Samding Monastery, Tibetan Buddhist monastery near Yamdrok Lake, Tibet, China
The monastery stands at 4,423 meters on a ridge separating two smaller lakes encircled by northern and southern arms of Yamdrok Lake.
Founded in the 13th century, Samding Monastery became the seat of Dorje Pakmo, recognized as the third-highest authority after Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama.
The monastery contains a private chamber storing remains of former Dorje Pakmo incarnations, which each abbess may visit only once in her lifetime.
The monastery opens daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with an entrance fee of 20 CNY and requires a 114-kilometer journey from Lhasa.
According to records from 1716, the abbess and her nuns transformed into pigs to prevent a Mongolian raid on the monastery.
Location: Nagarzê County
Inception: 1440
GPS coordinates: 28.97443,90.47321
Latest update: April 20, 2025 15:32
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