Beri Gonpa, Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Garzê County, China
Beri Gonpa is a Gelug-school monastery built in the 17th century in Shengkang township, about 10 km from Garzê town, on a hill on the north bank of the Yalong River beside the Sichuan-Tibet highway. Its Tibetan name is Be-ri Dgon; in Chinese it is written 白利寺 or 白日寺. The monastery is being restored by the Tibet Heritage Fund.
Beri was the seat of a Bon principality and a cultural centre of this part of Kham until the 17th century. Its ruler Donyo Dorje was defeated by Gushri Khan's troops between 1639 and 1641, leading to the formation of the five Hor principalities. The Gelug monastery itself was built in the 17th century.
The monastery remains an active center where Buddhist practitioners gather for daily religious ceremonies and rituals. Local pilgrims visit to participate in spiritual practices that are fundamental to the community's life here.
The site sits in a high mountain region and requires good physical fitness for a visit. It is advisable to allow time for acclimatization and bring warm clothing, as the elevation and climate are demanding.
In 1936 the Red Army founded the Böpa government here during the Long March, and the tulku Getag served as its deputy. After the troops left, he treated wounded soldiers and disguised them as lamas until they could escape. According to Chinese accounts, he was killed by the British in 1950.
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