Yangpachen Monastery situates in the Yangpachen Town, Damxung County about 93km from Lhasa downtown which is an important conjunction connecting Lhasa to east, reaching Qinghai province to north, where Qinghai-Tibet Highway and China-Nepal Highway pass. Corresponding to its important location, the Yangpachen Monastery also bears a significant position in religion—it is the main monastery of the Red Hat branch of Tibetan Buddhism Karma Kargyu.
Kargyu is one of important sects of Tibetan Buddhism which is quite a great sect bearing many systems. The first class systems of Kargyu are Shamba Kargyu and Dhakpo Kargyu. Karma Kargyu belongs to the second class under the Dhakpo Kargyu and holds the greatest impact between the same level systems, whose founder Dus-gsum-mkhyen-pa created the custom of Reincarnated Soul Boy. Yangpachen Monastery is the main occupancy of the Red Hat branch of Karma Kargyu, being the third class of Kargyu sect. Yangpachen Monastery had been built in 1490 and had ups and downs experience in over 300 years.
Yangpachen Monastery was subjected to be built under the fourth Living Buddha and developed better under the following Living Buddha until the tenth Living Buddha. In the period of tenth Living Buddha, Yangpachen Monastery had encountered its first large havoc. The tenth Living Buddha led a rebellion to attack Tibet which was controlled by someone who illegally occupied the plentiful treasures of the sixth Panchen awarded by the Chinese Emperor of Qing Dynasty. The result was that Qing Emperor sent army to settle down the Tibetan Region and the tenth Living Buddha suicide finally. As punishment, Yangpachen Monastery‘s estate was forfeited and monks was forced to change their sect into Gulug by Qing Emperor.
The second large suffering for Yangpachen Monastery was in the period of Cultural Revolution when the monastery had collected a quite large number of treasures and relics with assistance of some political power. After the Cultural Revolution that the government, the central government gradually to resume the affairs from all aspects of this country. It was in 1985 that government offered the found to support renewal of Yangpachen Monastery.
Open Time: All day
Entrance Charges: Free
Travel Tip:
There is famous hot spring in the Yangpachen County. Travelers could relax and enjoy themselves in the hot spring as well if you plan to visit the Yangpachen Monastery.
