Toling Monastery
Location
Xiangquan River, Zhada County, Tibet Autonomous Region
Reasons to visit
At the beginning of the century, it is located in the northwest corner of Zhada County, about 300 meters away from the Armed Forces Guest House, and can be reached on foot. Toling means "flying in the sky and never falling".
Opening Hours
At the beginning of the century, it is located in the northwest corner of Zhada County, about 300 meters away from the Armed Forces Guest House, and can be reached on foot. Toling means "flying in the sky and never falling". It condenses the efforts of craftsmen from India, Nepal and Ladakh, and is also the epitome of the architectural and Buddhist styles of the three places. When Guge was founded, it was determined to respect Buddhism. Although Buddhism in Tibet at that time began to revive, it was still in chaos. The second generation of Guge King Yixiwo put things right and built Toling Monastery. Later, the Indian monk Atisha was invited to preach and used this temple as his residence. Atisha led the revival of Tibetan Buddhism, and Toling Monastery gradually became the center of Tibetan Buddhism at that time. It is said that there are still many relics in the surrounding ruins. The architectural style and murals of Toling Monastery are obviously directly influenced by Nepal and India, and are the epitome of the architectural and Buddhist styles of various places. The Indian monk Atisha once preached and wrote here to spread Buddhism. Since then, many monks have left their footprints here. Because Toling Monastery is located in a canyon of earth forest, the red walls and earth forest complement each other and are magnificent. Every time someone shakes the prayer wheel and circumambulates the Toling Monastery along the path in the earth forest, this scene also makes people feel a lot of emotion. With a history of more than 900 years, Toling Monastery has experienced various natural and man-made destructions, especially the impact of the Cultural Revolution. In recent years, it has been continuously rebuilt, and the main hall has been restored to its original state. It can be seen that its design and layout are basically based on the appearance of Samye Monastery. The main building symbolizes Mount Xumi, and the high towers on the four sides symbolize the four Dharma protectors. There are many gilded Buddha statues enshrined in the hall. Fortunately, although the building is damaged, because it was used as a granary during the Cultural Revolution, the main hall is well preserved, and the murals inside are still lifelike and amazing. It is recommended that you bring a flashlight to appreciate it, because the light in the hall is relatively dim. In the history of the Tibetan people, Toling Monastery plays an important role. The stories of the famous missions such as Yeshe Wo, Atisha, and Rinchen Sangbu all unfolded against the backdrop of Toling Monastery. When it was intact, the Toling Monastery consisted of the Gasa Hall, the White Hall, the Hall of Eighteen Arhats, the Hall of Miller Buddha, the Hall of the Dharma Protector Atisha, the Hall of the Translator Rinchen Sangbu, as well as many monks' quarters and pagoda forests. It was large in scale, but now it is difficult to get a glimpse of the original scale and pattern from the remaining broken walls and pagodas. The architectural style and murals of the Toling Monastery are obviously directly influenced by Nepal and India, and it is a culmination of the architectural and Buddhist styles of various places. The Indian monk Atisha once preached and wrote here to spread Buddhism. Since then, many monks have left their footprints here. The existing main hall of the Toling Monastery is a mandala-style building with an elegant shape and a peculiar structure. The high towers on the four sides symbolize the four Dharma protectors, and many gilded Buddha statues are enshrined in the hall. The murals are well preserved and still lifelike, all thanks to the fact that he was lucky enough to be a commune during the Cultural Revolution.
Top Attractions
Ask a Question
