The Sakya Monastery (Yushu) Reborn from the Ashes after the Earthquake

Jiegu Monastery is located on Jiegu Mountain in the northeast of Yushu. The monastery is built along the mountain, with temples and monk quarters arranged in an orderly manner. From a distance, it looks like a multi-story pavilion. Historically, it has always been the main monastery of the Sakya sect in the Yushu area. Before the disaster that shocked the world, Yushu was not very well-known. It was the earthquake in 2010 that brought national grief and imprinted this name in the hearts of the people. Today, Yushu has swept away the shadows of the past and rebuilt a beautiful homeland with the support of people across the country. Standing in this grand, majestic, and solemn monastery, with its red walls, golden roofs, white towers, and colorful prayer flags, you can hardly find any traces of the disaster. From the platform, you can overlook the entire city of Yushu, with blue skies, white clouds, surrounding mountains, meandering rivers, houses, villages, and bustling crowds. The magnificent scenery is all in view, and the quiet and peaceful atmosphere is enchanting. Speaking of the Sakya sect, one must mention the Liangzhou Alliance. It is an important turning point in Tibetan history, providing a legal basis for sovereignty and laying the foundation for the Sakya sect to be ranked among the four major sects. The two most famous masters of the sect, Sakya Pandita and Phagpa, made indelible contributions to the alliance and the completion of unification. As an important temple of the Sakya sect, Jiegu Monastery houses the Thangka of Shakyamuni and the sandalwood statue of Tara given by Phagpa. It is also the place where the Ninth Panchen Lama, who dedicated his life to maintaining national unity, passed away. The most famous monk of this monastery is the first Gana Rinpoche, the founder of the "World's Largest Mani Pile" ☞ Xinzhai Mani City. We visited Jiegu Monastery in mid-June. Unfortunately, the main hall was not open. We don't know if it was due to the summer retreat or some other reason. We could only wander around the monastery and soak up some Buddhist atmosphere.