Overview

Trandruk Monastery /昌珠寺

5km south of Tsedang on route to Yumbu Lakhang, famous throughout Tibet since it was the first Buddhist chapel ever built in Tibet. Built under the reign of Songtsen Gampo (AD 617-650), Trandruk experienced large-scale reconstruction after it converted to Gelugpa later.

The monastery got its name from the legend that it could only be built after Songtsan Gampo had turned into a roc and conquered an evil dragon. It’s said that renowned figures in the history of Tibetan Buddhism, such as Padmasambhava and Milariba, had practised Buddhism nearby after it was built and the remaining relics are Sacred land for the devotees.

The main building in Trandruk is the Tshomchen, in which Padmasambhava is enshrined. The Tshomchen was built in the style of Tang Dynasty structures and adopted the characteristics of Nepalese and Indian architecture. The building has many chapels.

In one of the chapels, a precious pearl Thangka, representing Chenrezi at rest, is housed. The Thangka in Tshomchen is made up of 30,000 pearls and hundreds of other gems like diamonds, sapphires, turquoise, rubies and amber.

Highlight
the Pearl Thangka

Getting there & away

Take bus No.1 from NaiDong Road/乃东路 in Tsedang to Trandruk Monastery for Y2. Alternatively it costs Y10 to get there by motor tricycle or Y5 by tractor.

Charter a car for around Y80 to include Yumbulagang and The Tombs of the Tibetan Kings on route.

As it’s only 5km from NaiDong Road to the Monastery, you can walk there in about an hour.

Admission Fee: Y70