Songzanlin Temple

» Shangri-la, Yun Nan

Songzanlin Temple Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

Songzanlin Monastery is a 300-year old Tibetan monastery complex. The Monastery is set on a hill a short distance out of Zhongdian proper. It was built by the fifth Dalai Lama and is part of the Yellow Hat sect. All the people were very friendly and curious about us throughout the region since we may have been some of the first Westerners they'd ever seen.

What to see

Construction of the temple began in 1679 and was completed two years later. The temple seems like a group of ancient castles and is composed of two lamaseries, Zhacang and Jikang. The gilded copper roof endows the temple with strong Tibetan features and the 108 (an auspicious number in Buddhism) columns downstairs also feature the temple with characteristics of Han nationality.

The main halls in the temple are magnificent, and on both the left and the right sides are wonderful frescos, depicting Buddhist tales and legends. The inside-halls are exquisite with cloisters running through. The cloisters are all decorated with beautiful sculptures and consummate frescos.

The temple is full of treasures. There are a lot of golden figures of Buddha josses, golden lamps, Tibetan lections, silver censers and so on. All of these are wonderful collections accumulated from each dynasty. They are precious productions made by people of both Tibet nationality and Han nationality.

Another name "Minor Potala Palace"

Songzanlin Temple has another alias - "Minor Potala Palace," so named because the whole temple is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere. In 1679, Dalailama chose this place by divination, and it went on to become the uppermost public place in Yunan which features the particular local characteristics. Annually, the Gedong Festival is celebrated here by the Tibetans. Pious believers, with their knees and foreheads knocking the ground at every step, come here to pray.

Best season to come

The temple is situated in the high altitude region over 3,300 meters (about 10,827 feet) high. It snows even in August, and has a rainy season that runs from June through September. Therefore, spring and summer are the best seasons for people to visit it.

What to buy

There were some vendors selling Tibetan knives (more like letter openers) in front of Songzanlin Monastery and we bought four of them (about $2.00 each), these would be great souvenirs from this very Tibet region. Moreover, fluffy yak tails.

"Tibetan buddhism" must know

Tibetan Buddhism derives from the confluence of Buddhism and yoga which started to arrive in Tibet from India briefly around the late eighth century and then more steadily from the thirteenth century onwards. Indian Buddhism around that time had incorporated both Hindu yogic and tantric practices along with the classical teachings of the historical Buddha who lived around 500 BC.

It acknowledged that there were two paths to enlightenment (complete transcendence of identification with the personal ego). One path was that taught in the sutras according to the historical teachings. The heart of sutra practice was based on morality, concentration, and wisdom (not identifying with the personal ego). The other path, which has become the cornerstone of Tibetan variations, was tantric. This practice blended the sutra teachings with techniques adapted from Hindu systems of yoga and tantra.

The tantric path includes the following steps:

Lamrim ( literally, stages of the path ) These are indispensable topics for reflection and contemplation and also the meditations and activities that should naturally follow on from them. The Lamrim embodies the necessary prerequisites for tantra. It is set out as a progressive set of steps.

• Relying Upon a Spiritual Guide (learning from someone already on the path);
• The Preciousness of Human Life (the importance of using life for something valuable);
• Death and Impermanence (uncertainty of death and the unsatisfactory nature of this world);
• The Danger of being Reborn in a Lower Realm;
• Taking Refuge from Samsara (the cycle of endless grasping and eventual disappointment);
• Karma (the law of cause and effect which works in this world as well as at esoteric levels);
• Developing Renunciation for Samsara (integrating spiritual understanding and values);
• Developing Equanimity (accepting, and seeing past, both good and bad experience);
• Recognizing that all Beings are as Precious as our Mothers (the beginnings of bodhichitta);
• Remembering the Kindness of Others;
• Equalizing Self and Others (realising that we all want, and deserve, to be happy);
• The Disadvantage of Self-Cherishing;
• The Advantage of Cherishing Others (loosening the hold of ego through caring);
• Exchanging Self with Others (this is the core practice for developing bodhichitta--it involves developing the wish to voluntarily take on others' problems and freely give them one's own happiness in exchange. A sketch of the technique is as follows: breathe in others' woes as black smoke--let it settle into the heart, then breathe out all one's own happiness as white light--let it expand to fill all the cosmos. A practitioner should imagine and rejoice at the effect of both the in- and out-breath. For, on the in-breath, the reality and weight of all the problems in this world sink into the heart and help to dissolve the ego. Likewise, the out-breath brings relief and joy to all others.);
• Developing Great Compassion;
• Taking Responsibility to Relieve Others' Burdens ("exchanging self with others" in action);
• Sharing One's Own Good Fortune with Others;
• Bodhichitta (the desire to attain full enlightenment for the sake of all beings);
• Tranquil Abiding (developing advanced stages of concentration);
• Superior Seeing (developing emptiness--that is, non-identification with the personal ego).

Attractions around » Shangri-la, Yun Nan

Natural Scene

• Shangri-la
• Meili Snow Mountain
• Lake Bitahai
• Lake Shuduhu
• Lake Napahai
• Baishui Tableland

Historical Site

• Songzanlin Temple

Songzanlin Temple Highlights

Tibetan Buddhism attraction highlights

• Potala Palace
• Jokhang Temple
• Sera Temple
• Drepung Temple
• Norbulingka Park
• Songzanlin Temple
• Tashilhunpo Temple
• Temple of Universal Peace
• Putuo Zongcheng Temple
• Eight Outer Temples
• Lama Temple
• Tar Temple
• Barkhor Street
• Ramoche Temple
• Ganden Temple
• Temple of Universal Happiness
• Wudangzhao Temple
• Nietang Buddha
• Jiegu Temple

city highlights

• Lhasa
• Shangri-la
• Chengde
• Gyangtze
• Shigatse
• Tsetang
• Ganzi

Temple & Monastery in Great China

• Shaolin Temple
• Temple of Heaven
• Jokhang Temple
• Confucius Temple
• A-Ma Temple
• Palkhor Monastery
• Sera Temple
• Drepung Temple
• Rongbuk Temple
• Songzanlin Temple
• Id Kah Mosque
• Lingyin Temple
• Labrang Temple
• Great Buddha at Lingshan
• Golden Temple
• Yuantong Temple
• Tashilhunpo Temple
• Sakya Temple
• Temple of Universal Peace
• Putuo Zongcheng Temple
• Eight Outer Temples
• Famen Temple
• Great Mosque
• Nanputuo Temple
• Jade Buddha Temple
• Town God Temple
• Confucius Temple
• Lama Temple
• White Cloud Temple
• Tar Temple
• Santa Sophia Church
• 108 Dagobas
• Memorial Temple of Lord Bao
• White Horse Temple
• Qiongzhu Temple
• Hanging Temple
• Hanshan Temple
• Gaomiao Temple at Zhongwei
• Giant Buddha Temple
• Xiangguo Temple
• Yufeng Lamastery
• Chongshansi Temple
• Dule Temple
• Anyuan Temple
• White Horse Pagoda
• Trandruk Temple
• Dai Temple
• Pagoda of Songyue Temple
• Ramoche Temple
• Guanlin Temple
• Huayan Temple
• Kaiyuan Temple
• Samye Temple
• Jinci Temple
• Confucius Temple
• Ganden Temple
• Dabeiyuan Temple
• Wuhou Memorial Temple
• Shanhua Temple
• Ruins of St. Paul's
• Temple of Universal Happiness
• Great Bell Temple
• Qingjing Mosque
• Hongfu Temple
• Dazhao Temple
• Five Pagoda Temple
• Baoguo Temple
• Wudangzhao Temple
• Shalu Temple
• Bailin Temple, Great Zen Buddhist Center
• Longhua Temple
• Jile Temple
• Chengtiansi Pagoda
• Nanguan Muslim Mosque
• Qingyanggong Temple
• Ba Xian An Temple
• Tianhou Palace
• Guiyuan Temple
• Linggu Temple
• Najiahu Mosque at Yongning
• Haibao Pagoda
• Xilitu Zhao
• Dongguan Mosque
• Jiegu Temple

Songzanlin Temple FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Weather

1. When to go
2. Changeable weather

  Food

1. Tibetan drinking custom: do as the Tibentan does
2. Useful butter tea custom info

  Other Hints

1. Are there any tips for me to know when traveling on altitude place?
2. How is the telecommunication there?
3. Can I get online there?
4. How to bring back the Tibetan knife I bought?
5. Useful Numbers:
6. Emergency Numbers:

• When to go

  Spring and summer are the best seasons to visit Shangri-la when temperatures are moderate. The scenery is also gorgeous during these periods, with flowers blossoming and wildlife thriving in this pretty area.

  Autumn in Diqing Plateau is also spectacular. 10 days after the Mid Autumn Festival, the leaves fall form the teas and the area takes on a picture postcard appearance.

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• Changeable weather

  Bear in mind however, that Shangri-la is very high, and temperatures can change fast here. It is not unusual too, to see some snow fall in the autumn months. What's more, the temperature can vary greatly within the space of one day. Visitors to this region should come prepared- packing a variety of clothes and shoes. As usual in China- always carry your umbrella!

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• Are there any tips for me to know when traveling on altitude place?

  
  After arriving in Shangri-La, you may have altitude stress: shortness of breath, chest tightness and dreaminess. At this moment, do not do strenuous exercise or drink alcohol; have a good rest and keep warm, and you will be fine.

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• Tibetan drinking custom: do as the Tibentan does

  Before you drink a toast proposed by Tibetans, you should moisten your index fingers with the liquor, flick this finger three times, and then say Zha-xi-de-le'. ('Zha-xi-de-le' means 'as lucky as one's wishes' in Tibetan.) According to the Tibetan customs, you should sip three times and the host will refill your cup three times. After that, you ought to drink up. If you really can not stand much liquor, you can tell the host politely.

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• Useful butter tea custom info

  In a Tibetan family, there is an order to the drinking of butter tea. The elders, parents, guests and the persons they pay respect to will drink first; then, the host himself and lastly the younger people. The host will add the butter tea into your cup from time to time. So, if you have drunk enough, you should use your palm to cover the cup mouth and the host will understand. When you leave the family, you should leave a little buttered tea in your cup, which signals for your respect to the host.

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• How is the telecommunication there?

  China Mobile Communications Corporation is in the process of making the communication net cover the whole county. Now, the mobile phones can be used in most areas of Shangri-La. The signal strength may be very poor sometimes, especially in the mountains or in a gorge.

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• Can I get online there?

  Usually in your hotel, there will be internet service; but if not, you can find internet bars on Changzhen Road, and there you can go to post office to get online. It charges 4 RMB an hour in the post office.

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• How to bring back the Tibetan knife I bought?

  The Tibetan knife with not be allowed through customs at the airport however it can be taken to the train and sent by post.

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• Useful Numbers:

  • Diqing Shangri-La Airport Inquiry: 0887-8229901
    
  • Tourist Complaint: 0887-8225390

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• Emergency Numbers:

  • Fire: 119
    
  • Ambulance: 120
    
  • Police: 110
    
  • Traffic: 122
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