| Nyethang Drolma Temple | |
|---|---|
Tibetan transcription(s) Tibetan: སྙེ་ཐང་སྒྲོལ་མ་ལྷ་ཁང་ Wylie transliteration: snye thang sgrol ma lha khang THL: Nyétang Drölma Lhakhang Chinese transcription(s) Simplified: 聶塘卓瑪拉康 Pinyin: Niètáng Zhuómǎ Lākāng | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Tibetan Buddhism |
| Sect | Gelug |
| Location | |
| Location | Nyêtang, Qüxü County, Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China |
| Country | China |
  Location within theTibet Autonomous Region,China | |
| Geographic coordinates | 29°31′46″N90°56′59″E / 29.529446°N 90.949693°E /29.529446; 90.949693 |
| Architecture | |
| Founder | Atiśa,Dromtön |
| Date established | Song dynasty |
TheNyethang Drolma Temple (Wylie:snye thang sgrol ma lha khang) is a temple inNyêtang in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China dedicated toTara. It is associated withAtiśa (980–1054), who founded theKadam school ofTibetan Buddhism. The monastery survived theCultural Revolution relatively undamaged. It is dedicated toTara, a femalebodhisattva, and contains many statues and paintings of Tara.
The Nyethang Drolma Temple is southwest of Lhasa on the Qüshü–Nepal Highway 36 kilometres (22 mi) from the county seat and 33 kilometres (21 mi) fromLhasa.[1] It is inNyétang, Qüxü County.[2] It is easily accessible from Lhasa and many pilgrims visit it.[2] In 2012, the temple had 25 monks.[3] Another source states there are just sevenGelug monks.[4]
Atiśa taught theFour Tantras to physicians in the monastery, and later died there.[5]Some sources say that Atiśa built the monastery, which was expanded after his death by his pupilDromtön.[2] Another version says that Dromtön raised funds to build the temple to commemorate his old friend.[1] In 1057 Dromtön brought Atisha's body from Nyethang toReting Monastery, and placed his remains in astupa built by an Indian artist.[6]
The monastery survived theCultural Revolution without much damage, and was able to preserve most of its valuable artifacts, due to the intervention of PremierZhou Enlai at the request of the government of what is nowBangladesh.[5] The main hall was rebuilt in the 1990s.[2] In March 2010, a project began to restore the southern hall, which had deteriorated in the 1980s due to poor maintenance. 900,000 yuan were allocated for the job.[7]
The small two-story temple is a good example of 11th century Tibetan temple architecture.[8] The temple has a long, open porch with regularly-spaced symmetrical windows.[9] TheDalai Lama used the second floor as a residence; he often came to visit and worship.[2] This floor today has a library and some meditation rooms.[3] In the interior there are three small chapels.[8] The south hall of the temple is the Coffin Tower Hall of Atiśa. It has a floor area of 359 square metres (3,860 sq ft).[7]
The temple has many statues and paintings of Tara, a famous female bodhisattva.[2] The depictions of Tara are colored in natural pigments of white, blue, green and red.[8] In thesutra-chanting chapel, there are 21 life-size bronze statues of Tara. The main statue is ofGautama Buddha with a small statue of Atiśa to the left.[3] There is a relic fromNaropa at this site as well.[9]
Hugh Edward Richardson photographed a figure of Atiśa in ceremonial dress enthroned in a shrine in one of the temples. Steps led to the throne, and there were five bowls of water offerings on the topmost one. There was a gilded roof immediately above the figure's head above which was aceremonial umbrella.[10] Other preserved artifacts include two clay statues of theFour Heavenly Kings, a stone grinder thatYuthog Yontan Gonpo used in making medicines and stacks of old manuscripts that make up theKangyur section of theTibetan Buddhist canon.[5]
