Chong Gu Temple

Chong Gu Temple

Chong Gu Temple is located 3880 meters above sea-level at the foot of the Immortal Snowy Mountain. It is only way which must be passed to the sacred Immortal Snowy Mountain, Yangmaiyong Mountain and Xianuoduoji Mountain as well as the occasion of some Tibetan ceremonies, therefore it also holds deep spiritual significance for the local Tibetan population. Due to its amazing location it attracts hundreds-of-thousands of tourists every year and becomes a renowned camping site.

About the building of the temple, there goes a legend. It is said that there were no Buddhist temples in Yading area at the very beginning, so the fifth generation Dalai Lama appointed Master Rang Genqiujiacuo to build one. Little did he think that the breaking the mountain enraged the God of Mountain. As punishment, lepriasis spread out in the area. Seeing that people were tortured by the pestilence, the master felt so grieved and decided to save the people by reading Buddhist sutras and praying day and night. Thanks to his endeavor, the people got well by and by. However, the master himself used up his vitality and passed away. To remember his philanthropic act, people buried him on the grass and piled up stones on his tomb. Year after year, the tomb was heaped higher and higher and finally formed the Chung Gu Temple.

Up to this day, the original temple has been damaged and there is only a two-storey house built close to the broken walls. In the house lives a Lama who takes charge of receiving visitors and protects the surrounding environment. The lama burns incense and chants scriptures in the morning and in the afternoon every day, which makes it more sacred and mysterious.