Sershul Monastery in Sichuan / Kham Tibet

Sershul, other names are Shiqu county, Serchul or Dzachuka is located the bordering of Qinghai and Sichuan province. It’s about 135km east from Jyekundo(Yushu) from Qinghai and 220km west of Manigango from Sichuan. This is one of the highland towns […]

Sershul, other names are Shiqu county, Serchul or Dzachuka is located the bordering of Qinghai and Sichuan province. It’s about 135km east from Jyekundo(Yushu) from Qinghai and 220km west of Manigango from Sichuan. This is one of the highland towns in Tibetan region with an elevation of 4000m / 13123ft. Sershul is found at the upper reaches of Yalong River. The Sershul town itself is a newly built nomadic town which holds some interest as a trading center for the surrounding nomadic grasslands. The town is still under development and expansion, so it may add some features in the future. There are many nomads herding yaks and sheep at the outskirt of the town of Sershul or Dzachuka.

The town opposite Sershul Monastery in Sichuan

Sershul Monastery་༼སེར་ཤུལ་དགོན༽ is an important Gelupa monastery lies on the wide and beautiful grassland attached with green hill about 30km northwest of Sershul County towards Yushu. This is the biggest monastery in Sershul area which hosts more than 500 monks at the present. There were 1500 monks in it’s peak in early 19th century.

Overlooking view of the Sershul Monastery and Grassland.

Sershul Monastery has six existing temples, most of which are fairly well preserved since before 1949. The oldest temple, which is more than 300 years old, contains two great chanting halls devoted to Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelugpa lineage. It also contains many precious relics including one of Je Tsongkhapa’s teeth preserved within a sacred small stupa in the upper gallery and also kept a collection of rare sacred Buddhist objects, like the wooden block and hammer used during the initiation and penance ceremonies of monks at the Nalanda University in India at the time of Gautama Buddha – some of the objects having a history of more than 2,000 years.

Sershul Monastery Assembly Hall

There are also many valuable sacred relics left by eminent monks after their deaths. Examples are for instance when Trinley Norbu lama died in 1995, a mark was left on his skull in the image Vajrapani. In 1997 when Triwa Lobsang lama died, an image of Arya Tara was left on his heart. The best accommodation in this area is the Tibetan style Sershul Monastery restaurants and guesthouse which is located right the foot of the monastery. There is no shower but facilities and beddings are relatively clean.

Sershul Monastery in Sichuan

This monastery annually holds Monlam Festival or Prayer Festival and Buddhist teachings by the head of this Monastery in October. This is great time to visit this monastery, the monastery offers tents, blankets, food, tea for free for anyone come from outside. You will see many Tibetan nomads from Jyekundo(Yushu), Dege, Nagchu in Tibetan Autonomous Region to attend this week long Prayer Festival.

If you are staying overnight at the Sershul Monastery, I strongly recommend to follow pilgrims making the Kora around the monastery, it’s beautiful rest on the hillside above the monastery during sunset time.

The other activities to see in the monastery is the debating session in the courtyard in front of the main assembly hall where all the young monks come to debating Buddhist philosophical topics.

Monks debating at Sershul Monastery.

A small town lies opposite the monastery on the wide grassland of Dzachuka. If the monastery guesthouse is not available, you can stay in this town. There are few guesthouses with very basic facilities, you can have a private room but no shower and less sanitation. This town is for the nomads live nearby the monastery, so shops and restaurants are available both sides of the street.

Stupas in Sershul Monastery.

There is no entrance fee charged.

You can drive from Xining to Yushu and then to Sershul or drive from Chengdu to Ganzi and then to Sershul.