Zhaibung Monastery　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　More Pictures

　　The Zhaibung Monastery, which in Tibetan is called Duimi or Gyimi monastery and means "an auspicious land", sits at the southern slope gully of the Gebeiwoze Mountain about 10 km west of downtown Lhasa. It was built by Jamyang Qoigyi Zhaxi Bendain, a favorite disciple of Zongkapa, founder of the Gelug (Yellow) Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It is one of the six Gelug monasteries in China.

　　In 1409, Master Zongkapa succeeded in pioneering the Grand Summons Ceremony, also called Molan Qenmo in Tibetan, in the Jokhang Monastery, Lhasa. In the same year, he had the Gandain Monastery built in response to the popularity of the Gelug Sect among the Tibetan Buddhists. With the official rise of the Gelug Sect, the Zhaibung Monastery was built to accommodate the new situation.

　　Jamyang Qoigyi Zhaxi Bendain was born in Samye, shannan, Tibet. He loved to study, even in childhood. Later, he learned Buddhist classics from Master Zongkapa and eventually became well versed in Tibetan Buddhism. For the further promotion of the Gelug Sect, Master Zongkapa requested that a grand monastery be built and, for this purpose, presented Jamyang Qoigyi Zhaxi Bendain with a right-turning conch, symbol of auspiciousness and luck. With aid provided by Namgesang, magistrate of Newo County, construction of the Zhaibung Monastery began in 1416.

　　When the Zhaibung Monastery was built, Mamyang Qoigyi Thaxi Bendain served as its first abbot, also called Chiba in Tibetan (the monastery has had 23 abbots). In 1464, the Zhaibung Monastery set up Buddhist colleges, or Zhacang in Tibetan, for monks to learn Buddhist classics. Altogether, there are four such colleges within which are a total of 29 Kamcuns, groups of monks formed in accordance with their origins. During the period of the 5th Dalai Lama, the Gelug Sect set a ceiling on the number of monks for each Gelug monastery. The number for the Zhaibung was 7,700 people. On the eve of 1951, the monastery boasted up to 10,000 resident monks, which made the monastery the largest in Tibet.

　　The Zhaibung Monastery is composed of the Coqen Hall, the four Zhacang colleges (called Losailing, Deyang, Ngaba and Gomang Zhacangs) and the Gandain Phodrang (Palace).

　　Located in the central part of the Zhaibung Monastery, the Coqen Hall covers an area of close to 4,500 square meters. In front of the hall is a square paved with stones. A 17-step stone staircase links the square with the hall. At the entrance are eight pillars. Coqen's Sutra Hall is of magnificent scale, covering an area of 1,800 square meters and propped up by 183 pillars. All the Buddha statues enshrined in the Coqen Hall are lifelike. They include the statue of the Wisdom Buddha and a statue hidden under a white umbrella in the central part of the Coqen Hall.

　　There are two silver dagobas in the wing chambers of the Coqen Hall. These are holy stupas for the 3rd and 4th Dalai Lamas. The Duisong Lakang (Hall) in the rear part of the Coqen Hall is the earliest of its kind in the Zhaibung Monastery. Jamyang Qoigyi Zhaxi Bendain used to sit in mediation and study here. Now, it is enshrined with the statues of the 3rd Dalai Lama and two of his favorite disciples.

　　The Duisong Lakang has two wing Lakangs: Miwang Lakang and Lhunben Lakang.

　　On the second floor of the Coqen Hall is the Gangyur Lakang which houses the Tibetan Gangyur. On the third floor is a statue of Qamba Buddha that is sized to match him at eight years of age. Above the entrance is a horizontal board inscribed with Mo Lung Yuan Shan written in Chinese. It was inscribed in 1846 when Qing Dynasty High Commissioner Qishang was about to be transferred back home. On the fourth floor is the Sakyamuni Hall containing a Buddha statue cast with 500 taels of silver. Flanking it are 13 silver dagobas.

　　Zhacang colleges are where Gelug monks studied Buddhism. They formed the management organ which functioned under Coqen. In the early days of its construction, the Zhaibung boasted seven Zhacangs which were put under the seven major disciples of Jamyang Qoigyi Zhaxi Bendain. With the increase in the number of monks hailing from other monasteries for study in these Zhacangs, the seven Zhacangs were condensed into the Losailing. Gomang, Deyang and Ngaba Zhacangs in accordance with the contents of the disciplines, and also based on the origins of the students. The first three Zhacangs are for the study of the open school of Tibetan Buddhism, and the fourth is the Tantric college.

　　The Losailing Zhacang is the largest of its kind in the Zhaibung Monastery. Covering an area of 1,860 square meters, it is composed of the Sutra Hall, covering an area of 1,053 square meters, is propped up by 102 pillars. Sutra shelves extend more than 60 meters long and are filled with Buddhist scriptures. In terms of decoration, the Sutra Hall rivals the Coqen Hall. Right behind the Sutra Hall is the Qamba Buddha Hall and another hall where many Buddha statues are enshrined. This Zhacang boasts more monks than any other. The students hail mainly from the Kam area and Yunnan. They are organized for daily life and for studying in 23 Kamcuns.

　　The Gomang Zhacang is next to the Losailing zhacang in size, and is also composed of the Sutra Hall and Buddha halls. The Sutra Hall and Buddha halls. The Sutra Hall covers and area of 985 square meters, and is propped up by 102 pillars. The Buddha halls are composed of three Lakangs (palaces) of Cheba, Minzhol and Zholma. The Gomang Zhacang has 16 Kamcuns. Some of these Kamcuns are large enough to have Myicuns under them.

　　The Deyang Zhacang is the smallest of the four, with an area of a mere 952 square meters. The Sutra Hall, covering an area of 375 square meters, is propped up by 62 pillars.

　　The Ngaba Zhacang is the Tantric College for monk students to learn the teachings of the secret school of Tibetan Buddhism. The Zhaibung Monastery stipulates that monks who have passed examinations after having completed the three other Zhacangs are qualified to study here. The Ngaba Zhachang is located behind the Coqen Hall and to the right. In the foremost front is a compound surrounded by rooms for monks. In the rear is the Sutra Hall, which covers an area of 467 square meters and is propped up by 48 pillars. On the walls of the Sutra Hall are Tantric frescoes.

　　The Gandain Phodrang, meaning the Paradise Palace, was built in 1530 under the aegis of the 2nd Dalai Lama Gendain Gyamco when he served as the 10th Chiba (abbot) of the Zhaibung Monastery. The 3rd, 4th and 5th Dalai Lamas all resided in the palace while serving as the Chiba of the monastery. During the period of the 5th Dalai Lama, he organized a powerful local government headquartered in the Gandain Phodrang. Hence the government was called Gandain Phodrang regime, the Political power center of Tibet until the 5th Dalai Lama later moved his government office to the Potala Palace.

　　All the buildings of the Zhaibung Monastery are closely laid out. Each building is composed of a courtyard, a Sutra hall and a Buddha hall. The terrain rises from the gate to the Buddha halls to highlight the position of these halls to high-light the position of these halls. The Coqen Hall is the largest; the Deyang Zhacang is unsophisticated in layout; the Ngaba Zhacang is compact; and the Gandain Phodrang is the most magnificent. All the buildings have gold tops, Dharma wheels and other religious objects.

　　The Zhaibung Monastery holds many kinds of religious activities to honor large Buddhist memorial days and the Repentance Day, which falls on the 15th and 30th days of each Tibetan month. There are also activities for monks and lay people to celebrate together. The largest of these include the Shoton (Sour Milk Drinking) Festival on the 30th day of the 6th Tibetan month. According to Buddhist rules, monks are not allowed to leave the monastery for dozens of days in a row. At the end of this prohibition, the lay people use sour milk as alms for them. On that day, huge tangka paintings are carried out early in the morning from the Zhaibung Monastery. This is followed by a Tibetan opera performance.

　　The Zhaibung Monastery preserves close to 10,000 ancient classics, more than 100 volumes of Gangyur and 100 volumes of Dangyur, and hundreds of volumes of hand-copied works by Zongkapa and two of his disciples. Buddha statues enshrined in various Buddha halls, lifelike as they are, represent a high level of sculpturing in Tibet. Color frescoes in these halls are elegant. All these are valuable for study of Tibetan history, religion and art.

　　After the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951, herculean efforts were made to repair the Zhaibung Monastery and rescue the cultural relics it preserves. From 1980 to 1989, the Central Government earmarked more than 1.62 million yuan for the repair of the monastery. The Zhaibung Monastery, which has undergone thorough repairs, has become a more shining holy land for domestic and over-seas Buddhists.