. You should get a friendly reception and it is a very short walk from the center of town. From Tsetang monastery, bear right up to the hill. The path leads directly to the nunnery. The nunnery and Tsetang monastery may also both be visited by way of an easy inner Kora described below in the entry on Kangpo Ri.

Kangpo Ri:

Kangpo Ri mountain (approx 4130m high) has a special significance for Tibetans as the legendary birth-place of the tibetan people. The story goes that Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, descended from the heavens to the Land of Snows long ago in the form of a monkey. He meditated in a cave on the slopes of Kangpo Ri, before being drawn from his solitude by Sinmo, a white demo ness. It seems she got his attention by sitting outside his cave and weeping — oldest trick in the book, but one that is especially effective with a Bodhisattva of Compassion. One thing led to another and before too long they had six children –the beginnings of the Tibetan race. The Kangpo Ri Monkey Cave, where the monkey meditated can be visited near the summit of the mountain. The walk there and back will take close to a full day. Do it in the spirit of a day walk in the hills, rather than as a trip specifically to see the Monkey Cave. The cave itself is rather disappointing, with a few wall paintings of monkeys. Around two km south of the Tsetang Guesthouse is a trail that leads up the slopes of Kangpo Ri for around three km (an altitude gain of around 550m) to the cave. There is a pilgrimage circuit around Kangpo Ri but it is a walk that will probably require two days. Very fit walkers can do it in one day, given around 11 hours. An easier inner Kora can be completed in around two hours with a couple of visits to monasteries en-route. 

Rechung Phuk Monastery:

The remains of the monastery are really only an attraction for serious pilgrim types or those with time to spare in the Yarlung Valley region. It is easily accessible on foot from Trandruk monastery or from Tsetang, but little remains of its former grandeur. Rechung Phuk is associated with the illustrious Milarepa (1040-1123), founder of the Kagyupa order and revered by many Tibet’s greatest songwriter and poet. It was his foremost disciple, Rechungpa (1083-1161), who founded Rechung Phuk as a cave retreat. Later a monastery was founded at the site, which eventually housed up to 1000 monks. Some buildings have been reconstructed around the cave, which can still be visited. The newly constructed chapels here contain images that are also of recent provenance.

Lhamo Lhatso Lake:

Around 115 km to the northeast of Tsetang, Lhamo La-tso Lake is one of Wu’s most important pilgrimage destinations. The La of La-tso is a Tibetan word that means “Soul” or “life spirit”. La resides in both animate and inanimate forms such as lakes, mountains, and trees. The two may sometimes be connected, as in the Tibetan custom of planting a tree at the birth of a child – such a tree is known as a La-shing. In the case of Lhamo La-tso Lake, the La here is identified with the spirit of Tibet itself. The Dalai Lamas have traditionally made pilgrimages to Lhamo La-tso to seek visions, which appear on the surface of the lake. The Tibetan regent journeyed to the lake after the death of the 13^th Dalai Lama and had a vision of a monastery in Amdo that led to the discovery of the present Dalai Lama. Lhamo La-tso Lake is difficult to reach and receives very few foreign visitors. You should come prepared with your own food supplies and a tent if you want to hike in the region. Be prepared for cold weather – the lake is at an altitude of over 5000 meters. The nearest accommodation to Lhamo La-tso is at Chokhorgye monastery, which is around four hours’ walk from the lake.

Trandruk temple:

Around seven km south of the Tsetang Hotel, Trandruk is one of the earliest Buddhist monasteries in Tibet, having been founded at the same time as the Jokhang and Ramoche in Lhasa. Dating back to the 7th-century reign of Songtsen Gampo, it is one of the “ Demo ness subduing” temples of Tibet. Only by pinning this demo ness down, it was felt, could the Buddhist faith take root in the high plateau. The location of Trandruk – which is one of 12 such subduing temples that ring the Jokhang in concentric circles like a Mandala – corresponds to the demo ness’s left shoulder. Trandruk has undergone numerous enlargements and reconstructions over the centuries. It was significantly enlarged in the 14^th century and again under the auspices of the 5^th and 7^th Dalai Lamas. The monastery was badly desecrated during the Cultural Revolution and extensive restoration work has been carried out since 1998. Monks at the monastery will solemnly point out wall paintings that were defaced and still await restoration.

The Tombs of the Kings:

The Tombs of the Kings at Chongye in some ways represent one of the few historical sites in Tibet that give evidence of a pre-Buddhist culture in Tibet. Most of the kings interred here are now firmly associated with the rise of Buddhism on the high plateau, but the methods of their interment point to the Bon faith. It is thought that the burials were probably officiated at by Bon priests and accompanied by sacrificial offerings. The tombs of greatest kings of the Yarlung Dynasty, Tumuli of 16 kings have been identified in the Chigwardo and Dungkhar valleys. Another two, those of the 28^th king Lhatotori Nyen-tsen and the 30^th Drong-nyen Deu are also said to be situated in Chongye valley, respectively below the ruins of Chingwa Taktse Castle and at Zhangdar, further north.

Burial of the dead is a practice that disappeared from Tibet after the fall of the Yarlung kings. Sky burials became the standard means of disposing of the dead for most people, while important Lamas were interred in a Chorten. Recent archaeological evidence seems to suggest, however, that burial might have been quite widespread in the time of the Yarlung kings and may not have been limited only to royalty.

Yamdrok Yumtso Lake:

The largest lake in Tibet is Namtso and the most famous, Yamdrok Yumtso Lake. Lying in Nangkartse county and Gonggar county of Shannan area of Tibet. Yamdrok lake being one of the 3 saint lakes in Tibet means, “Turquoise Lake in the Pastoral Area” and stands about 100kms away from Lhasa, with a water area of 638sq.km, lake elevation of 4,450m, lake average depth of about 35m, the deepest place of 60m, the east-west length of 130kms and south-north width of 70kms.

In Yamdrok Yumtso Lake there are 16 islands in which there are temples and herdsmen except for other no man’s islands of birds. Especially abound in fish, Yamdrok Yumtso Lake owns deposits of about 400 – 600 millions kilograms. If its water is drawn off, the fish covering the bottom of the lake can be 2 meters thick. The natural pasture surrounding Yamdrok Yumtso Lake covers over 1,000 hectares of area. Around the lakeside are plenty of water and lush grass as well as fat sheep and cows. With distinctive mysterious scenery such as lakes in the mountains, islands in the lake and temples, trees, springs and birds on the islands, Yamdrok Yumtso Lake is an absolutely beautiful natural scene zone integrating plateau lakes, snow mountains, islands, pastures, warm spring and wild animals. Presently a tourism company has been set up on the Yamdrok Yumtso Lake, which has purchased deluxe yachts and cowhide leather boats and built up the tent guesthouse on the Yamdrok Yumtso Lake, with national characteristics. Complete in various entertainment equipment: Yamdrok Lake can let you enjoy the pleasure of riding a horse on the vast grassland and taking yachts or boating cowhide leather boats in the lake. In a word, you will disremember all the worries and sorrows and keep joy and relaxation in mind.