Leiwuqi Monastery

Leiwuqi Monastery – Brief Introduction

Leiwuqi Monastery is located in Leiwuqi County, Qamdo Prefecture. It is about 29 kilometers away from county town. There is highway leading to Leiwuqi Monastery. Hence, it is very convenient to visit the Leiwuqi Monastery in Tibet tour. The original name of Leiwuqi Monastery is "Yanggong Monastery". Leiwuqi Monastery is also named "Jiechama" or "Gepeilin" in Tibetan Language. It was first built by Sangji Wen in 1277. Until now, it has over 700 years' history. It is important monastery of Kagyu Sect in Northeast of Tibet. The architectural style of Leiwuqi Monastery integrated styles of Tibet, Han Nationality and Nepal.

Leiwuqi Monastery - Architectural Feature

The Chajiema which is main hall of Leiwuqi Monastery is with special appearance. It is splendid and imposing. The main architecture is about 30 meters high. The main hall was divided into three floors which are painted with three different colors. The first floor is "Strip Pattern Hall". The wall of the first floor is 13.5 meters high. The exterior walls of first floor are painted with red, white and black strips. Each strip is about 1 meter wide. On each wall, there were 35 strips. These strips are fully of decorative feelings. In the "Strip Pattern Hall", there are 64 giant pillars. The pillars are 15 meters high. The second floor is "Red Hall". The exterior walls are painted with red. The second floor is 9 meters high. The third floor is "White Hall". The walls are white. This floor is 5 meters high. The third floor gives people steady and mysterious feelings. On top of the hall, there is golden roof.

The appearance of Chajiema Hall is in the shape of square. It gives people solemn and sacred feelings.

On the bottom floor of the main hall, there are numberless prayer wheels around the monastery. The Red Hall and White Hall gradually contract. The Red Hall and White Hall are decorated with overhanging eaves and golden roof. In the Strip Pattern Hall, there are various statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva and numberless Thangka. It is said that there were over 40,000 large and small Buddha statues in the hall. We can see its scale from this.

Leiwuqi Monastery - Status

Leiwuqi Monastery got the attention of central kingdom due to its important effect and special status in politics and religion. It is said that in Yuan Dynasty, the empress dowager Maka ever provided half of her property to Leiwuqi Monastery when she passed by there on the way to Tibet. In Hongwu Year of Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang ever conferred National Division upon the third Fatai Jiawa Jianzan of Leiwuqi Monastery, and granted official seal and officer's costume. In Qing Dynasty, Emperor Yongzheng conferred Nomenhan Qutugtu upon the thirthteen Fetai Pangqiu, and granted gold book and gold seal. At the same time, Emperor Yongzheng also conferred the noble title of Nomenhan Qutugtu upon the twenty-first FataiGunlang Gejie. From here we see that Leiwuqi Monastery was with special status in history of Tibet, especially Eastern Tibet.