Tashi Lhunpo Monastery – The Auspicious Sumeru Temple in Shigatse
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, also known as the “Auspicious Sumeru Temple,” carries the full Tibetan name “བཀྲ་ཤིས་ལྷུན་པོ་དཔལ་གྱི་བདེ་ཆེན་ཕྱོགས་ཐམས་ཅད་ལས་རྣམ་པར་རྒྱལ་བའི་གླིང.” It is the largest monastery in the Shigatse and the traditional seat of successive Panchen Lamas after the fourth generation.
The monastery stands on the hillside of Niseri, west of Shigatse City. Backed by a towering mountain peak and facing the northern sun, its golden roofs and red walls create a powerful presence across the valley.
One of the Six Great Gelug Monasteries
Tashi Lhunpo is one of the six largest monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The other five include: Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Ganden Monastery, Kumbum Monastery and Labrang Monastery
Built in 1447 by the First Dalai Lama, the monastery later became the residence of the Panchen Lama. For over five centuries, it has attracted monks, pilgrims, and visitors from across Tibet and beyond.
Today, the vast complex includes 57 scripture halls and around 3,600 houses. Inside, visitors encounter incense smoke, flickering butter lamps, and lifelike Buddha statues that create a solemn and spiritual atmosphere.
Tsokchen Assembly Hall – The Heart of the Monastery
The Tsokchen Sutra Hall was the first structure built at Tashi Lhunpo and took 12 years to complete. In front of it stands a lecture hall covering more than 600 square meters, where the Panchen Lama taught monks and held scriptural debates.
The hall features stone-carved Buddhist patriarchs, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Eighteen Arhats, numerous Buddha statues, and statues of eighty eminent monks. Flying apsaras and Bodhisattvas decorate the interior.
Inside the Great Sutra Hall, vermilion lacquered pillars support the roof and the Panchen Lama’s throne. Nearby stands the Great Buddha Hall, expanded in 1461 with support from the Ngari Guge King Jiwu. Within this hall is an 11-meter-tall statue of Maitreya Buddha, crafted by Tibetan artisans with a calm and dignified expression.
Opposite the main hall is the Tara Hall, which houses a 2-meter-tall bronze White Tara statue, accompanied by clay Green Tara figures. The sutra hall floor is paved with schist stone from the Himalayan foothills, creating a quiet setting for study and practice.
Gyana Lhakang – The Han Buddha Hall
Gyana Lhakang, meaning “Han Buddha Hall,” is unique in Tibet. It preserves rare historical artifacts, including porcelain from the Yongle era, gold and silver wine cups, tea bowls, jade vessels, textiles, and imperial gifts presented to the Panchen Lamas.
Among its treasures are nine bronze Buddha statues from the Tang Dynasty and a bronze statue of a naked female Tara riding a wild boar from the Yuan Dynasty. The hall also houses a 16.5-catty gold seal engraved in Chinese, Mongolian, and Tibetan script, bestowed by a Qing emperor upon the Panchen Lama. Precious gemstones and sacred Buddhist scriptures are also preserved here.
The Four Major Dratsang (Colleges)
Shartse Dratsang
Shartse Dratsang is one of the four main monastic colleges. The hall contains portraits of Lama Tsongkhapa and gold-plated bronze statues of Sakyamuni and the six-armed patriarch. The main hall stands on 24 pillars and includes statues of Sakyamuni and his eight Bodhisattvas.
Thoesamling Dratsang
The main hall of Thoesamling Dratsang also has 24 pillars and is divided into East and West chapels.
- The West Chapel contains statues of Sakyamuni, the eleven-headed Avalokitesvara, and Vajrapani.
- The East Chapel displays three Buddha statues representing the past, present, and future.
Ngaba Dratsang
Ngaba Dratsang is the esoteric college of the monastery. It was constructed in 1615 by the Fourth Panchen Lama. The sutra hall has 16 columns and is decorated with murals. It houses the Vajra guru throne and the Silver Pagoda of Kunchok Gyaltsen.
The Palace of the Panchen Lama
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery serves as the traditional residence of the Panchen Lama and includes four palaces.
In 1645, Gushi Khan granted the title “Panchen Bokeduo” to Panchen Lobsang Choekyi Gyaltsen. In 1660, he became the 16th abbot and expanded the monastery significantly. Later, in 1713, the Qing government conferred the title “Panchen Erdeni” upon the Fifth Panchen Lama, Lobsang Yeshi.
Great Maitreya Hall – The Largest Bronze Seated Buddha
The Great Maitreya Hall is one of the most magnificent structures in the monastery. Built in 1914 under the direction of the Ninth Panchen Lama, Choekyi Nyima, it stands 30 meters tall on the west side of the complex.
Inside is a 26.2-meter-high seated Maitreya statue, made from 231,400 kilos of brass and 6,700 kilos of gold. The hall has five levels: lotus seat hall, waist hall, chest hall, face hall, and crown hall, connected by wooden ladders.
The statue’s decoration shows remarkable craftsmanship. Between the Buddha’s eyebrows is a large diamond of 3 cm in diameter, along with 32 smaller diamonds, more than 300 large pearls, and over 1,400 pieces of amber and coral. It took four years and 110 craftsmen to complete this statue, which is regarded as the largest bronze seated Buddha statue in existence.
Panchen Lama Pagoda Hall
The Panchen Lama Pagoda Hall contains stupas of different sizes, decorated with pearls and jade. Butter lamps burn throughout the year in front of each stupa.
The hall preserves the remains of the Tenth Panchen Lama. Among all the stupas, the one dedicated to the Fourth Panchen Lama is considered the most opulent.
Rituals and Festivals at Tashi Lhunpo
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery holds rituals on important days of the Tibetan calendar. Major Buddhist festivals celebrated here include:
- Monlam Festival
- Saga Dawa
- Lhabab Duechen
- Ganden Ngamchoe
These ceremonies focus on prayers for the prosperity of Buddhism and the peace of all beings.
The most famous festival at the monastery is Sermo Chenmo, a grand religious celebration similar to the Shoton Festival in Lhasa. It brings together monks and laypeople in a shared expression of faith and devotion.
Sacred Sutras and Artistic Treasures of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery
Beyond its magnificent Buddha statues, pagodas, and thangkas, Tashi Lhunpo Monastery preserves an extraordinary collection of sacred scriptures and cultural relics.
Among its most precious treasures are handwritten palm-leaf manuscripts and complete editions of the Kangyur and Tengyur written in gold ink. These sacred Buddhist texts reflect the deep scholastic tradition of the monastery and its central role in Tibetan Buddhism.
The monastery also houses a wide range of porcelain, enamel, and glass artifacts. These objects provide valuable evidence of Tibet’s political, religious, and social development across different historical periods.
Equally remarkable are the monastery’s murals. They display diverse compositions, vivid colors, and refined brushwork. These wall paintings are considered masterpieces of Tibetan Buddhist art, preserving both religious symbolism and artistic excellence.
Tomb Stupa of the Tenth Panchen Rinpoche
The Stupa-tomb of the Tenth Panchen Lama stands to the east of the chapel complex. Built in 1993, it is richly decorated with:
- 614 kilograms of gold
- 868 precious stones
- 246,794 jewels
This magnificent stupa reflects deep reverence and devotion.
Nearby stands the Panchen Lama’s Palace, a grand white palace mainly constructed during the reign of the Sixth Panchen Lama (1738–1780). The palace is not open to tourists or local visitors.
Tomb Stupa of the Fourth Panchen Lama
To the east of the Panchen Lama’s Palace lies the Stupa-tomb of the Fourth Panchen Lama, one of the most influential figures in Tibetan history and the teacher of the Fifth Dalai Lama.
Built in 1662, this was the first stupa-tomb constructed at Tashilhunpo Monastery. It is richly decorated with gold and silver and remains one of the most significant sacred monuments within the monastery.
Combined Stupa-Tombs of the Fifth to Ninth Panchen Lamas
Within the monastery, visitors can also find the combined burial stupa-tombs of the Fifth to Ninth Panchen Lamas, known as Tashi Namgye (Auspicious Heaven).
This co-burial pagoda hall was sponsored by the Tenth Panchen Lama and completed in January 1989. It enshrines the remains of the last Panchen Lama and a bronze statue of the Ninth Panchen Lama.
Originally, Tashilhunpo Monastery had eight Panchen Lama pagodas. During the Cultural Revolution, the pagodas of the Fifth to Ninth Panchen Lamas were destroyed. Between 1985 and 1989, the Tenth Panchen Lama rebuilt a shared pagoda hall for them, restoring this important spiritual heritage.
The stupa of the Fourth Panchen Lama was reconstructed in the former mausoleum of the Fifth Panchen Lama during the 1970s.
The pagodas of the First to Third Panchen Lamas were not built at Tashilhunpo Monastery:
- The First Panchen Lama served as the third abbot of Ganden Monastery, and his stupa was built there.
- The Second and Third Panchen Lamas served as abbots at Engong Temple (in present-day Jiangdang Township, Kaze), and their stupas were constructed at that location.
Kelsang Temple and the Great Courtyard
The Great Courtyard of Kelsang Temple is an important place for monastic study and debate. Here, lamas gather to practice philosophy and engage in scriptural discussions.
The surrounding walls are covered with thousands of images of Sakyamuni in different postures and expressions, creating a powerful visual representation of devotion and artistic detail.
Tsochin Hall – The Central Assembly Hall
Tsochin Hall is the largest and earliest building in Tashilhunpo Monastery. Constructed between 1447 and 1459, it is centrally located within the complex and can accommodate up to 3,800 monks.
Inside the main hall stands a gilded statue of Sakyamuni Buddha, enshrined in the Sutra Hall. The statue is believed to contain sacred relics, including:
- Relics of Sakyamuni
- The skull of Sherab Sangye, scripture teacher of Gendun Zhuba
- Hair of Tsongkhapa
On both sides of the main Buddha statue stand eight Bodhisattvas.
Jamba Buddha Hall and Great Sutra Hall
The Jamba Buddha Hall, funded in 1461 by the Ngari Guge King, stands on the left side of the ground floor. The 11-meter-tall Jampa (Maitreya) statue is accompanied by statues of Avalokitesvara and Manjushri, crafted under the direction of the Fourth Panchen Lama.
Adjacent to it is the Great Sutra Hall, which can hold 2,000 lamas for collective prayer and scripture recitation.
Outside the Tsochin Hall is a courtyard-style lecture hall. In the past, the Panchen Lama delivered teachings here. On weekdays, monks gather in the main hall before lunch for scripture study and conduct debates in the afternoon.
List of the Panchen Lamas
The lineage of the Panchen Lamas is central to the history of Tashilhunpo Monastery:
- First Panchen – Kedrup Geleg Palsang (1385–1438)
- Second Panchen – Sonam Choklang (1439–1504)
- Third Panchen – Ensapa Losang Dhondrup (1505–1566)
- Fourth Panchen – Lobsang Choekyi Gyaltsen (1567–1662)
- Fifth Panchen – Lobsang Yeshi (1663–1737)
- Sixth Panchen – Palden Yeshi (1738–1780)
- Seventh Panchen – Tenpe Nyima (1781–1853)
- Eighth Panchen – Tenpe Wangchuk (1854–1882)
- Ninth Panchen – Choekyi Nyima (1883–1937)
- Tenth Panchen – Chokyi Gyaltsen (1938–1989)
- Eleventh Panchen – ?
This lineage reflects the spiritual continuity and historical importance of Tashilhunpo Monastery within Tibetan Buddhism.
