Natang Monastery, Shigatse
Chinese Name: 那唐寺
English Name: Natang Monastery
Location: Located in Sagya County(萨迦县), Shigatse Prefecture(日喀则市), Tibet Autonomous Region, China
Admission Fee: Free
Opening Hours: All day
About Natang Monastery
Natang Monastery, located 15 Km away from Shigatse, is constructed in 1033.
History and Development of Natang Monastery
This monastery is 400 years older than Tashilhunpo Monastery. This monastery is famous for its workshops for printing Buddhist sutras. Hundreds years before, as the purpose of save and carry on the Tibet ancient books and scriptures, many Tibetan printing workers were trained in the scripture printing house of Natang Monastery. Later, those workers played an essential role in inheriting and developing the culture and printing skills of Tibet.
Natang Monastery was also the house and school for many famous monks, for example, the first Dalai Lama Genguozhuoba, who was initiated into monkhood and learned Buddha doctrine here for 17 years before the completion of Tashilhunpo Monastery. Also, the chief master of Chogyal Phakpa lived here as well.
Main Attractions- Natang Monastery
After Natang Monastery was accomplished, there are many famous monks here speak unknown method. The monastery had been broken once and then in 1987 rebuilt three halls on the ruins of the old one, which saved within the seven pieces of sixteen arhats stone carvings, a pair of footprints that the eighth abbot Jutun Menlangcuocheng（巨屯•门朗措成） left in his thirtieth on the stone of the monastery, and 8800 pieces of cultural relics including Kangyur《丹珠尔》.
Attraction Transportation
You can take a shuttle bus from Shigatse to County, then transfer a local mini bus to Natang Monastery.
Attraction Travel Tips
1. Traveling Hours: 1~2 hours
2. Traveling Seasons: All year
3. High Altitude Sickness Avoiding: Bring enough water and some thick clothes, eating more fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and so on.
4. Pay attention to respect the local customers in the monastery.
