The Splendor of Drepung Monastery
Drepung Monastery (Tibetan: ), is one of the most significant religious institutions in Tibetan Buddhism. Its full name is Pelden Drepung Phuntsok Namgyal Ling (Tibetan: དཔལ་ལྡན་འབྲས་སྤུངས་ཕུན་ཚོགས་རྣམ་རྒྱལ་གླིང་།). It can be translated as “The Auspicious Rice Heap, Island of Victory over All Directions.”The monastery is situated on the southern slope of Mount Gephel Uzi in the western outskirts of Lhasa. Founded in 1416 by Jamyang Chöjé Tashi Palden, one of Tsongkhapa’s foremost disciples. It stands as one of the three great Gelug monasteries of Lhasa and is recognized today as a major site under national cultural protection.
History of Drepung Monastery
Before the 1950’s, Drepung Monastery was one of the most powerful religious estates in the region. It held as many as 185 manorial estates (zhikha), controlled over 51,000 acres of farmland, and managed more than 300 pastures. The monastery owned around 40,000 head of livestock, including cattle and sheep, and had over 2,000 bonded laborers under its authority. Each year, it collected approximately 2.8 million kilograms of grain and 133,000 kilograms of butter as rent and tribute. Its influence extended far beyond central Tibet, with 3,305 affiliated monasteries across the Tibetan cultural world—640 within Tibet, 1,647 in other provinces of China, and more than 1,000 located abroad.
After 1959, the monastery’s feudal privileges were completely abolished, and it was restored to its original function as a religious center. In 1982, Drepung Monastery was officially listed as a nationally protected cultural heritage site. Today, it continues to serve as an active monastery with a community of more than 900 monks.
Architectural Highlights of Drepung Monastery
The architectural layout of Drepung Monastery is vast and complex, consisting primarily of the Tsokchen Great Assembly Hall, the Four Great Dratsangs (monastic colleges), and the Ganden Phodrang, the former residence of the Dalai Lamas before the construction of the Potala Palace. Each of these units is further subdivided into smaller communities known as khangtsen (residential colleges attached to the dratsangs), monk dormitories, and other structures, forming a tightly organized network of buildings that reflect the administrative and educational structure of the monastery.
Architecturally, each unit is generally arranged on three ascending levels: the courtyard level, the assembly hall level, and the main shrine hall level. This tiered progression, rising from the entrance gate to the innermost temple, symbolizes the elevation of spiritual space, highlighting the sanctity of the Buddha hall as the highest and most revered point. The exteriors of the great halls and temples are further adorned with golden rooftops, Dharma wheels, victory banners, and the Eight Auspicious Symbols, enhancing the sacred atmosphere and visual splendor. Seen from afar, the clusters of golden roofs and whitewashed walls cascade down the mountainside in layers, resembling a majestic mountain city glittering under the sun.
Tsokchen Great Assembly Hall of Drepung Monastery
At the heart of the monastery stands the Tsokchen Great Assembly Hall, the spiritual and administrative center of Drepung. The term tshogs-chen refers to the central assembly of the entire monastery, presided over by the Tripakhenpo (Abbot-in-Charge), who holds supreme authority within the institution. Beneath him serve two disciplinary officers, known as zhalngo in Tibetan and popularly referred to as the “Iron Staff Lamas” (dge-skos), responsible for enforcing monastic discipline across the community.
The Toskchen Great Assembly Hall occupies an area of about 4,500 square meters. In front of it lies a large stone-paved courtyard, measuring nearly 2,000 square meters, which has historically served as a gathering space for rituals, teachings, and public monastic events. Seventeen wide stone steps lead up to the grand entrance porch, which is supported by eight massive columns. Inside, the main assembly hall stretches across 1,800 square meters, supported by 183 pillars and incorporating 221 chambers. This vast space is capable of accommodating between 7,000 to 10,000 monks chanting scriptures simultaneously, making it one of the largest monastic halls in the world.
Vast assembly halls and chapels
Inside the Great Assembly Hall, an elevated skylight rises high above, covering an area of more than one hundred square meters. This lofty opening allows natural light to stream into the hall, creating a striking contrast with the golden glow of butter lamps. The interior is richly adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, interwoven banners and draperies of vibrant colors, all shimmering in layers of red, gold, and blue. Countless gilded copper statues and rows of ever-burning lamps lend the hall an atmosphere of opulence and sacred grandeur.
The seating arrangement inside reflects the strict hierarchy of the monastic order. At the front are the seats of the Khenpo (abbot), the reincarnate lamas known as tulkus, and the Geshe scholars” equivalent to the highest doctoral degree in Buddhist studies. Beside them are the places for the Umze (dpu-mdzad), the chant master who leads the recitations, as well as the zhalngo, the disciplinary officials, who oversee order during assemblies. This arrangement emphasizes both the scholarly and administrative functions of the monastery, blending learning with ritual authority.
Statues and shrines in Tsokchen Hall
The central shrines are filled with statues of remarkable craftsmanship, their forms elegant and lifelike. Of special note is the image of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, along with the statue of the White Umbrella Mother (Sitatapatra), a protective deity. Towering in height and finely detailed, these statues are framed by radiant halos, intricate ornamental borders, and carved animal motifs, all executed with vivid precision. They are considered masterpieces of Tibetan Buddhist art, rarely matched in other monasteries.
Dusum Lhakhang
At the rear of the Great Hall stands the Dusum Lhakhang—the Chapel of the Three Buddhas. Built as a two-story structure with three main chambers, this is one of the earliest temples within Drepung Monastery, dating back to the founding period under Jamyang Chöjé. Above the entrance a large skylight improves the interior lighting, illuminating the sacred images within. Here, the Three Buddhas—representing the Past, Present, and Future—are each enshrined with their two main disciples, forming three distinct groups within stupa-shaped shrines.
At the center is Shakyamuni Buddha with his attendants, enshrined within three gilded copper stupas. To the left and right are the Buddhas of the Past and Future, each enshrined within three silver stupas. This unique form of stupa-shaped shrines for the Three Buddhas is rarely found in other Tibetan monasteries, marking Dusum Lhakhang as an architectural and artistic treasure.
Flanking the sides of the chapel are statues of the Eight Great Disciples of the Buddha, each over three meters in height. Their expressions are serene and graceful, with finely modeled postures that convey elegance and charm, a rare aesthetic in Tibetan sculpture. At the inner entrance of the chapel stand imposing figures of Vajra Guardians and the fierce deity Hayagriva, rendered with terrifying power and wrathful expressions, symbolizing the protective forces of Buddhism. These striking contrasts—gentle disciples on one side and wrathful protectors on the other—embody the full spectrum of Buddhist imagery, from compassion to fierce protection.
Things to see
Surrounding the rear and sides of the Dusum Lhakhang is a circumambulatory passageway, a feature that allows devotees to walk in ritual clockwise circles around the sanctum. On the northern section of this corridor are preserved precious early murals, their colors still vivid despite centuries of age. At the exit of the passageway hangs a rare imperial plaque from the Tongzhi Emperor of the Qing dynasty. Measuring three meters long, 1.2 meters wide, and 40 centimeters thick, it bears the inscription “Shu Cheng Xiang Hua” 输诚向化 (Devotion Offered to the Teachings), written in bold calligraphy. The strokes of the characters remain powerful and dignified, a symbol of the imperial recognition once granted to Drepung Monastery.
Miwang Lhakhang
To the left of the Dusum Lhakhang lies the Miwang Lhakhang, whose principal image is an immense statue of Jampa (Maitreya Buddha) depicted at the youthful age of twelve. Seated in full lotus posture, the statue rises from the ground floor and extends upward so that its head reaches the second story. This magnificent work was sponsored by Miwang Polha, and thus came to be known as the Miwang Jampa. The figure is finely proportioned and delicately carved, displaying both harmony of form and subtle artistry.
Lubum Lhakhang
On the right side of Dusum Lhakhang stands the Lubum Lhakhang. At the front of this chapel are two small white stupas known as the Lubum Stupas. Behind them stand three silver stupas, the most prominent of which are the reliquary stupas of the Third and Fourth Dalai Lamas. At the center rises the stupa of the Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso, reaching a height of 6.16 meters. To the north is the reliquary stupa of the Fourth Dalai Lama, Yonten Gyatso, standing 6.57 meters tall, composed of a wooden Simhasana-style base one meter high with the stupa above measuring 5.57 meters. To the south is the stupa of a Regent, measuring 4.6 meters in height.
All of these stupas are sheathed in silver and lavishly inlaid with precious jewels. The stupas of the Third and Fourth Dalai Lamas alone consumed over 14,800 taels (560 KGs) of silver, making them some of the most exquisite and resplendent monuments within Drepung.
Kangyur Lhakhang
Ascending to the second floor of the Great Hall, one finds the Kangyur Lhakhang, a chapel housing three complete sets of the Kangyur, the Tibetan Buddhist canon of translated scriptures. The first set is the Lithang edition, gifted during 14th Century by the chieftain Mu Zeng of Yunnan. The second is a woodblock edition carved in 17th Century. The third is an extraordinary manuscript edition, transcribed entirely in gold ink in 1675 by Depa Lobsang Thutob to celebrate the birthday of the Dalai Lama. This rare collection represents not only the continuity of Buddhist scholarship but also the devotion and wealth that once supported the monastic tradition.
Jampa Tongdrön Lhakhang
The third floor houses the Jampa Tongdrön Lhakhang, enshrining a large copper statue of Jampa Buddha depicted at the age of eight. According to tradition, this statue was commissioned by the King of Nedong at the request of Je Tsongkhapa himself. The figure retains an innocent, almost childlike expression, an unusual feature in Buddhist sculpture, and is admired as one of the most exceptional representations of Maitreya in Tibet. In front of the statue rests a sacred conch shell, said to have been personally given by Tsongkhapa to Jamyang Chöjé, the founder of Drepung.
Above, the roof of the Great Hall is crowned with a distinctive golden pinnacle in the form of a square spire. Suspended over the entrance is an inscribed plaque reading Mulong Yuanshan. The plaque bears an oval seal with the inscription, “Seal of the Autumn”. On its reverse are two further seals, one inscribed “Tiemu Clan” and the other Seal of Qishan. This plaque was commissioned in 1846 by Qishan, the imperial resident ambassador in Tibet, upon his departure from Lhasa.
Shakyamuni Buddha Hall
On the fourth floor is the Shakyamuni Buddha Hall. Its main image is Shakyamuni Buddha in the posture of teaching, a statue said to have been cast from 500 taels of silver. On either side are arranged thirteen silver stupas, while the side chapels form the Lhakhang of the Arhats, enshrining images of Buddhist patriarchs, lineage masters, and arhats. The hall also houses representations of the major incarnate lamas of Drepung Monastery. The roof is crowned with another golden top, built in the xieshan style characteristic of Chinese architecture, complete with ornate dougong brackets beneath the eaves. These details reveal the clear influence of interior Chinese architectural traditions incorporated into Tibetan monastic construction.
Monastic Dratsang colleges
The educational and administrative foundation of Drepung Monastery rests in its dratsangs or monastic colleges, which serve as both scholastic institutions and organizational units beneath the Tsokchen Assembly Hall. When first established by Jamyang Chöjé, Drepung was divided into seven such colleges, including Loseling, Ngapa, Deyang, Gomang, Shakor, and Thosamling, each headed by one of his seven great disciples.
Over time these were consolidated into the four great dratsangs that remain today: Loseling, Gomang, Deyang, and Ngagpa. The first three are exoteric colleges, focusing on the study and practice of the Sutra tradition, though each emphasizes a particular philosophical stance. Loseling specializes in the Svatantrika-Madhyamaka view, Gomang focuses on the Prasangika-Madhyamaka system, while Deyang combines Sutra and Tantra studies and is also known for its involvement in ritual performance such as cham dances and Tibetan opera.
The fourth, Ngagpa Dratsang, is devoted to the study and practice of Tantra, where advanced yogic methods are cultivated with the goal of attaining enlightenment within a single lifetime.
Loseling Dratsang College
Among the four great colleges of Drepung, Loseling Dratsang stands as the largest, covering an area of approximately 1,860 square meters. It is divided into two main sections: the Assembly Hall and the Jampa Chapel. The Assembly Hall is vast, stretching thirteen bays in width and ten in depth, supported by 102 tall pillars. With a floor space of 1,053 square meters, its grandeur is further accentuated by the long scripture shelves that line its sides, extending more than sixty meters and filled with Buddhist scriptures and commentaries authored by great masters. The hall is richly decorated, with furnishings and ornaments that highlight the dignity of its function as a center of learning and worship.
Behind the Assembly Hall lies the Jampa Chapel, the principal shrine of Loseling Dratsang. This space consists of three adjoining rooms, with the central chamber measuring 11 meters in width and 6.8 meters in depth, and the side chambers slightly smaller. Within these halls, statues of Jampa Buddha dominate, accompanied by numerous smaller images densely arranged along the back walls, leaving only narrow passageways through which devotees may circumambulate and pay homage. Loseling traditionally housed the greatest number of monks, many of whom came from Sichuan, Xikang, Yunnan, and Chamdo. The college oversaw twenty-three khangtsen (residential units or monastic communities), and its highest authority was the Khenpo, the abbot of the institution.
Gomang Dratsang College
The second college, Gomang Dratsang, follows closely in size and importance. Like Loseling, it consists of an Assembly Hall and a Buddha Hall. The Assembly Hall covers about 986 square meters, with 102 supporting pillars, providing space for the chanting and scholastic debates of its monastic residents. Behind the hall are three subsidiary chapels: the Tsepa Lhakhang, Minchu Lhakhang, and Droma Lhakhang, each enshrining specific deities or scriptures. The monks of Gomang primarily hailed from Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, and Nagchu, giving the college a distinctly multicultural character. It governed sixteen khangtsen and became widely respected for its intellectual rigor, particularly in its emphasis on the Prasangika-Madhyamaka philosophical system.
Drepung Deyang Dratsang
Deyang Dratsang, by contrast, is the smallest of the four colleges, with an area of about 952 square meters. Its Assembly Hall spans seven bays in width, supported by sixty-two pillars, and covers 375 square meters. Behind the Assembly Hall is a smaller Buddha Hall measuring fifty-five square meters, with a central latticework screen about twelve meters wide at its entrance. On either side are square storage rooms or treasury chambers, each 1.7 meters per side. The layout of Deyang is slightly irregular, with adjacent monk quarters and kitchens.
Its principal statue is that of the Olser Jampa, a form of Maitreya known as “The Jampa Who Dispels Poverty,” venerated for his power to eliminate suffering and scarcity. Although more compact than the other colleges, Deyang cultivated a unique role by combining the study of both Sutra and Tantra, as well as maintaining traditions of ritual performance such as cham dances and Tibetan opera.
Tantric Ngapa Dratsang
Ngagpa Dratsang, the tantric college of Drepung, occupies a distinctive place both architecturally and spiritually. Located behind the Tsokchen Assembly Hall on its right side, its layout differs from the other colleges. At the front is an enclosed courtyard, surrounded by monks’ quarters, with the Assembly Hall set behind. The hall is supported by forty-eight pillars and covers 467 square meters, its walls entirely adorned with murals of tantric deities and mandalas.
Behind the hall stands the Jigje Lhakhang, a compact yet powerful shrine three bays wide and two deep, covering fifty-six square meters. Its principal deity is Jigje, or Yamāntaka (Vajrabhairava), one of the three great tutelary deities of Tibetan Tantra, represented here with nine heads and thirty-four arms, embodying the fierce aspect of Manjushri. According to tradition, this image was personally modeled by Je Tsongkhapa, and within the statue is enshrined the nearly intact body of the yogin Ra Lotsawa, missing only one finger.
To the right of this image stands a statue of Tsongkhapa himself, notable for its tall and straight nose, a feature distinct from depictions in other monasteries and said to have been fashioned by the master’s own hand. Also enshrined within Ngagpa Dratsang are the relics of the tantric master Dorje Zhaba, making this college a repository of sacred objects of immense significance. Historical records note that Ngagpa Dratsang was among the very first buildings of Drepung, its construction beginning in 1416 and reaching completion three years later.
The Jigje Lhakhang preserves much of the early architectural character of Drepung, with its thick walls, compact proportions, and austere layout, marking it as one of the monastery’s most precious and ancient treasures.
Ganden Phodrang: Symbol of Political and Religious Authority
On the left side of the monastery’s front section stands the Ganden Phodrang, an independent architectural complex resembling a small fortress. Towering walls enclose the site, while the roof is adorned with lavish ornamentation. The complex is divided into three parts: upon entering through the front gate, one reaches a small courtyard with two-story office buildings on the left and an ancient tree on the right. Ascending the steps leads to the spacious main courtyard of over 400 square meters, where the annual Shoton Festival performances and sacred dances take place.
Surrounding the courtyard are two-storied galleries and monks’ quarters, while the rear is elevated by over two meters, forming the main palace building. The palace rises three stories: the ground floor houses several chapels and shrines; the second floor was the primary space where the Dalai Lama conducted political and religious affairs, with the throne of the Fifth Dalai Lama enshrined in the central hall; the third floor served as the Dalai Lama’s residence, including a private chapel, bedroom, lecture hall, reception room, and special shrines such as the Tara Chapel and the Protector Chapel.
The Tara Chapel is particularly enigmatic, as it contains the preserved body of a young girl, believed to have been transformed into a statue of the Goddess Tara after a ritual of subjugation. This rare relic still evokes a sense of mystery and awe.
The Ganden Phodrang was founded in 1530 by the Second Dalai Lama. Before the reconstruction of the Potala Palace, the Fifth Dalai Lama resided here, consolidating both religious and secular authority. Consequently, the term “Ganden Phodrang” became synonymous with the Tibetan government, marking the monastery as not only a religious center but also the political heart of Tibet.
The Great Kitchen and Monastic Provisioning
The vast monastic community required extensive infrastructure to sustain daily life. Each of the four great dratsangs, along with the main assembly hall, possessed its own large kitchen. Among them, the Great Kitchen of the Tsokchen Hall was the most impressive, regarded as the largest monastery kitchen in Tibet.
Inside, an enormous copper cauldron—three meters in diameter and two meters deep—was used to prepare tea and porridge during major ceremonies. At full capacity, it could provide for over 7,000 monks simultaneously. This monumental facility not only illustrates the organizational scale of Drepung Monastery but also reflects the logistical capacity required to support one of the largest monastic communities in the world.
Artistic Treasures: Porcelain and Thangkas
Drepung Monastery also holds a rich collection of artistic treasures, particularly porcelain and thangkas (thang-ka). Among the porcelain, many items served as ritual vessels. The collection includes pieces dating as far back as the Song dynasty, though the majority belong to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Most are small bowls and ceremonial cups, highly valued for their rarity and craftsmanship.
The monastery preserves several hundred thangkas, primarily from the Ming and Qing periods. Two of the most renowned examples are:
The Thangka of Shakyamuni’s Enlightenment:
The central figure depicts Shakyamuni Buddha seated on a lotus throne, serene and radiant, with a circular halo behind his head. Wearing a red robe, his right hand touches the earth in the bhumisparsha mudra while his left hand holds an alms bowl. Standing beside him are his foremost disciples, Maudgalyayana (foremost in supernatural powers) and Shariputra (foremost in wisdom), both clad in monastic robes. The background is filled with clouds, flowers, and ornamental motifs, lending the scene both solemnity and grace.
The Thangka of the White Umbrella Deity (Sitatapatra):
Known in Tibetan as Dukkar (gdugs-dkar), the goddess is depicted as radiant white, crowned and adorned in celestial garments. From her three principal heads rise hundreds more, forming a thousand-headed canopy symbolizing her universal protection. She possesses a thousand eyes and a thousand arms: her principal right hand holds a vajra, and her left hand a great white parasol—her most distinctive attribute. The remaining arms bear ritual implements such as vajras, lotus flowers, bows, swords, rosaries, and hooks. Her thousand legs trample gods and demons alike, symbolizing her subjugation of both divine and demonic forces. The composition is resplendent, populated by Buddhas, bodhisattvas, celestial beings, arhats, and dharmapalas, creating a cosmic vision of protection and compassion.
These thangkas embody not only remarkable artistic refinement but also the profound spiritual and ritual dimensions of Tibetan Buddhism. They firmly establish Drepung as a major center of religious art and iconography.
The Kalachakra Thangka and the Profound Symbolism of Esoteric Art
Among Drepung Monastery’s most treasured artworks is the Kalachakra Thangka, depicting the deity of the Highest Yoga Tantra. According to Tibetan chronicles, the Kalachakra Tantra was transmitted to Tibet in 1027 CE. Between the 11th and 14th centuries, no fewer than sixteen Sanskrit versions of the Condensed Kalachakra Tantra were translated into Tibetan. Of these, the translations by the masters Ralo Lotsāwa and Drokmi Lotsāwa remain the principal sources for the extant Tibetan tradition.
Even today, special institutions within Tibetan monasteries are devoted to the study and practice of the Kalachakra teachings. The tantra is regarded as the most profound and perfect of all esoteric practices. Its very name embodies ultimate truths: kāla (time) signifies the immutable bliss, while chakra (wheel) denotes supreme emptiness.
The iconography of Kalachakra represents the most exalted and sophisticated of Tibetan Buddhist visualizations, being the most complete symbolic representation of the ideal of “Buddhahood in this very body.” The deity’s form integrates images of the Five Tathāgatas, the Primordial Buddha, bodhisattvas, and protective deities, transforming the abstract principles of compassion, wisdom, and the subjugation of evil into vivid and complex imagery.
Kalachakra Deities
The Kalachakra is depicted in a wrathful aspect, with four faces, twenty-four arms, and two legs. His appearance is brilliantly multicolored, with each face, arm, leg, and even each finger rendered in different hues. Together with his consort, Vishvamata (“Mother of All”), he symbolizes the union of bliss and emptiness.
Each of his four faces has three eyes. The twenty-four arms, symmetrically arranged, are painted in groups of four pairs of blue, red, and white. Each of his 120 fingers is of five colors—yellow, white, red, blue, and green—and each finger is shaded in gradations of blue, red, and white from tip to base, with jeweled rings radiating beams of light.
His principal arms form the vajra-humkara mudra while embracing his consort. The remaining arms hold a dazzling variety of ritual implements, including vajras, bells, swords, shields, tridents, skull-cups, crescent-shaped knives, arrows, bows, conch shells, lotus flowers, wheels, gems, chains, axes, and many others. Standing on a lotus pedestal, his right leg tramples upon a red deity embodying desire, while his left leg subdues a white demon of terror. This powerful imagery represents the transcendence of worldly delusion and fear through ultimate wisdom.
Canonical Treasures: The Rare Kangyur Edition
The monastery preserves a vast and varied collection of Buddhist scriptures. Of particular note is a set of imperial red-ink Kangyur consisting of 108 volumes, housed in 54 specially crafted wooden chests. The printing is of the highest quality, with elegant bindings and meticulously carved wooden covers, making this one of the monastery’s most precious textual treasures.
Sculptural Masterpieces and Sacred Relics
Drepung Monastery is equally renowned for its magnificent statuary, whose scale, artistic quality, and sacred contents make them unparalleled in Tibetan art.
- In the Hall of the Buddha, a silver statue of Shakyamuni Buddha was cast from 500 taels of silver. Yet the relics enshrined within—Buddha’s relics, hair, robes, and crowns—far surpass the material value of the silver itself.
- In the Trungrab Lhakhang, a clay image of the Fifth Dalai Lama contains relics of Shakyamuni Buddha, rendering it priceless in religious significance.
- In the Tantric Chapel, the main image of Yamāntaka Vajrabhairava is said to have been sculpted by Tsongkhapa himself. Within its are enshrined numerous relics, including a large spherical relic said to be the size of a hen’s egg.
- In the Old Maitreya Chapel, a life-sized image of Amitābha Buddha at the age of nine was cast in gold and bronze. The statue is filled with sacred treasures: relics of the Buddha, Tsongkhapa’s hair, the tiger-skin cushion of Atisha, the three conch shells offered by the Naga king to Tsongkhapa, royal crowns, jewels, a headdress woven from the hair of dakinis, seeds of the Bodhi tree from Bodhgaya, the bow and arrows of King Gesar, Tsongkhapa’s robes, and five Sanskrit scriptures written in pure gold powder. This extraordinary assemblage embodies the union of life, death, nirvāṇa, and meritorious deeds in one sacred form.
Gilt Bronze Masterpieces of Drepung Monastery
The monastery also preserves about 1,000 gilt bronze Statues (li-ma), representing Buddhas, bodhisattvas, patriarchs, and tantric deities. Particularly notable are the exquisite gilt-bronze bodhisattva statues presented during the Ming Yongle reign (1403–1424), which bear explicit inscriptions of date and origin, enhancing their historical value.
Another precious object is a bronze Statue of Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, reputedly a gift from the Qing Emperor Shunzhi to the Fifth Dalai Lama. Standing 1.29 meters tall, the Statue is finely engraved on both sides with seated images of Mañjuśrī, executed with remarkable elegance and vitality.
Gilt Bronze Statue of Shakyamuni Buddha
This gilt bronze statue portrays him with a broad, rounded face, high ushnīṣa of snail-shaped curls, and elongated earlobes that reach his shoulders. His shoulders are broad, his waist slender, his figure full and harmonious, and his expression both dignified and serene.
He wears the monastic robe draped over his right shoulder, with naturally flowing folds. His right hand extends downward in the bhūmisparśa mudrā (earth-touching gesture), while his left hand rests in the dhyāna mudrā (meditation gesture) at the navel, as he sits cross-legged. Beneath him is a double lotus throne, with long, rounded petals tipped with cloud-scroll carvings and edges decorated with beaded designs. The base bears an inscription in regular script reading: “Bestowed in the Great Ming Yongle Era,” testifying to its imperial craftsmanship.
Gilt Bronze Statue of Avalokiteśvara (Guanyin)
This statue of Avalokiteśvara presents a full, rounded face, elongated eyes, and finely carved lips, radiating tranquility and grace. He wears a five-leaf crown adorned with turquoise inlay, with a high jeweled topknot. His chest is adorned with necklaces, while his arms bear bracelets and armlets. Draperies and the folds of his lower garment flow naturally. With hands in the dharmacakra mudrā (gesture of teaching), he holds lotus flowers, seated cross-legged on a lotus base with finely carved double-petals.
Gilt Bronze Statue of Yamāntaka Vajrabhairava (Great Conqueror of Death)
This gilt bronze double-image shows Yamāntaka in union with his consort. He has nine heads, thirty-four arms, and sixteen legs. Among the nine heads are one buffalo head, seven wrathful faces, and one serene bodhisattva face, each with three bulging eyes. His principal arms hold a vajra chopper and a kapāla skull bowl—the chopper representing compassion, the skull bowl representing wisdom, their conjunction symbolizing the union of wisdom and compassion.
His consort is depicted nude, leaning in a half-suspended embrace with the deity. Beneath their feet are eight beings and eight birds, representing the “eight attainments” and “eight freedoms,” as well as Indian deities such as Brahmā, Indra, and Maheshvara, symbolizing the universal victory of the Dharma over all non-Buddhist powers. The lotus throne beneath them is exquisitely crafted.
Weapons and Armor: Glimpses of Tibetan Military History
Ancient Warfare Artifacts: Drepung Monastery also preserves a collection of ancient weapons and armor. The armor in the Tsokchen Hall, in particular, offers a comprehensive and valuable insight into Tibetan cultural and military history.
The Sacred Mountain: Gephel Utse “Peak of Increased Auspicious
Behind Drepung Monastery rises Gephel Utse, one of Lhasa’s sacred mountains. Its slopes are scattered with granitic boulders, some painted with images of the Buddha. Midway up the slope lies a historic site where successive Dalai Lamas rested during the annual circumambulation held on the 4th day of the 6th Tibetan month. At the summit stand carved maṇi stones, fluttering prayer flags, a holy spring, and the Dalai Lama’s meditation seat.
On the southern slope are over twenty cliff-carved images. These mostly depict Geluk masters, alongside the Three Protectors, Tārā, wealth deities, and dharma guardians, often accompanied by the “Six-Syllable Mantra.” Inside the Rang-jong-ma cave are reliefs of Tsongkhapa, Maitreya, and Mañjuśrī. North of the Manjushri Chapel (Zha-do-ma), large stone carvings of Manjushri (2.33m high) and Jamyang Chöjé (83cm high) stand prominently.
Among the carvings:
The eighth set features Vajrabhairava with a buffalo head and the Six-armed Protector, both crowned with skulls, three-eyed, bare-chested, wearing tiger-skin skirts, strung with human heads, and haloed by flaming auras.
The tenth set depicts a Garuda bird (3.5m high), with pendulous belly and breasts, two horns, and a beak clenching two serpents. Crowned with skulls, it crouches on talons, wings spread as if about to soar—at once terrifying and fascinating.
Jamyang Chöjé (1379–1449), Founder of Drepung Monastery
Jamyang Chöjé (’jam-dbyangs chos-rje, lit. “Dharma Lord of Melodious Sound”), born Tashi Pelden in the Sangye region of Southern Tibet, was the foremost disciple of Tsongkhapa, renowned for his mastery of scripture and ritual. Gifted from childhood, he studied the Prajñāpāramitā and Pramāṇa at Zedang and Samphu Monasteries, later learning the Vinaya and Abhidharma at Chomolong. After receiving full ordination under Tsongkhapa at Ganden Monastery, he became famous for his ability to recite and interpret 108 volumes of both sutra and tantra by heart.
In 1414, at Tsongkhapa’s behest, he founded Drepung Monastery as a “complete seat of the path,” meant to surpass even Ganden Monastery in size and influence. Completed in 1416, the monastery was consecrated by Tsongkhapa himself, with Jamyang Chöjé as its first abbot. Under his leadership, Drepung flourished, establishing its reputation as Tibet’s greatest monastery. By the Fifth Dalai Lama’s time, it housed over 7,700 monks. Jamyang Chöjé also instituted the Great Prayer Festival, trained many eminent disciples such as Shakya Gyaltsen and Jampa Sherab, and secured his place as one of the most revered masters of Tibetan Buddhism.
Visitor Information
- Tickets: ¥60
- Opening Hours: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
- Transport: From Lhasa, take bus routes 25 to the foot of the mountain, then transfer to a monastery shuttle bus (¥2). Taxi from downtown costs from ¥20 to the foot, ¥30 directly to the monastery. Walking from the base takes about 30 minutes.
- Photography: Fee required for photos or video inside halls. During the Shoton Festival, a giant thangka is unfurled—an unmissable photographic opportunity. Debate sessions are occasionally held at 2:30 PM, where visitors may photograph.
- Souvenirs: Shop for Blessed items, amulets, beads, Books.