At the foot of the Salawu Mountain in the northern suburbs of Lhasa, Tibet, there lies a hidden, ancient, and mysterious monastery - Sera Monastery. As one of the six main monasteries of the Gelugpa sect (Yellow Hat sect) of Tibetan Buddhism, Sera Monastery is a sacred place in the hearts of religious believers and a must-visit destination for tourists to Tibet.
A Religious Sanctuary with a Thousand-Year Tradition
Fully named "Sera Mahayana Monastery", Sera Monastery was founded in the 17th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was built under the auspices of Shakya Yeshe (also known as Jamchen Chojye), a disciple of the founder of the Gelugpa sect, Tsongkhapa.
The establishment of Sera Monastery provided a venue for the dissemination of Tsongkhapa's Buddhist teachings and laid a solid foundation for the subsequent development of Tibetan Buddhism. In the ninth year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty, Sera Monastery was officially completed and became one of the important monasteries of the Gelugpa sect.
Sera Monastery is also closely linked to the Great Compassionate Dharma King, who was one of Tsongkhapa's disciples and an important supporter of Sera Monastery. He visited Beijing multiple times to pay homage, preach Buddhist scriptures, and secured support from the Ming central government for Sera Monastery. After its establishment, Sera Monastery was under the jurisdiction of the Great Compassionate Dharma King, and the monastery still preserves precious gifts presented by him, such as the "Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra" written with gold mud.
In later historical periods, Sera Monastery underwent multiple expansions and renovations. In the early 18th century, Gusri Khan expanded Sera Monastery, making it one of the six great monasteries of the Gelugpa sect. Through continuous repairs and expansions by monks over generations, the grand-scale Sera Monastery we see today was formed.
A Religious Artistic Treasure of Tibetan-Chinese Fusion
The architectural style of Sera Monastery is unique, filled with a strong religious atmosphere and unique artistic charm. Built on the mountain, Sera Monastery is flexibly laid out and integrated with the natural environment, showing both reverence for nature and the wisdom of human architecture.
The monastery is magnificent in scale, with temples scattered in an orderly manner. The labyrinth-like winding paths connect various places while maintaining a solemn and respectful atmosphere.
The architectural colors of Sera Monastery are distinctive, dominated by red, white, black, and yellow. White represents purity and auspiciousness, red represents fervor and devotion, black represents solemnity and Dharma protection, and yellow symbolizes power and nobility. These colors are repeatedly interspersed and combined in the architecture, creating a unique visual effect. The brick-carved Buddhist statues and murals on the walls, as well as the wooden carving patterns on the doors and windows, are filled with a strong religious atmosphere and artistic beauty.
The buildings of Sera Monastery are mainly made of earth, wood, and stone. The walls are built with block stones taken from the mountain, with thick walls and small windows, narrowing from the bottom to the top in a stepped shape, creating a solid and stable appearance. This structure adapts to the climatic conditions of the plateau region and also reflects the traditional characteristics of Tibetan architecture. The architecture of Sera Monastery also employs a large number of wooden pegs and wooden structures, making the entire building complex more stable and durable.
The architectural style of Sera Monastery also reflects the fusion of Tibetan and Chinese cultures. While maintaining the traditional characteristics of Tibetan architecture, Sera Monastery has also absorbed certain elements of Han Chinese architecture, such as the roof forms and eaves decorations of the halls, making its style more unique and diverse.
Detailed Information on Attractions: Exploring Every Corner of Sera Monastery
The main buildings of Sera Monastery include the Tsukchen Hall, Gyutsa College, Maitreya College, Aba College, and 32 Kang Villages. The Tsukchen Hall is the central building of Sera Monastery and the main venue for monks to recite scriptures and hold ceremonies.
Tsukchen Hall: The largest building in Sera Monastery, supported by 108 large pillars, houses a statue of the founder of the monastery, Shakya Yeshe. His hat is unique, with sanskrit inscribed on it, which was granted by the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
The Head of the Horse King Hall: This hall houses the famous statue of the Head of the Horse King in Sera Monastery. Legend has it that this deity statue was dug up by Tsongkhapa after hearing the sound of a horse's whinny and is believed to possess powerful magical powers to ward off evil spirits. It is a key place for worshippers to pay homage.
The Head of the Horse King: In Sanskrit, he is called Hayagriva, and in the Han Chinese tradition of the Tiantai sect, he is known as the "Lion Fearless Guanyin." ཨོཾ་བཀ玛 ཛྭདྷཱཾཱ ཧཱཾཱ ཀཱཾ ཝཱ ཧཱཾ ཧཱཾ ཧཱུཾ
The Head of the Horse King Hall is another hall worth visiting in Sera Monastery. The Head of the Horse King is the Dharma protector of the Esoteric Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, possessing powerful magical powers to drive away evil spirits and resolve difficulties.
Sera Monastery preserves many Buddhist statues, mostly made locally in Tibet, with some brought from the mainland or India.
The walls of the Tsukchen Hall and various colleges preserve numerous original colored murals, which are vibrant and vivid in color and imagery.
The debate ground of Sera Monastery is a place where Tibetan Buddhist monks study Buddhist teachings and exchange skills, and it is also an important window for tourists to understand Tibetan Buddhist culture. The debate ceremony is held in the debate ground on the north side of the monastery, starting at 3 PM every day and lasting until 5 PM (except Sundays and special holidays).
During debates, the monks sit on the ground, with another standing opposite them, engaging in debates through exaggerated movements and rich body language, creating a lively and interesting scene.
Unmissable Experiences at Sera Monastery
Debate Activities: One of the most distinctive highlights of Sera Monastery is its debate activities. Every afternoon, the monks engage in debates through exaggerated movements and rich body language, creating a lively and interesting scene.
Admiring the Beauty of Architecture: The architectural style of Sera Monastery is unique, with distinctive colors, filled with a strong religious atmosphere and artistic beauty. Visitors can walk around and admire the Buddhist halls of Sera Monastery, feeling the unique charm of Tibetan Buddhist architecture.
Paying Homage to the Head of the Horse King: The Head of the Horse King Hall is an important attraction in Sera Monastery, housing the famous statue of the Head of the Horse King. Believers can pay homage here to pray for blessings and to ward off disasters for themselves and their families.
Climbing the Rear Mountain to View the Panoramic View of Lhasa: The rear mountain of Sera Monastery is located at a high altitude, and the top offers a panoramic view of Lhasa City. For tourists who love hiking, this is an unmissable experience. Some people also like to circumambulate the mountain.
However, climbing requires physical stamina, and the altitude is high, so tourists who have just arrived in Lhasa should be mindful of their physical limits.
Rich Religious Activities: Sera Monastery offers a rich variety of religious activities, including daily chanting, prayer, and meditation, as well as many important ceremonies and festivals. The ceremonies during the Tibetan New Year and the debate conference during the Lhasa Shoton Festival are particularly grand.
Sera Monastery, this ancient monastery bearing a thousand years of history and culture, is a sacred place of Tibetan Buddhism and a symbol of the spiritual home of the Tibetan people.
It has witnessed the transmission and development of Tibetan Buddhist culture and carried the faith and prayers of countless believers.
Here, monks pursue inner peace and wisdom through study and meditation; believers seek solace and strength for their souls through worship and prayer.
For tourists, you can feel the strong religious atmosphere and the unique charm of Tibetan culture here, finding inner peace and strength.
Sera Monastery shines brightly in the long river of time, serving as a bridge and link connecting the past and the future. If you have the chance, you must come and pay homage.
