Tholing Monastery
མཐོ་ལྡིང་དགོན་པ།
The first Buddhist monastery in Ngari, founded in 996 by the Guge kingdom; great translators worked here, and it sits on the edge of Zanda town with stupa groves and earth pillars.
Tholing Monastery stands on the south bank of the Sutlej River, northwest of Zanda town. It was founded in 996 by King Yeshe-Ö of Guge and is the first Buddhist monastery in the Ngari region. The great translator Rinchen Zangpo and the Indian master Atiśa both translated scriptures and taught here, and it is regarded as an important starting point for the revival of Buddhism in the 'later diffusion' period. It is a national key cultural heritage site. The monastery originally included the Kasha Hall, modelled on the mandala layout of Samye Monastery, along with the Red Hall and the White Hall. The Red and White Halls survive and contain murals in the Guge style. Outside, rows of stupas and earth pillars make it one of the best sunset photo spots in Zanda. Tickets are required (prices vary on site). The halls are dimly lit and photography is not allowed. Zanda town is walkable, and the monastery can be visited on the same day as Guge ruins. Note: walk clockwise, remove hats, do not touch the murals, and expect to wait for monks to open some halls.
Opening hours
About 09:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Zanda Town (Tholing)
- Sutlej (Xiangquan) River Valley
- Zanda Earth Forest
- Guge Kingdom Ruins (Tsaparang)
- Dungkar Caves
- Piyang Caves