Sershul Monastery: The Sacred Gelug Academy and Home of the Maitreya on the Zaxika Grassland

The Sanctuary of the "Yellow Hat" Tribe

1.Located in Sershul: Town (Sêrxü), Shiqu County, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sershul Monastery (also known as Sêrxü Gompa) stands as a magnificent spiritual fortress on the vast Zaxika Grassland. Situated at an altitude of approximately 4,000 to 4,200 meters near the borders of Sichuan, Qinghai, and Tibet, it is the largest Gelugpa (Yellow Hat sect) monastery in the Garzê area,. The name "Sershul" translates to "descendants of the tribe wearing yellow hats," tracing its origins to a nomadic tribe that settled here. Founded in 1760 (the 25th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign), the monastery has a profound history connected to the disciples of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug school. Unlike many remote monasteries that are purely places of seclusion, Sershul is a vibrant center of learning and modern charity,.

A Treasury of Sacred Relics

Sershul Monastery is renowned for housing an extraordinary collection of holy objects, making it a "museum" of Tibetan Buddhism.

• 2.The Future Buddha: The monastery is home to a towering 19-meter high Maitreya Buddha (Jampa) statue. Made of copper and gilded with gold, it is the second-largest Maitreya statue in the Tibetan regions, radiating a solemn and compassionate aura,.
• 3.Tsongkhapa’s Tooth Relic: One of the most precious treasures is a tooth relic of Master Tsongkhapa. It is said to be the largest of the three surviving tooth relics of the master in the world, preserved within a sacred stupa,,.
• 4.Ancient Indian Artifacts: The collection includes rare items with a history of over 2,000 years, such as a staff and a wooden hammer (gandi) from the ancient Nalanda Temple in India, connecting the monastery directly to the roots of Buddhism,.

The Only "Geshe" Degree Academy in Kham

Sershul Monastery holds a unique academic status in the Kham region. It is distinguished as one of the few monasteries (often cited as the only one in Kham) qualified to grant the "Geshe" degree, which is equivalent to a doctorate in Buddhist philosophy,. The monastery maintains rigorous academic standards, housing both exoteric and esoteric colleges. Hundreds of monks engage in intense study and debate here, keeping the intellectual traditions of the Gelug school alive on the high plateau,.

A Model of Compassion and Charity

Beyond its religious and academic functions, Sershul Monastery is a beacon of modern philanthropy. The monastery has established a Tibetan medical hospital and a home for the elderly to serve the local nomadic population,. A testament to their spirit of "great compassion" occurred during the 2010 Yushu earthquake: over 900 monks from Sershul rushed to the disaster zone, rescuing more than 700 survivors and donating over 11 million RMB in funds and supplies, an act that earned them widespread respect and admiration,.

The Divine "Paradise Hall"

In recent years, the monastery has expanded with the construction of the Paradise Hall (Jile Shijie Jingtang). This magnificent hall enshrines a breathtaking assembly of 1,151 Buddha statues, creating a visual representation of the Pure Land to help believers visualize liberation,. The surroundings of the monastery are equally majestic, with the endless Zaxika Grassland stretching out, dotted with yak herds and the tents of the "Sun Tribe" nomads, offering a perfect blend of highland nature and spiritual devotion,.