The Drepung Monastery, or sometimes Drepung or Drepung, located at the foot of Mount Gephel, is one of the three great Gelugpa monastic universities in Tibet. Drepung means “pile of rice”, a Tibetan translation of its Sanskrit equivalent. The other two are Ganden and Sera. Drepung is the largest of all Tibetan monasteries, and in fact at its peak was the largest monastery in the world , Drepung had over 10,000 monks in the peak times. It has been listed since 23 February 1982 in the second list of major national historic and cultural sites protected under the national catalog number 2-27
Drepung is located on the mountain of Gambo Utse, 5 kilometers west of Lhasa, overlooking the Kyi Chu, the holy river flowing near Lhasa. It is near the Nechung Monastery, the oracle of Nechung, oracle of Tibet State, a medium through which Dorje Drakden, protector of Tibet and the Tibetan government in exile, who is our days in Dharamsala where a small temple was built and houses the current Nechung.
Access : Coordinates: 29.676389, 91.0475 / Drepung Monastery is situated about 8 km from Lhasa downtown,bus No.24 and 25 within 30 minutes to arrive at the foot of the hill from downtown, then climb 30 minutes up to reach the monastery gate.
take a taxi to the monastery, the fare is anout CNY 20.
Site layout : Attractions :
Four Zhacangs : The monastery is composed of 4 Zhacangs,Loseling Zhacang is the largest , The Loseling, Gomang, and Deyang Zhacang and the Ngaba
Coqen Hall : Coqen Hall is located in the center , there are fine and vivid statues of Buddha , the Sutra Hall supported by 183 pillars.
Courtyards : The courtyards sites are always chosen near Zhacang.
Cultural Relics : The Monastery houses many cultural relics, Statues of Manjushri Bodhisattva, and Sitatapatra, statues of Tsong Khapa, Kwan-yin Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Amitayus, and Jamyang Qoigyi in sutra halls.
Ganden Potrang : built it under the supervision of the second Dalai Lama Gendun Gyaco around the year of 1530.
Entrance Fee : CNY 60 / Temple/Prayer Hall visiting hours: Week days: 8.00 am to 11 am and 2.00 pm to 5 pm.
Services : Tours and Travel Services
Shoton Festival :O n June 30th in the Tibetan calendar , One of the main Buddhist ceremonies, Shoton Festival , Enjoy Thangka Exhibition ,
Tips : visiting the erea you must walk clockwise from left to right, Before enter the area, you need to receive a security check , Lighters are forbidden / When prayer session is going on at the prayer hall, we request visitors to keep proper silence to respect the sanctity of the temple/prayer Hall.
Go next : Potala Palace / Jokhang Temple / Barkhor Street / Norbulingka Park /
