Rongwo Monastery
རོང་བོ་དགོན་ཆེན།
A major Gelug monastery in Tongren city, founded in the Yuan dynasty, with many halls and exquisite murals and thangkas. It is the religious heart of the Rebgong region.
Rongwo Monastery stands on the west side of Tongren city, on the banks of the Rongwo River. It was founded during the Dade era of the Yuan dynasty and converted to the Gelug school in the Ming dynasty. Successive Sharkhar Rinpoches have resided here, and it is one of the famous great monasteries of the Amdo region. The Great Prayer Hall, Maitreya Hall and Kalachakra Hall are built into the mountainside, and their murals, butter sculptures and thangkas were all made by Rebgong artisans. Early in the morning you can see devotees circling the monastery along the prayer-wheel corridor. The monastery is in town and can be reached on foot. Admission follows the posted prices on site. Photography is generally not allowed inside the halls, and please walk clockwise.
Opening hours
08:00–18:00