Zhatang Monastery

Zhatang Monastery – Brief Introduction

Zhatang Monastery is located in Zhanang County, Shannan Prefecture. It is about 47 kilometers away from Tsedang.

Zhatang Monastery was built in 1081. The scale of Zhatang Monastery was very large, including three courtyard walls. But the existent part is only the main hall. The shape and structure, layout and style of this main hall are similar with the main hall of Samye Monastery. Now, the existent part is the first floor which consists of porch, scripture hall, winding corridor and Buddha hall. It was repaired in large scale in the first half of this century. There are many precious frescos in the Buddha hall which can be divided into ten groups. The subject of these frescos is different handprints of Sakyamuni. The people around are Indians, people of central Asia and monks of China. In terms of figure, costume and ornaments, techniques of composition, color and lines, these frescos were drawn when the monastery was built.

Zhatang Monastery is one of the earliest architectures in Tibet. The distinctive fresco in Zhatang Monastery has not been found in other districts except Shalu Monastery. These precious historical relics are valuable for researches of fresco in early period, outside influence, costume, etc.

Zhatang Monastery – Architecture

Zhatang Monastery was named "Adan Zhatang Monastery" which means Zhatang Monastery is with five things. These five things are relative to Samye Monastery. The first thing is the width of circumambulation winding corridor at the bottom of the main hall (Zhulakhang) is 0.9 meters wider than Samye Monastery's. The second thing is the circumambulation winding corridor at middle level has fresco of thousand Buddha images. The third thing is that the bottom floor symbolizes Dragon King Zhuosijian. The fourth is that the middle level symbolizes Nangong Yuejieqin. The fifth is the upper level symbolizes the king of medicine Rehula. We can see from these that the construction of Zhatang Monastery absorbed many construction style of Samye Monastery.

The layout of Zhatang Monastery is based on Mandala in Buddhism Tantra. Unfortunately, most parts of this architecture were destroyed. The existent parts include the main hall and incomplete walls. The walls included inner, middle and outer layers. The inner and middle layers which have been destroyed were polygon. The outside layer was oval, and the firth is 750 meters. There was a ditch outside the outer wall which had the function of defense. Based on the record of history, there were many accessory buildings in the polygamous inner wall. Among them, there were dormitory balcony, Lazhang on eastern side; Zhuoma Lakhang, Dunku Lakhang on western side, Gongbu Buddha Hall, Dengzeng Buddha Hall on southern side; and Bodhisattva Buddha Hall on northern side. In the middle wall, there were place for chanting scripture in summer, storehouse, kitchen and other architectures. In the outer wall, there were Jiji Lakhang and big pagoda. Some bricks and glazed roof tiles of this pagoda are preserved. Although there are no words or mark on these bricks and tiles, the animals and patterns on eaves tiles and triangle-shaped edge on tiles are with high artistic value.