[2024 Yushu Attraction] Travel Guide for Jiegu Monastery (Updated Nov)
Temples
Address:
On Dongjiegu Mountain, Jiegu Town, Yushu City, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Opening times:
Open today at 8:00-17:00Opening Soon
Recommended sightseeing time:
1 hour
Phone:
0976-8826828
Beautiful Qinghai, Yushu, Jiegu Monastery.
Surrounded by mountains and white clouds, the lotus platform is born;
The red courtyard wall, the golden top, and the prayer flags are flying;
The architecture is magnificent, there are many monks, and the cultural relics are rich;
This is where the ninth Panchen Lama, who has maintained the unity of the motherland throughout his life, passed away;
This is the Sakya Monastery in Yushu, Qinghai.
Jiegu Monastery, with its unique religious atmosphere and long history, has become a spiritual land in Yushu travel. It is not only an important place for religious beliefs, but also an excellent place to experience Tibetan culture and scenery.
Jiegu Monastery, Tibetan called "Jiegu Dunzhu Luo", means "Jiegu Yichengzhou", located on the Dongmuta Meima Mountain in Jiegu Town, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, at an altitude of 3700 meters, is the Sakya Monastery of the local original Zawu tribe.
Jiegu Monastery is famous for its magnificent architecture, many monks, rich cultural relics, and many famous monks in Tibetan areas of our country.
The main buildings of Jiegu Monastery include: Dajing Hall, Lecture Hall, Dazhao Hall, Maitreya Hall, Jiana and Wenbao Living Buddha Courtyard, Monk House, etc. The main offerings in the Sutra Hall and the Hall are Sakyamuni Buddha, Lotus Master, Auspicious Goddess, Baozhang Hu Master, Sandalwood Carved Mother and Tibetan Sakya Five Ancestors and other types of copper and gold and high-quality wood carvings. There are more than 3,400 Buddha statues. There are nearly 10,000 volumes of classics such as "Ganzhuer" and "Danzhuer". There are also many precious cultural relics such as the Sakyamuni Thangka donated by Basiba, the Sandalwood Mother Statue, and the Zawu Baihu Ancestral Treasure Knife.
noeliatravel
The Sakya Monastery (Yushu) Reborn from the Ashes after the Earthquake
Jiegu Monastery is located on Jiegu Mountain in the northeast of Yushu. The monastery is built along the mountain, with temples and monk quarters arranged in an orderly manner. From a distance, it looks like a multi-story pavilion. Historically, it has always been the main monastery of the Sakya sect in the Yushu area.
Before the disaster that shocked the world, Yushu was not very well-known. It was the earthquake in 2010 that brought national grief and imprinted this name in the hearts of the people. Today, Yushu has swept away the shadows of the past and rebuilt a beautiful homeland with the support of people across the country. Standing in this grand, majestic, and solemn monastery, with its red walls, golden roofs, white towers, and colorful prayer flags, you can hardly find any traces of the disaster. From the platform, you can overlook the entire city of Yushu, with blue skies, white clouds, surrounding mountains, meandering rivers, houses, villages, and bustling crowds. The magnificent scenery is all in view, and the quiet and peaceful atmosphere is enchanting.
Speaking of the Sakya sect, one must mention the Liangzhou Alliance. It is an important turning point in Tibetan history, providing a legal basis for sovereignty and laying the foundation for the Sakya sect to be ranked among the four major sects. The two most famous masters of the sect, Sakya Pandita and Phagpa, made indelible contributions to the alliance and the completion of unification.
As an important temple of the Sakya sect, Jiegu Monastery houses the Thangka of Shakyamuni and the sandalwood statue of Tara given by Phagpa. It is also the place where the Ninth Panchen Lama, who dedicated his life to maintaining national unity, passed away. The most famous monk of this monastery is the first Gana Rinpoche, the founder of the "World's Largest Mani Pile" ☞ Xinzhai Mani City.
We visited Jiegu Monastery in mid-June. Unfortunately, the main hall was not open. We don't know if it was due to the summer retreat or some other reason. We could only wander around the monastery and soak up some Buddhist atmosphere.
agleam.brianna
Jiegu Monastery
Jiegu Monastery is located to the east of Jiegu Town, known far and wide in the Tibetan areas of China for its magnificent architecture, numerous monks, rich cultural relics, and many eminent disciples. In Tibetan, it is called 'Jiegu Dondrub Lha', which means 'Jiegu Righteous Island'. Situated on the north of Mita Memar Mountain in Jiegu Town, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, it is a Sakya sect monastery of the local original Zhabu tribe.
Located on Jiegu Mountain to the east of Jiegu Town in Yushu, its Tibetan name 'Jiegu Dondrub Leng' also means 'Jiegu Righteous Island'. It is the main monastery of the Sakya sect in Qinghai Province. The main buildings include: 2 scripture halls, 220 monk cells, and the main structure 'Duwen Zhou Jiacuo' can accommodate 100 monks chanting scriptures. The lecture hall, Dazhao Hall, Maitreya Hall, and the Jiana and Wenbao Living Buddha Institutes each have their own characteristics. Here lies the 'World's Largest Mani Stone Mound', made of mani stones engraved with the six-syllable mantra 'Om Mani Padme Hum', translated into Chinese as 'Ah! Holy Buddha on the Lotus Throne! Oh!'. Some mani stones are also engraved with scriptures or Buddha images, and countless 'mani stones' are arranged to form a wall of scripture stones. There are already 260 million mani stones, forming a city of mani stones. The stone walls and alleys are hung with colorful prayer flags printed with scriptures and Buddha images, and a red stupa stands in the center of the stone city. Jiegu Monastery is located to the east of Jiegu Town, famous for its magnificent architecture, numerous monks, rich cultural relics, and many eminent disciples in the Tibetan areas of our country. The halls and monk cells are scattered and stand tall on the hillside. The mani stone mounds of Jiegu Monastery are world-renowned. The first Jiana Living Buddha settled in the village of Xinzhai to the east of the town in his later years and built the mani mound here, known as 'Jiana Mani Mound' or 'Xinzhai Mani Mound'. As time passed, the volume of the mani stone mounds here grew larger and larger. Over 200 years, more than 2.5 billion mani stones have been accumulated, making it the 'World's Largest Mani Stone Mound', and an outstanding representative of Tibetan religious culture.
HarmonySeeker7vrh
Free Admission｜Qinghai—Yushu
In 2010, a major earthquake occurred in Yushu, causing many people to die. People from all over the country gave great help to Yushu. Therefore, to thank the aid from the compatriots across the country, Yushu decided that all scenic spots in the area would be free of charge, permanently. This place is more mysterious than Tibet, more primitive than Xinjiang, and as sacred as Sichuan. It is even a paradise for travelers, ranking among the top in China. It is Qinghai Yushu.
🚉Travel Guide:
✈️You can choose to fly to Yushu Batang Airport
🚅You can choose to take a bullet train to Xining, and then depart from Xining to Yushu
Recommended attractions:
Hoh Xil
This is a sacred place to witness life and faith, a paradise for rare wild animals. On the way, you can see snow-capped mountains and grasslands, lakes and wetlands, and groups of wild animals.
△The core area is prohibited to enter, only for distant viewing, please pay attention to safety!
Sanjiangyuan
China's first national park, where the mountains stand tall, on both sides of the Yellow River, presenting a fascinating picture. Coming here is like walking into a huge natural zoo: Tibetan antelopes, wild donkeys, and wild yaks can be seen everywhere
Chumar River
Under the sun, the Chumar River looks like rocks washed by water, and also like the 'blood of the earth', which is really amazing
Jiegu Temple
The temple and the monks' houses are well-arranged, towering above the hill. Standing here, you can see the whole town, which is very spectacular and vast
Gaer Temple
This is an ancient temple hanging on a cliff, with an altitude of more than 3700 meters. It is the largest temple in the White Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. You can visit the treasure of the temple, a pair of peculiar prayer wheels. It is said that this pair of prayer wheels was the dowry brought by Princess Wencheng when she married Songtsen Gampo, and was later placed in Gaer Temple
Baizha Ancient Salt Field
An ancient salt field with a longer history than Chaka Salt Lake, still using the ancient salt-making process. The scenery is pleasant in summer, with mountains, grasslands, wheat fields, and ancient villages, forming a picture
Xinzha Mani Stone Scripture City
At an altitude of more than 3600 meters, the Mani pile is magnificent and is known as 'the largest place in the world for making wishes'. Although these characters are mysterious and difficult to understand, they are as elegant as artworks
Yushu Horse Racing Festival
The largest Tibetan carnival in Qinghai, held on the Zaxi Grassland from July 25 to August 1 every year. Those who are going to play recently can pay attention
The name 'Yushu' is translated from Tibetan, meaning 'ruins'. There are countless praises for this place: 'Ocean of Song and Dance', 'Hometown of Song and Dance', 'Ancestor of Famous Mountains', 'Source of Rivers', 'Land of Yaks', 'The Closest Place to the Sky in the World'.
Harper.Robinson@73
【Jiegu Yichengzhou - Jiegu Temple in Yushu, Qinghai】
Jiegu Temple is located on the Dongjiegu Mountain in Jiegu Town, Yushu City, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. It is a very famous Sakya sect temple in the Yushu area. In Tibetan, it is called 'Jiegu Dunzhu Leng', which means 'Jiegu Yichengzhou'.
Jiegu Temple is built on the mountain, with majestic architecture, numerous monks, and well-arranged halls and monk houses. Looking up the mountain, it looks like multi-storey pavilions are dotted on the mountainside. The main building of Jiegu Temple, 'Duwen Sangzhou Jiaco' lecture hall can accommodate thousands of people chanting sutras at the same time. The main Buddha in the sutra hall and the main hall is Sakyamuni, Master Padmasambhava, Goddess of Auspiciousness, Sandalwood Carved Tara and the Five Ancestors of Sakya in Tibet, etc. There are more than 3,400 various types of copper gilt Buddha statues and wooden Buddha statues. Jiegu Temple also treasures nearly 10,000 volumes of Tibetan Buddhist classics such as 'Ganzhuer' and 'Danzhuer', as well as many precious cultural relics such as Sakyamuni and Tara statues given by Basiba, and a treasure knife handed down by Zawu Baihu.
There is also a statue of Sakyamuni preaching to his five disciples under the Bodhi tree on Jiegu Mountain. When visiting, I was puzzled as to why there are so many elements of Han Buddhism here. It was not until I went to the Princess Wencheng Temple that I suddenly realized that it should have been brought by Princess Wencheng when she married.
Jiegu Temple is a good place to understand the Tibetan Buddhist culture in the Yushu area. There have been many high monks in the history of Jiegu Temple. The most famous is the first generation Jiana Living Buddha. Jiana Living Buddha is talented and has created more than 100 dances of 'Duo Xiang Qiu Zhuo', making the Yushu area a famous Tibetan song and dance hometown.
About 5 kilometers away from Jiegu Temple, the Jiana Mani Stone Sutra City, which was also created by Jiana Living Buddha, is very large and visually shocking. Every day, many devout Tibetan compatriots turn the scriptures here. The scale of Jiana Mani Stone Sutra City is the largest in the world, known as 'the largest place in the world for praying and making wishes'. The number of Mani stones here reaches tens of billions.
【✍🏻Tourist suggestion】It is recommended to leave half a day to a day for visiting. Yushu is high in altitude, so you need to visit according to your physical strength. The lecture hall, Dazhao Hall and Maitreya Hall are must-visit places. Whether to visit Jiana and Wenbao Living Buddha's courtyard depends on personal preference. The halls and monk houses of Jiegu Temple are well-arranged and towering on the hill. From Jiegu Temple, you can overlook Jiegu Town.
【📍Address】On Dongjiegu Mountain in Jiegu Town, Yushu City, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province
【⏰Tour time】8:00-17:00
【🎫Ticket】Free
【✈️Transportation】At present, there is no train service in Yushu, you can only take a plane or drive by yourself. There are not many flights, and it is more convenient to drive by yourself. You can also enjoy the beautiful Qinghai along the way. Just navigate to Jiegu Temple to arrive
FreeWanderingSoul
More mysterious than Bilasa, it's completely underestimated!
This is the only city in China with free admission. The name "Yushu" is a Tibetan translation, meaning "ruins". The reputation here can't be counted with one hand: "Sea of Dance", "Hometown of Dance", "Ancestor of Famous Mountains", "Source of Rivers", "Land of Yaks", "The world closest to the sky"...
-Yushu occupies one-third of Qinghai, and it also occupies one-third of the beauty of Qinghai. The average altitude is over 4000 meters. Although it lacks oxygen, it does not lack faith. It's not Tibet, but it feels the power of faith more than Tibet.
The travel strategy is for four days and three nights
1️⃣day 1 Yushu
You can fly directly to Yushu Batang Airport from Chengdu or Xining. I can fly from Chengdu to Yushu City in an hour and a half. Take a taxi to Yushu City for half an hour. The average altitude here is about 4000 pounds. After arriving in the city, you can rest for a while, and then visit the highest point in the city: Jiegu Temple tourist area. This is the highest temple in the city. The temple is built on the mountain, and the temple and the monks' houses are scattered together.
Accommodation: You can stay at the Gesar Palace Hotel, which should be one of the best hotels in the city, and the accommodation conditions are also good.
-2️⃣day 2 Zhiduo County
You can set off to Zhiduo County in the morning, two and a half hours drive from Yushu City. You can see a lot of beautiful scenery along the way. In Tibetan, "Zhiduo" means "source of the Yangtze River", also known as "the first county of the Yangtze River". It is known as the source of the Yangtze River, the animal kingdom, and the water tower of China. It is also the Sanjiangyuan National Park, and China's first national park.
In the afternoon, it takes about three and a half hours from Zhiduo County to Chumar River (Red River). The Chumar River belongs to the Yangtze River Source Nature Reserve, and the upstream area is the core area of the Kekexili Reserve. The rivers here flow through flat beaches, fantasizing about colorful and ever-changing gorgeous pictures. In an instant, nature cannot be captured in full view, and stay overnight in many counties.
Accommodation: Ling·Gesar Queen's Hotel, there is more food around.
-3️⃣day 3 Yushu
It takes two and a half hours to drive back to Yushu from Zhiduo County. You can go to see the Mani pile, mainly the accumulation of white stones, used for prayer, carved with Buddha or scriptures. The Tibetans here will circle around the Mani pile, read words, call God, and pray for God's gifts and blessings.
In the afternoon, you can visit the Princess Wencheng Temple. The Princess Wencheng Temple was built in the Tang Dynasty and has a history of more than 1300 years. It is one of the important cultural relics of the Tang Fan Ancient Road.