Reting Monastery 热振寺

About Reting Monastery

Reting Monastery (热振寺) is a Gelug (格鲁派) monastery at the foot of Puyang Gangqin Mountain (普央岗钦山) in Tanggu Township (唐古乡), Lhünzhub County (林周县), Lhasa. Founded in 1056–1057, it was the first monastery of the Kadam (噶当派) school.

The monastery stands at 4,230 m in the valley of the Reting Tsangpo north of Lhasa, 95 km from the Lhünzhub county town and 160 km from Lhasa. The hills around it are covered with huge old cypresses, and 108 relic stupas stand among the trees. The Lhasa city government notes the cypresses and a viewing trail through the forest park at Reting.

The master Atisha (阿底峡) died at Nyethang (聂塘), south-west of Lhasa, in 1054. Early in 1056 his disciple Dromtonpa (仲敦巴) brought Atisha's remains here, built the monastery that year and added an upper two-pillar hall in 1057; the relics were kept in a silver stupa. Reting became the root seat of the Kadam school and later, after the Gelug rose in the 15th century, a Gelug house under the Je college (结巴扎仓) of Sera Monastery (色拉寺). From the 16th century it was run by the Reting Rinpoche line; a Reting Rinpoche was regent of Tibet in 1845–1855. The fifth Reting Rinpoche, a former regent, was arrested in 1947 after leaving office and died in prison in Lhasa, and the monastery was badly damaged and looted. An earthquake in 1952 brought down about 200 stupas and 774 rooms, and in the Cultural Revolution every building was destroyed. In 1983 the Lhasa city government approved its restoration and reopening; the site has been a regional protected monument since 1962.

The main shrine of the Tsokchen hall holds Jowo Jampel Dorje (江白多吉), Atisha's personal deity, a rare Jowo image with its head tilted, a White Tara, and relic stupas of Serlingpa (赛林巴), Atisha's teacher, of Atisha and of Dromtonpa. The south-facing assembly hall has double walls, the inner one shelving the Kangyur and Tengyur scriptures, and is hung with thangkas, one a new painting of the monastery at its height. The three-storey Reting Labrang, the lama's residence, stands west of the main hall. On the 15th day of the seventh Tibetan month the Pabongtang Kor (帕邦塘廓) festival brings pilgrims to the grassland in front of the monastery, with horse racing and cham (羌姆) ritual dancing.

What to look for

• Hillsides of huge old cypresses with 108 relic stupas among them
• Jowo Jampel Dorje (江白多吉), Atisha's personal deity, in the Tsokchen main shrine
• A rare Jowo image with a tilted head
• Relic stupas of Serlingpa, Atisha and Dromtonpa
• The assembly hall's scripture-lined double walls and a thangka of the monastery at its height
• The three-storey Reting Labrang west of the main hall
• Pabongtang Kor (帕邦塘廓) festival on the 15th day of the seventh Tibetan month, with horse racing and cham dancing

Location & getting there

Getting to Reting Monastery

• Search for 热振寺 with 拉萨市 and 林周县.