Chambaling Monastery

Chambaling Monastery is located in Qamdo Town at the foot of the grand Hengduan Mountains. It was built by Xerb Songbo - a famous disciple of Tsongkhapa (founder of Gelug Sect Buddhism) in 1444. It got its name since the main Buddha enshrined in the monastery is Buddha Chambaling.

Chambaling Monastery - History

Chambaling Monastery is the largest Gelug Sect Buddhism in eastern Tibet. It had close relationship with Chinese Qing Dynasty. It gained a lot of endowments from the emperors of Qing Dynasty. The bronze seal endowed to Buddha Pebala in the 58th year during the reign of Emperor Qianlong is still stored in Chambaling Monastery. Chambaling Monastery administrates 70 small monasteries around it. There were about 5000 Buddhists in the monastery in its heyday.

The main buildings in Chambaling Monastery are well preserved. There are numerous statues of Buddhas and eminent Buddhists in the monastery. It also collected more than 1000 square meters of murals and numerous Thangkas. It is praised as a library of the intelligence of the skillful craftsmen in Qamdo Prefecture.

Chambaling Monastery - Characteristics

Qamdo Prefecture is an important entrance of Tibet, a lot of people here engage in the commercial activities, including the Buddhists in Chambaling Monastery. They would run business after them Buddhism sculptures chanting and other Buddhism activities. The profit would be shred to the Buddhists in the monastery equally.

As a Buddhism monastery, Chambaling Monastery collected a lot of ancient and precious Buddhism sculptures and classics, as well as numerous Buddha statues, murals and Thangkas.

Chambaling Monastery is also noted for its holy dance. The holy dance is a special performance on the Tibetan Butter Lamp Festival. The dance is characterized by exaggerate action, large scale gorgeous garments and terrifying mask. It owns good reputation among local Tibetans and tourists.