Art of Tibetan Buddhism Religious Architecture (2)

18:01, July 04, 2009  

Sha-lu Monastery

Sha-lu Monastery in the southeast of Xigaze was first built in 1087 during the Song Dynasty. Sha-lu means tender leaf, perhaps containing the meaning of the rejuvenation of Buddhism. The original monastery was destroyed by earthquake, and was rebuilt at the end of the 1athcentury during the Yuan Dynasty.

In the center of the ground floor is the main hall Sha-lu La-kang. It is a square, large scripture hall, the flat-top of the center part protruding. Light streams in through the skylight between the high and low flat-tops. This layout was later called the “Du-khang method”, and was commonly used by the Ming and Qing dynasties. The left, right and back sides of the scripture hall are closely encircled by several Buddhist halls, and a ring of winding corridors are added to the outer side. Monks can take a right-hand walk and chant scripture in the corridor.

Photo shows a view of the Sha-lu Monastery, southwestern Tibet Xigaze Prefecture. (Source: chinaculture.org)

The second floor is asiheyuan (courtyard with houses on all sides) encircled by four purely Han-style halls. According to ancient Tibetan documents, when the Sha-lu Lakang was built, many skilled Han craftsmen were invited, therefore forming an early Tibetan/Han mixed style.

In the early 15th century (early Ming Dynasty), the eminent monk TSongkhapa from Qinghai introduced religious reform in Tibet and created the Gelug-pa or Yellow Hat sect. It eventually gained the upper hand not only in religion, but also in politics. He constructed six famous major temples of the Yellow Hats, which are also the largest temples of Tibetan Buddhism, Such as the Lhasa Ganden Monastery (1409), Bras-spungs Monastery (1416), Sara Monastery (1419), Tashilungpo in Xigaze (1447), Tar Monastery in HuangZhong of Qinghai (156O), and Blabrang Monastery in Xiahe of Gansu (1709). They were all built at the foot of mountains, represented by Blabrang Monastery.
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