Kham Attractions

Genyen (also spelled Genyen Massif, Mt. Genyen, or Gongga Genyen) is a sacred mountain range located in western Sichuan, within the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of China. It is one of the most revered and significant peaks in Tibetan Buddhism, especially for the Khampa people, who inhabit the region. Genyen …

Palpung or The 8th Kenting Tai Situpa Chokyi Jugne founded the great Palpung monastery in 1727. “Pal” means glorious, “Pung” means to gather. For this reason the name Palpung, derived from the combination of the two words has been applied to the institution. Palpung means glorious union of study and …

Katok or Katok Dorjeeden is one of the six principal monasteries of Nyingmapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Katok Monastery was founded in 1159 by a younger brother of Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo, Katok Dampa Deshek, at Derge, the historic seat of the Kingdom of Derge in Kham. Katok Monastery held …

Dzongsar Monastery was originally founded in 746 AD by a Bönpo Lama. The original Bönpo Gonpa was later transformed into a Nyingma and a Kadampa temple at some stage but it wasn’t until 1275 that it was founded as a Sakya monastery by Drogön Chögyal Phagpa. Dzongsar had between 300 …

Gonchen (also known as Derge Monastery) is a large Sakya Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the town of Derge, in Sichuan, China. Gonchen is located in the ethnic Tibetan cultural region of Kham. Gonchen Monastery was founded by Thang Tong Gyalpo (or Tangton Gyelpo) (1385-1464), a Buddhist yogi and polymath, physician, …