Samye Monastery Travel Guide

Brief Introduction
Built in the 8th century, Samye Monastery was the first Buddhist monastery to be founded in Tibet. It is also notable as the site of the "Great Debate" (792-794) between the Indian Mahayanists and Chinese Ch¨¢n (Zen) Buddhists.

Samye is famous for its sacred mandala design: the central temple symbolizes the legendary Mount Meru, center of the universe. It is a popular pilgrimage destination for Tibetan Buddhists, some of whom travel on foot for weeks to reach it.

Samye Monastery, located in the quiet piedmont area of the Shannan Region, was built in 779 during the reign of the Tibetan King Trisun Detsan. Samye Monastery is a "must"for visitors to Tibet. It looks spectacular and magnificent. It boasts many Tibetan cultural relics and historical artifacts.

Features
Samye Monastery has collected many kinds of cultural legacies in terms of history, religion, architecture, and art from all periods since the Tubo Kingdom. The Samye Monastery is renowned for the characteristic art of its buildings and the vivid murals as well as other ancient relics stored within them.

Samye Monastery is designed to represent the Buddist belief of the shape of the universe. The imposing central building, a three-storey Chinese, Indian, and Tibetan style building represents the Buddist center of Mt. Sumeru. The temple buildings and chapels around represent the continents and oceans. The Monastery is a circle fringed by a circular wall dotted with 1008 chastens.