Tagong Monastery

Tagong monastery was built in 600s AD when princes Wencheng start her journey to Lhasa, earlier than many monasteries in Tibet. It is a widely-worshiped Sakya sect monastery across Kham. It has a taste of ancient Chinese style, located at the end of Tagong Xiang(Town).

Three temples and a yard of stupas behind composed this complex. One in the middle is the main temple where the Sakya sect Saram Konkalhinpo statue is worshiped. The one on the left has the Dorje Kasung. A copy of a 12-year-old life-size Sakyamuni statue is in the temple on the right. Other parts of this monastery are temple of stupas (stupas of merits and virtues), monks' dormitory, temple of Padmasambhava and statue of the thousandhand Avalokitesvara. Surrounded are big prayer wheels inscribed with the six-word martra hanging on the enclosure spinned by pilgrims clockwise for realizing enlightment and purifying bad karma. From morning to afternoon, people sipinning the wheels and chanting the "om mani padme hum" to stabilize their minds.

This monastery was the 108th monastery that built facing Chang'an (capital of the Tang court in 7th century) showing respect for the international marrige of Songtsan Gampo and Princess Wencheng as well as their religious connection on each side of Tibetans and Han. It is an old legend though the other 107 monasties are difficult to be verified. Another story is more romatic that Princess Wencheng stopped to spend time in Tagong with her lover, the princess's escorter by using the exuse of constructing the Tagong monastery.

Local events at Tagong monastery and around-Dharma assembly(according to Tibetan Calendar):

1st of the 1st month, The Peace Prayer: monks and pilgrims gathering at the for peace praying and evil exorcising.

1st to 10th day of the 4th month, Dharma assembly for the tathagata: fire Puja for the departed.

11th to 15th of the 4th month, fasting week for Avalokitesvara

1st to 14th of the 6th month, Dharma assembly for Dorje Cham Dancing for blessings.

15th of the 6th month to the end of the following month, Summer sautra chanting.

24th to 29 of the 12th month,D harma assembly for Cham Dancing celebrating the Losar.

Ritual Dance in Tagong Monastery

It is more generally a Dharma assembly for blessings and peace. At Tagong monastery, it lasts 3 days from 12th on until 14th of the 6th month in Tibetan calendar. It is a tradition for the Minya Tibetans. Days before performing the dance on 12th are the provision phase, Monks in Tagong monastery will chanting the lection altogether to humbly invite Buddhas. Monks will be wearing nice and bight-colored frock costumes. The second day they will change their wearings into devine cosutmes(those are wore generation after generation) and put on masks. Third is with the horse racing on the grassland. Sometimes they will hand the Thankha in the monastery. This gathering is one of the most important weeks for the Minya Tibetans. Visitors believe the second day of ritual dancing is the most impressive one.