SongZan LinSi ZangBao ZhanLanGuan
SongZan LinSi ZangBao ZhanLanGuan
SongZan LinSi ZangBao ZhanLanGuan
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
73 reviews
Excellent
37
Very good
26
Average
9
Poor
0
Terrible
1
GrazyLP
Bangkok47 contributions
Oct 2020 • Family
We wanted to visit this temple in this Tibetan setting and landscape and we didn’t regret at all! Beautiful location in a small village with many monks. Peaceful temple and a monk was blessing all the visitors. The walk to the temple was also so lovely. A place not to miss. I could go back there many times.
Written October 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cheerz
Singapore, Singapore337 contributions
Jun 2019 • Friends
I give it a 4 rating as I joined a tour group and did not have ample time to visit the whole monastery.
The monastery is the religious center of the Tibetan Buddhism (Yellow Hat / Gelukpa/ 黄教/ 格鲁派) in the ZongDian/ Shangri-La area. There are about 700- 1200 lamas (monks) at the temple at any one time, learning about Buddhism, chanting, performing rituals and ‘sky burial’ for the population around the area.
The architecture is very similar to the Potala temple in Lhasa, Tibet. There are guided tours which last for about 1.5 hours every 25 minutes. Our guide, who is a local (not a monk) has been a guide for 6 years and is knowledgeable about (Tibetan) Buddhism. Perhaps due to time limit, he did not point out the different statues and paintings of the god/ goddess. If your main objective is to admire the architecture of the temple, you can also walk around by yourself but beware of the basic courtesy of visiting a temple and photography is not allowed inside the main halls of the temple.
There are 3 big statues in the main halls (
Je Tsongkhapa/ 宗咯巴, Shakyamuni Buddha/ 释迦摩尼佛 and if I remember correctly the 5th Dalai Lama) and many more smaller statues, wall paintings and scroll paintings (Tang-Ka / 唐卡). The statues are beautifully crafted, the paintings are colourful and every detail is well taken care of.
The paintings include various guardian deities who protect human kinds against devils and are typically very fierce looking (some even in scary appearances).
I did not have the chance to visit the 8 smaller halls/ chambers due to time constrain but will definitely do that during my next visit.
For a good photo of the whole temple, it’s better to cross the road towards the lake opposition the temple.
Note:
1. Be prepared for sudden weather change as there is no covered walk way. Bring along umbrella or raincoat.
2. No photography, sunglasses and hats/ cabs in the main altars/ halls.
3. Be respectful to the lamas/ monks, similar to the locals
4. Do not step on the door sill/ threshold when you enter the hall/ chamber.
If you are interested in the Tibetan religion, architecture and art, you can easily spend 3-4 hours at the monastery.
The monastery is the religious center of the Tibetan Buddhism (Yellow Hat / Gelukpa/ 黄教/ 格鲁派) in the ZongDian/ Shangri-La area. There are about 700- 1200 lamas (monks) at the temple at any one time, learning about Buddhism, chanting, performing rituals and ‘sky burial’ for the population around the area.
The architecture is very similar to the Potala temple in Lhasa, Tibet. There are guided tours which last for about 1.5 hours every 25 minutes. Our guide, who is a local (not a monk) has been a guide for 6 years and is knowledgeable about (Tibetan) Buddhism. Perhaps due to time limit, he did not point out the different statues and paintings of the god/ goddess. If your main objective is to admire the architecture of the temple, you can also walk around by yourself but beware of the basic courtesy of visiting a temple and photography is not allowed inside the main halls of the temple.
There are 3 big statues in the main halls (
Je Tsongkhapa/ 宗咯巴, Shakyamuni Buddha/ 释迦摩尼佛 and if I remember correctly the 5th Dalai Lama) and many more smaller statues, wall paintings and scroll paintings (Tang-Ka / 唐卡). The statues are beautifully crafted, the paintings are colourful and every detail is well taken care of.
The paintings include various guardian deities who protect human kinds against devils and are typically very fierce looking (some even in scary appearances).
I did not have the chance to visit the 8 smaller halls/ chambers due to time constrain but will definitely do that during my next visit.
For a good photo of the whole temple, it’s better to cross the road towards the lake opposition the temple.
Note:
1. Be prepared for sudden weather change as there is no covered walk way. Bring along umbrella or raincoat.
2. No photography, sunglasses and hats/ cabs in the main altars/ halls.
3. Be respectful to the lamas/ monks, similar to the locals
4. Do not step on the door sill/ threshold when you enter the hall/ chamber.
If you are interested in the Tibetan religion, architecture and art, you can easily spend 3-4 hours at the monastery.
Written June 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fangxin S
Singapore, Singapore130 contributions
Dec 2017 • Family
Very beautiful monastery, from the carpark, take a shuttle bus to the entrance of the park. We had a guided tour planned for us by the travel agency, and we visited 3 main temples in the monastery. Photography is allowed in the exterior but not in interior of the temple. Do also remove hats and sunglasses in the temple in respect. View is very good. The guide is very informative. Overall, excellent!
Written December 20, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
רועי ד
Tel Aviv, Israel107 contributions
Sep 2016 • Couples
We got there with bus line 3, which gets to the temple, but right before we got there a soldier took us off the bus (only the non chinese tourists) and demanded a 115 yuan fee for the entrance and for the special bus (bus #3 which we paid for! Gets to the same place the Chinese tourists weren't requested to pay another dime!) We said we don't want a special bus and we'll walk the 3 km to the next station! Then they stopped us again saying you can't enter by walking!
115 yuan to get into a budhist monastery, isn't that against their own belief???
The temple is OK...
115 yuan to get into a budhist monastery, isn't that against their own belief???
The temple is OK...
Written September 9, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ralf M
Lienz, Austria2,069 contributions
Jul 2016 • Family
For foreigners like me there is of course a language barrier, as well as an cultural one, so I will not get all the infos and background of such a place.
But it is a very impressive, great place of history, of Tibetan Culture and Buddhism. The temple is very old but suffered - as we were told in cultural revolution seriously and was damaged. Now it is mostly restarted back - although it might not be all the same paintings and statues like before.
My recommendation: Behave respectful and friendly to the local people praying here and to the monks...
But it is a very impressive, great place of history, of Tibetan Culture and Buddhism. The temple is very old but suffered - as we were told in cultural revolution seriously and was damaged. Now it is mostly restarted back - although it might not be all the same paintings and statues like before.
My recommendation: Behave respectful and friendly to the local people praying here and to the monks...
Written July 3, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Malindi S
South Africa52 contributions
Mar 2015 • Couples
I travelled alone to Shangri La and wanted to see a proper monastery. I know that many people say that this wasn't worth their while but as a solo traveller, I really enjoyed wandering the streets and temples. The monks are not to fond of tourists (understandably) but if you just chill and hang around for a while and act friendly, they seem to tolerate your presence.
Check it out if you are in the region.
Check it out if you are in the region.
Written February 10, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SOH KIEN PENG
Singapore, Singapore9,320 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
It is very easy to reach this monastery from the coach station or from the old town. The public bus no 3 ply from the old town and the vicinity of the coach station. The bus fare is only RMB 1. Alternatively, you can rent a bicycle and cycle there. For me, I took the bus from the Dukezong Ancient Town. The bus will convey you right to the front entrance of the monastery. If you cycle, you can bypass the payment counter and go directly into the front entrance of the monastery.
The uniqueness of this monastery is the architectural design. Tibetan architecture is spectacular and the gold tinted temple sparkled and glittered with luster under the sun. The temple looks like a miniature version of the Potalla Palace at Lhasa and it was awesomely beautiful when you are able to take a picture of it from the lake in front of the temple.
I did not happen to see many monks outside the temple. I only happened to see a monk quietly standing at a corner near the lakeside practicing blowing his long bugle. I was keen in knowing Tibetan Buddhism culture but other than the decorative outlook of the temple, I could not see any guides around who could explain or guide the visitors in understanding the religion and the beliefs. The only visible signs outside the prayer halls of the temple was to warn visitors from taking photos.
I think religion should not hide mysteriously behind thick curtains and temples stood aloof far perched at the hill top may give an impression that it was isolated from the masses and was not friendly or proactive in helping the individual in their salvation. Somehow, I think the lamas monk can be around to help visitors to better understand the religion and answer their queries instead of just stopping visitors from taking photos.
I think the lamas could play a more proactive role in letting visitors understand their culture and beliefs. That would make the visit more fruitful and meaningful.
The uniqueness of this monastery is the architectural design. Tibetan architecture is spectacular and the gold tinted temple sparkled and glittered with luster under the sun. The temple looks like a miniature version of the Potalla Palace at Lhasa and it was awesomely beautiful when you are able to take a picture of it from the lake in front of the temple.
I did not happen to see many monks outside the temple. I only happened to see a monk quietly standing at a corner near the lakeside practicing blowing his long bugle. I was keen in knowing Tibetan Buddhism culture but other than the decorative outlook of the temple, I could not see any guides around who could explain or guide the visitors in understanding the religion and the beliefs. The only visible signs outside the prayer halls of the temple was to warn visitors from taking photos.
I think religion should not hide mysteriously behind thick curtains and temples stood aloof far perched at the hill top may give an impression that it was isolated from the masses and was not friendly or proactive in helping the individual in their salvation. Somehow, I think the lamas monk can be around to help visitors to better understand the religion and answer their queries instead of just stopping visitors from taking photos.
I think the lamas could play a more proactive role in letting visitors understand their culture and beliefs. That would make the visit more fruitful and meaningful.
Written April 17, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nellielim
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia4,019 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
We made a special trip here as we have read about this temple. There is a Y30 entrance fee. The main monastery faces an open courtyard and there seemed to be some construction going on. We had to remove our shoes before entering the main hall. As we were walked around, a monk came in and when he saw the camera around my neck, shouted loudly and rudely at me that no pictures are allowed. Such loudness and rudeness in the presence of Buddhas in the hall! We were really shocked that such a behavior is displayed by the monk. He could have told us nicelyl In the face of such behaviour, we felt really unwelcome and left after that. If they are unhappy about visitors to their temple, then they should not collect any entrance fee to allow visitors in.
Written December 25, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BobbyGentry
Nanjing, China574 contributions
Dec 2022 • Family
Songzanlin Monastery, the largest Tibetan Buddhist Lamasery in Yunnan. It was built in 1679 during the Qing dynasty. It was architecturally modelled on the Potala Palace in Lhasa.
Shangri-la (formerly Zhongdian 2001 - known to Tibetans as Gyalthang (meaning Royal Plains)), made famous by the 1930s author James Hilton's ‘Lost Horizon,’ and the Oscar-winning film version by the same name (Shangri-la being a fictional utopian lamasery located high in the Himalayan mountains.) The town is at 3,200m above sea level.
Shangri-la (formerly Zhongdian 2001 - known to Tibetans as Gyalthang (meaning Royal Plains)), made famous by the 1930s author James Hilton's ‘Lost Horizon,’ and the Oscar-winning film version by the same name (Shangri-la being a fictional utopian lamasery located high in the Himalayan mountains.) The town is at 3,200m above sea level.
Written December 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joel K
Vancouver, Canada3,739 contributions
Oct 2019
This is one of many stupas in the Shangri-La area. Quite elaborate and beautiful. This stupa had many levels on a small hillock.
Written February 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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