Ninglang Yi Autonomous County Saya Temple

Saya Temple is located on a mountain behind the county town of Ninglang Yi Autonomous County in Lijiang City. It is a Flower Sect temple of Tibetan Buddhism, founded in 1250. The local Mosuo people call it 'Saya Guanba'. It was initially established by three young Mosuo lamas who brought back the 'Path and Fruit' teachings from Sakya Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet, and built the temple in 1267 in the northeast of Yamen Village, Xinyingpan Township, Lijiang City. In 1993, the abbot Zhang Bianma relocated to Xiaoshantou, Donghong Village, Daxing Town, to rebuild the temple, which was registered in 1997. The architecture of Saya Temple includes the main hall, left and right side halls, monk quarters, the Bodhi White Pagoda, and the Zhang Bianma Spirit Pagoda, showcasing a rich religious history and cultural features. It takes about 40 minutes to walk from the county center to Saya Temple, though there is a section of uphill road. From the temple, one can overlook the county town.