Ganden Sumtseling Monastery

{{Short description|Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan, China}}

{{Short description|Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan, China}}

{{Infobox Tibetan Buddhist monastery

{{Infobox Tibetan Buddhist monastery

|name = Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery
{{bo-textonly|དགའ་ལྡན་སུམ་རྩེན་གླིང་}}
{{lang|zh-hans|松赞林寺}}

|name = Ganden Somtseling Monastery
{{bo-textonly|དགའ་ལྡན་སུམ་རྩེན་གླིང་}}
{{lang|zh-hans|松赞林寺}}

|image = 松赞林寺 - 全景 - 2025-05-07 09 (cropped).jpg

|image = 松赞林寺 - 全景 - 2025-05-07 09 (cropped).jpg

|caption =Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery

|caption =Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery

|s=

|s=

|p=

|p=

|map_type = China Yunnan

|map_type = Yunan Province, China

|coordinates = {{coord|27|51|48|N|99|42|15|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

|coordinates = {{coord|27|51|48|N|99|42|15|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

|map_caption = Location within China Yunan Province

|map_caption = Location within Kham region of Occupied Tibet

|country = [[China]]

|country = [[Tibet]]

|founded_by = The [[Fifth Dalai Lama]] 1679

|founded_by = The [[Fifth Dalai Lama]] 1679

|sect = [[Gelug]]

|sect = [[Gelug]]

{{Tibetan Buddhism}}

{{Tibetan Buddhism}}

The '''Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery''', also known as '''Sungtseling''' and '''Guihuasi'''Osada et al (2000), p. 273. (Tibetan: དགའ་ལྡན་སུམ་རྩེན་གླིང་, Wylie: dga' ldan sum rtsen gling, THL: ganden sumtsenling; Chinese: 松赞林寺, pinyin: ''Sōngzànlín Sì''), is a [[Tibetan Buddhism|Tibetan]] [[Buddhist]] [[Monastery#Buddhist monasteries|monastery]] situated {{convert|5|km|mi}} from the city of [[Shangri-La, Yunnan|Shangri-La]] at elevation {{convert|3380|m|ft}} in [[Yunnan]] province, [[China]]. Built in 1679, the monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in [[Yunnan]] province and is sometimes referred to as the ''Little [[Potala Palace]].'' Located in the [[Shangri-La County|capital]] of [[Dêqên Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture]], it is also the most important monastery in [[southwest China]].

The '''Ganden Sumtsenling Monastery''', also known as '''Somtseling''' and '''Guihuasi'''Osada et al (2000), p. 273. (Tibetan: དགའ་ལྡན་སུམ་རྩེན་གླིང་, Wylie: dga' ldan sum rtsen gling, THL: ganden sumtsenling; Chinese: 松赞林寺, pinyin: ''Sōngzànlín Sì''), is a [[Tibetan Buddhism|Tibetan]] [[Buddhist]] [[Monastery#Buddhist monasteries|monastery]] situated {{convert|5|km|mi}} from the city of [[Shangri-La, Yunnan|Shangri-La]] at elevation {{convert|3380|m|ft}} in Dechen, Tibet. The People's Republic of China recognizes this Indigenous Tibetan region (Kham) as [[Yunnan]] province, [[China]]. Built in 1679, the monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Dechen and is sometimes referred to as the ''Little [[Potala Palace]].'' Located in the [[Shangri-La County|capital]] of Dechen Tibet, it is also the most important monastery in the Tibetan region of Kham.

It belongs to the Tibetan Buddhist [[Gelukpa]] order of the [[Dalai Lama]]. The [[Fifth Dalai Lama]]'s Buddhist visionary zeal established the monastery in Zhongdian, in 1679. Its architecture is a fusion of the Tibetan and [[Han Chinese]]. It was extensively damaged in the [[Cultural Revolution]] and subsequently rebuilt in 1983; at its peak, the monastery contained accommodation for 2,000 [[Monk#Buddhism|monk]]s; it currently accommodates in its rebuilt structures 700 monks in 200 associated houses.{{Cite book|last=Reilly|first= James O' |author2=Sean O'Reilly |author3=Larry Habegger James|title= Travelers' Tales China: True Stories |page=162 |accessdate=2010-03-18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-F0wjDPxkzwC&dq=Songzanlin+Monastery&pg=PA162|publisher= Travelers' Tales|year=2004|isbn=1-932361-07-3}}{{Cite book|last=foster|first=Simon |author2=Jen Lin-Liu |author3=Sherisse Pham |author4=Beth Reiber |author5=Sharon Owyang |author6=Lee Wing-sze |author7=Christopher D. Winnan|title= Frommer's China|pages=688–689|accessdate=2010-03-18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1DqjMGlyY5QC&dq=History+of+Gandan+Sumtseling+Monastery&pg=PA691|publisher=Frommer's|year=2010|isbn=978-0-470-52658-3}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.virtourist.com/asia/china/shangrila/06.htm|title= Shangri-La, Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, gilded roof|accessdate=2010-03-17|publisher= virtourist.com}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.chinatravel.net/china-attractions/songzanlin-monastery/introduction-1126.html|title=Songzanlin Monastery (Shangri-La)|accessdate=2010-03-18|publisher=China Travel|archive-date=2010-03-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317221913/http://www.chinatravel.net/china-attractions/songzanlin-monastery/introduction-1126.html|url-status=dead}}

It belongs to the Tibetan Buddhist [[Gelukpa]] order of the [[Dalai Lama]]. The [[Fifth Dalai Lama]]'s Buddhist visionary zeal established the monastery in Zhongdian, in 1679. Its architecture is Tibetan. It was extensively damaged by the People's Republic of China in the [[Cultural Revolution]] and subsequently rebuilt in 1983; at its peak, the monastery contained accommodation for 2,000 [[Monk#Buddhism|monk]]s; it currently accommodates in its rebuilt structures 700 monks in 200 associated houses.{{Cite book|last=Reilly|first= James O' |author2=Sean O'Reilly |author3=Larry Habegger James|title= Travelers' Tales China: True Stories |page=162 |accessdate=2010-03-18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-F0wjDPxkzwC&dq=Songzanlin+Monastery&pg=PA162|publisher= Travelers' Tales|year=2004|isbn=1-932361-07-3}}{{Cite book|last=foster|first=Simon |author2=Jen Lin-Liu |author3=Sherisse Pham |author4=Beth Reiber |author5=Sharon Owyang |author6=Lee Wing-sze |author7=Christopher D. Winnan|title= Frommer's China|pages=688–689|accessdate=2010-03-18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1DqjMGlyY5QC&dq=History+of+Gandan+Sumtseling+Monastery&pg=PA691|publisher=Frommer's|year=2010|isbn=978-0-470-52658-3}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.virtourist.com/asia/china/shangrila/06.htm|title= Shangri-La, Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, gilded roof|accessdate=2010-03-17|publisher= virtourist.com}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.chinatravel.net/china-attractions/songzanlin-monastery/introduction-1126.html|title=Songzanlin Monastery (Shangri-La)|accessdate=2010-03-18|publisher=China Travel|archive-date=2010-03-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317221913/http://www.chinatravel.net/china-attractions/songzanlin-monastery/introduction-1126.html|url-status=dead}}

==Geography==

==Geography==

The monastery, with a group of structures packed together on a rolling farm land, located in the town of [[Jiantang Town|Jiantang]] in the [[Yunnan]] province, now renamed as Shangri-la town in the renamed Shangri-la county, is in the heart of the mountain range known as [[Hengduan Mountain Range]]; it is part of the Mount Baimang Nature Reserve in Yunnan province but the monastery does not have snow covered backdrop. It is delimited in the north west contiguously by Tibet, to the north by [[Mili Tibetan Autonomous County|Muli]] and [[Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture|Ganzi]], on the west by the [[Salween River]] [[Lisu people|Lisu]] Autonomous [[Prefecture]], on its south by the Lijiang; the populace is an amalgam of Tibetans, [[Hui people|Hui]], [[Bai people|Bai]], [[Naxi people|Naxi]] and [[Han Chinese|Han]].{{Cite book |last=Mansfield |first=Stephen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5mU5dN3mDeIC&dq=Gandan+Sumtseling+Monastery&pg=PP1 |title=China: Yunnan Province |author2=Martin Walters |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-84162-169-2 |pages=165–166 |accessdate=2010-03-17}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.virtourist.com/asia/china/shangrila/07.htm|title= Shangri-La, Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, gilded roof|accessdate=2010-03-17|publisher= virtourist.com}} The town is located on the famous [[Southern Silk Road]], which originates in [[Sichuan province]] in the north, crosses [[Yunnan province]] and goes to [[Vietnam]].{{Cite web|url=http://www.virtourist.com/asia/china/shangrila/15.htm|title= Shangri-La, old town|accessdate=2010-03-17|publisher= virtourist.com}}

The monastery, with a group of structures packed together on a rolling farm land, located in the town of Gyalthang in the Kham region of Tibet ([[Yunnan]] province), now renamed as Shangri-la town in the renamed Shangri-la county, is in the heart of the mountain range known as Khawa Karpo; it has been colonized as part of the Mount Baimang Nature Reserve in Yunnan province but the monastery does not have snow covered backdrop. It is delimited in the north west contiguously by Tibet, to the north by [[Mili Tibetan Autonomous County|Muli]] and [[Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture|Ganzi]], on the west by the [[Salween River]] [[Lisu people|Lisu]] Autonomous [[Prefecture]], on its south by the Lijiang; the populace is an amalgam of Tibetans, [[Hui people|Hui]], [[Bai people|Bai]], [[Naxi people|Naxi]] and [[Han Chinese|Han]].{{Cite book |last=Mansfield |first=Stephen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5mU5dN3mDeIC&dq=Gandan+Sumtseling+Monastery&pg=PP1 |title=China: Yunnan Province |author2=Martin Walters |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-84162-169-2 |pages=165–166 |accessdate=2010-03-17}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.virtourist.com/asia/china/shangrila/07.htm|title= Shangri-La, Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, gilded roof|accessdate=2010-03-17|publisher= virtourist.com}} The town is located on the famous [[Southern Silk Road]], which originates in [[Sichuan province]] in the north, crosses [[Yunnan province]] and goes to [[Vietnam]].{{Cite web|url=http://www.virtourist.com/asia/china/shangrila/15.htm|title= Shangri-La, old town|accessdate=2010-03-17|publisher= virtourist.com}}

Well established road links exist from Shangri-la to Lhasa, [[Litang, Litang County|Litang]], [[Dali City, Yunnan|Dali]] and [[Tibet]]an [[Sichuan]]. It is {{convert|198|km|mi}} to the northwest of [[Lijiang, Yunnan|Lijiang]]. Shangri-La is also well connected by air with Lhasa and [[Kunming]] from its airport known as Shangri-La [[Diqing Airport]], which is {{convert|7|km|mi}} to the south of the town in the [[Dêqên Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture]]. However, there are no rail links at present.{{Cite web|url=http://www.virtourist.com/asia/china/shangrila/11.htm|title= Shangri-La, Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, gilded roof|accessdate=2010-03-17|publisher= virtourist.com}} The monastery is an hour's walk from the Shangri-la town and is a major attraction for tourists and the change of name of the town to Shangri-la and the impressive Monastery complex are stated to have encouraged tourism to this place.{{Cite book|last=Harper|first= Damian|title=China|page=[https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetchin00dami/page/724 724]|accessdate=2010-03-17|url=https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetchin00dami|url-access=registration|quote=Gandan Sumtseling Monastery.|publisher= Lonely Planet|year=2007|isbn=978-1-74059-915-3}}

Well established road links exist from Shangri-la to Lhasa, [[Litang, Litang County|Litang]], [[Dali City, Yunnan|Dali]] and [[Tibet]]. It is {{convert|198|km|mi}} to the northwest of [[Lijiang, Yunnan|Lijiang]]. Shangri-La is also well connected by air with Lhasa and [[Kunming]] from its airport known as Shangri-La [[Diqing Airport]], which is {{convert|7|km|mi}} to the south of the town in the [[Dêqên Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture]]. However, there are no rail links at present.{{Cite web|url=http://www.virtourist.com/asia/china/shangrila/11.htm|title= Shangri-La, Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, gilded roof|accessdate=2010-03-17|publisher= virtourist.com}} The monastery is an hour's walk from the Shangri-la town and is a major attraction for tourists and the change of name of the town to Shangri-la and the impressive Monastery complex are stated to have encouraged tourism to this place.{{Cite book|last=Harper|first= Damian|title=China|page=[https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetchin00dami/page/724 724]|accessdate=2010-03-17|url=https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetchin00dami|url-access=registration|quote=Gandan Sumtseling Monastery.|publisher= Lonely Planet|year=2007|isbn=978-1-74059-915-3}}

==History==

==History==

The Sumtseling monastery belonging to the Gelukpa order of Buddhism was established by the Fifth Dalai Lama in 1679. It was built during the rule of the [[Qing dynasty]] Kangxi Emperor (r.1662-1722). He fully patronized the development of this monastery. It is also said that the emperor was associated in the reincarnation search for the [[Seventh Dalai Lama]].{{Cite book|last=Mayhew|first=Bradley |author2=Korina Miller |author3=Alex English| title=South-West China|pages= 375–376|accessdate=2010-03-18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sm-2FZavr9QC&dq=Gandan+Sumtseling+Monastery&pg=PA375|publisher=Lonely Planet|year=2002|isbn=1-86450-370-X}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.imperialtours.net/shangrila_gandensumtsenling.htm |title=A Tibetan Monastery in China |access-date=2010-03-18 |publisher=Imperial Tours |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006035722/http://imperialtours.net/shangrila_gandensumtsenling.htm |archive-date=2010-10-06 }}

The Ganden Somtseling monastery belonging to the Gelukpa order of Buddhism was established by the Fifth Dalai Lama in 1679. It was built during the rule of the [[Qing dynasty]] Kangxi Emperor (r.1662-1722). He fully patronized the development of this monastery. It is also said that the emperor was associated in the reincarnation search for the [[Seventh Dalai Lama]].{{Cite book|last=Mayhew|first=Bradley |author2=Korina Miller |author3=Alex English| title=South-West China|pages= 375–376|accessdate=2010-03-18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sm-2FZavr9QC&dq=Gandan+Sumtseling+Monastery&pg=PA375|publisher=Lonely Planet|year=2002|isbn=1-86450-370-X}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.imperialtours.net/shangrila_gandensumtsenling.htm |title=A Tibetan Monastery in China |access-date=2010-03-18 |publisher=Imperial Tours |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006035722/http://imperialtours.net/shangrila_gandensumtsenling.htm |archive-date=2010-10-06 }}

In the 24 April 1936, the monastery had provided full support to the [[Communist]] general He Long who passed through this area during his campaign. However, the monastery was partially destroyed in 1959. Since 1981, the situation has changed, the monastery buildings have been mostly restored and normality prevails.

In the 24 April 1936, the monastery had provided full support to the [[Communist]] general He Long who passed through this area during his campaign. However, the monastery was destroyed in 1959. Since 1981, the situation has changed, the monastery buildings have been mostly restored but the monks live under constant surveillance by the Han Chinese State.

==Structures==

==Structures==