Larung Gar Buddhist Academy: The Magical Crimson Valley in Western Tibet

Not filled with dreamy fantasies or overflowing with romantic blooms like other tourist destinations, Larung Gar Valley offers a completely new perspective on faith, life, and purity.

Larung Gar Buddhist Academy: The Magical Crimson Valley in Western Tibet

Larung Gar Buddhist Academy is located in the Larung Valley in Sêrtar County, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. It is approximately 15km away from the town of Sêrtar. The area is renowned for its tiered architectural ensemble, consisting of tens of thousands of world-famous red wooden houses.

Larung Ga – the Land of Mystery

Established in 1980 by Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, an influential Lama of the Nyingma sect (or Red Hat sect), Larung Gar Buddhist Academy aims to bring new vitality to Tibetan Buddhism and convey positive values to all beings in the world.

Initially, Khenpo chose the Larung Valley area to establish the academy due to its significance in the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism – where high monks often meditate, aspiring to attain the Diamond Body and realize the Four Dharma Kings.

At that time, the valley was still desolate. However, thanks to his reputation, the academy flourished and became one of the most influential Tibetan Buddhist centers globally.

Larung Gar is the residence and learning place for over 10,000 Buddhist monks and nuns. Simultaneously, the academy offers online education programs for tens of thousands of people worldwide.

About 10% of the students are Han Chinese, studying programs in Mandarin, while most of these programs are conducted in the Amdo Tibetan language. Particularly, inside the academy, there is also a nunnery with approximately 4,000 nuns – a rarity in other Buddhist centers across Asia.

Carrying the essence of Eastern Buddhism

Setting foot in Larung Gar, many are awe-struck by the picturesque sight of closely built red wooden houses nestled in a windy and vast valley.

Due to its elevation of over 3,800m above sea level and the perennial icy air, the residents here have mastered the art of combating harsh weather conditions. Beyond layering themselves with thick clothing and constructing heat-retaining wooden houses, they also turn to the teachings of Buddha as an effective means to ward off the biting cold. Deep down, the locals believe that the compassionate Buddha will always warm the souls of their vulnerable children.

Furthermore, Larung Gar is renowned as the largest Buddhist Academy in the world, with over 50,000 monks, novices, and nuns converging here. Naturally, they have to embrace a life of seclusion – or in other words, completely detach from the outside hustle and bustle to find inner peace through meditation and attain enlightenment on their path of spiritual fulfillment.

Living in a vast valley governed by strict spiritual rules, the practitioners here still enjoy the basic amenities of life: venturing to the market for a few bottles of characteristic condensed milk in the early morning, exploring mystical spiritual areas within the Academy, and, most importantly, using smartphones just like any other ordinary person.

From the early hours, while the world still slumbers in deep sleep, the venerable monks start their journey to the academy. Clad in warm, deep red attire and adorned with prayer beads, they engage in meditation, delve into Buddhist teachings, or Eastern philosophy.

As a fixed cycle, they return home to prepare vegetarian meals only after the sun has set. Larung Gar at night transforms into a mesmerizing spectacle, with thousands of twinkling lights cascading from the mountaintop to the base. It resembles a small city amidst the vast backdrop of the untamed mountainous wilderness in the remote land of Western Tibet.

Every year, around 1,000 new wooden houses are constructed here, a collaborative effort involving both professional labor and contributions from monks, nuns, and local residents alike.

Explore Young Minds

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Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour