# Shalu Monastery (夏鲁寺)

Shigatse, Tibet Autonomous Region · Southwest, China · Guidebook rating: 4/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shalu-monastery
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** ¥60
- **Opening hours:** 9：30—17：00
- **Time needed:** 3 hours
- **Address:** In a valley in Congdui, 20 km southeast of Shigatse
- **Getting there:** You can charter a minibus in Shigatse for about ¥100 round trip. Alternatively, take a minibus to Gyantse, get off at the roadside, and walk 3 km to reach the monastery, about 40 minutes.
- **Good for:** Temples

## About Shalu Monastery

Shalu Monastery is a renowned temple of the Shalu school of Tibetan Buddhism. It was founded in 1087 by the monk Jizun Xirao Qiongnai. During the Yuan dynasty, an earthquake caused devastating damage to the monastery, and the Yuan emperor sent workers to restore it, including Han Chinese craftsmen. Han and Tibetan artisans together built this temple, which has a distinctive style. Tibetan-style halls are topped with Han-style palatial roofs of glazed tiles, supported by wooden dougong brackets. The two architectural traditions blend seamlessly, a vivid testament to the close collaboration between Han and Tibetan craftsmen.
Four treasures of the monastery have survived: a set of scripture boards assembled from 108 small sandalwood blocks; holy water sealed in a copper vessel that is renewed only once every 12 years; a stone basin used by Xirao Jiongnai for washing his face; and a foundation stone, white on one side and black on the other, carved with the six-syllable mantra.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 558. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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