Sikkim Labrang Monastery
Also known as Gandan Shaydrup, Labrang Monastery is one of the six Tibetan famous monasteries and is situated in Gansu province of Amdo Labrang Monastery hosting very many monks in the outside circuit of Tibet’s region. Xiahe where Labrang Monastery is located, is another worth mentioning place which is around 4 hours travel from Gansu’s capital Lanzhou and is placed in Xiahe town.
Founded by
Being the monastery found in 1709 and also being one of the important monastery placed outside the Tibet’s autonomy, this monastery has gained much importance, more so due to the total blend of the Asian culture in to, which relate to Tibetan, Mongolian, Han Chinese and Chinese Muslim as also has the privilege of being one of the great Buddhist monastic universities with thousands of monks placed wherein many festivals and annual functions are held. This also saw a fight with Chinese powers in maintaining its autonomy ending up in bloodsheds during the period 1700 to 1950. The assembly hall destroyed in 1985 was again built up in 1990.
Description
To describe the monastery in a better way the white walls and gold roofs represent the mixture of Tibetan and Han Stylist architecture and contains 18 halls, 6 Teaching institutions, A Stupa of Gold, a Debate place and holds on about 60000 sutras which was holding around 2000 monks once and now holding only 1000 due to a closure process since 1958. Several Buddha statues and murals and sutras adore the Buddhist Museum as also several Tibetan books which one can buy as also other items viz medicines, calendars, music and art items. Niches which surrounded Buddha’s was famous for its huge height of 50 feet high, was available once, and this monastery is famous for holding various important Buddhist Ceremonies and functions. Various days in January and June, July months, based on Lunar Calendars are famous for holding Buddhist Ceremony as also chanting of Sutras, prayers and debates.
A memorable thing is the invasion of Chinese Muslim Ma Clique on Labrang which was an anti Ngolok Tibetan Campaign, which marked Ma Qi its General taking over Labrang monastery in 1917 defeating the Tibetan forces with the help of Chinese troops, which was lauded by several foreign forces, who conveyed their appreciation by travelling along Qinghai in appreciation of their courageous act.
Ethnic Issues
The ethnic issues which daunted the area, between Hui and Tibetans in 1918 and again Ma Qi conquered the enemies and terribly imposed tax for over eight years, resulting in a revolt of Tibetans which resulted in Ma Qi’s fighting back with Hui Chinese troops and claiming back Labrang and gunning down several thousands of Tibetan monks who were trying to escape. Monks were burnt by Muslim forces in 1919 attack and Hui troops left these bodies around. Though in 1927 Ma Qi gave up fighting, he again invaded with a bang in 1928 and defeated and looted the monastery and took control again. Several skeletons of Tibetan monks was said to be spread around a huge area and Labrang Monastery being filled and adored with several Tibetan heads, which Chinese Muslim army used as ornaments during their camping period. Young children and girls were the victims which numbered around ten to fifteen for every Muslim cavalryman which were hanged in the walls like garlands. Even recently March 2008 has seen protests from Monks of Labrang Monastery and other Tibetans who were ethnics which was riots in Lhasa.
How to Reach
Roads lead to this Autonomous Monastery and one can take other means also to reach this place. There were avenues and places to stay and with prior inquiries and information gathering, it is possible to visit this monastery which is one of the oldest Tibetan places to be visited and seen.
Photo Gallery