Ngawa Gomang Monastery (Gemo Si / 各莫寺)
Official Names:
Tibetan: Gomang Gompa
Chinese: 各莫寺 (Gemo Si), 慧圆寺 (Huiyuan Temple)
Location: Gemo Township, 13 km northwest of Ngawa (Aba) County, Sichuan, China; altitude ~3,290 m
Affiliation: Gelugpa (Yellow Hat); one of Ngawa’s three major Gelug monasteries; a key branch of Labrang Monastery
Founding: 1790 (Qing Qianlong 56th year) by Gongque Deqing (Labrang’s chief abbot), following the instruction of the 2nd Jamyang Shêpa Rinpoche
History
1790: Founded as Gomang; first abbot: Konchok Danbai Dolmei.
19th–20th c. : Expanded into a major Gelug center for study and practice in Amdo.
2002: Introduced modern school management alongside traditional monastic education.
2017: Completion of Faxi Courtyard; awarded two Guinness World Records.
Layout & Architecture (18,000 m²)
Faxi Courtyard (法喜苑) – Guinness World Records
Largest connected Buddha hall in China: 226.24 m long, 93.35 m wide, 87 m high.
37 m Maitreya Buddha: Tallest indoor Maitreya statue in China; 332 tons brass, gilded; face alone ~5 m high.
Interior: 8 huge African sandalwood pillars, red marble columns, and intricate murals.
Other Major Structures
Bodhi Stupa (菩提大宝塔): 35 m seven‑level white stupa; base with 140 brass prayer wheels; enshrines Tsongkhapa’s cranial bone relic.
Main Assembly Hall: 4‑storey, capacity ~1,000 monks; traditional Tibetan design with red walls and golden roof.
Long Prayer Corridor: 36 large and 1,500+ small prayer wheels; 200+ m long.
Monastery Museum (8th floor of Faxi Courtyard): Buddha relics, Kangxi‑era gold‑ink Diamond Sutra, Thangkas, and ancient artifacts.
Monastic Life & Education
Monks: ~600 resident monks, ages 8–70.
Colleges:
Exoteric College: Five major treatises of Sutra.
Esoteric College: Tantric rituals and meditation.
Daily Schedule: Morning chants, debating, scripture memorization, and classes.
Festivals
Monlam Prayer Festival (莫郎节, 3rd–17th day of 1st lunar month): Mass prayers, thangka display, and masked cham dances.
Butter Lamp Festival: Elaborate butter sculptures (torma) displayed in the courtyard.
Significance
A top Gelugpa study and pilgrimage center in Amdo.
Houses rare relics and world‑record architecture.
Serves as a cultural bridge between traditional Tibetan Buddhism and modern education.
Ngawa Gomang Monastery, also known as Gemo Si, is a prominent Gelugpa site 13 km northwest of Ngawa County. Founded in 1790 as a branch of Labrang Monastery, it now houses around 600 monks. Its famed Faxi Courtyard holds Guinness records, featuring China’s tallest indoor Maitreya Buddha. The 35-metre Bodhi Stupa preserves precious relics. As a key spiritual and academic hub, it hosts traditional festivals and inherits profound Tibetan Buddhist culture.
