Changzhu Monastery (35 RMB) 

Location: southern foot of Gongburi Mountain, east bank of Ya’you River (雅尤河), 2km from Naidong County (乃东县). Mini bus starts in Naidong Road with fare 2 RMB. 

Changzhu Monastery is the oldest monastery in Tibet. It belongs to the Geru Sect and is one of the historical and cultural relics under state protection. The monastery was build under the charge of Songzan’ganbu (松赞干布) about 1,300 years ago. The first temple in the Tubo Tsampo epoch (吐蕃) was in the Changzhu Monastery. It was told that it was the religious cultivation place for masters and dignitary hierarches such as Lianhuasheng and Mi’laba (米拉巴大师); thus made the monastery and the surrounding areas the holy lands for the Buddhist pilgrims. 

The greatest treasure of the monastery is the priceless pearl made Thangka Painting called “the Rest of Buddhist Goddess of Mercy”. One of the three great Tibetan Buddhism Festivals holds here annually on 14^th and 15^th days of 5th month of Tibetan calendar. 

Samye Monastery (桑耶寺) 

Admission free, however, 30 RMB for Wuzi Temple Hall (乌兹大殿). Coach starts at Lhasa, you get off in Samye Dukou (桑耶渡口), the trip takes about 3 hours and fare 27 RMB. You can also take bus at Zedang Town to get off at Samye Dukou, the fare is 27 RMB too. Afterwards, you take a mobile boat to cross the Brahmaputra for 360 RMB. 

Samye Monastery has been heralded as the “First Monastery in Tibet”. It is the first monastery in Tibetan Buddhism combined Buddhism, power of ways and monks. The murals inside are rich in contents of which the most famous is 92m-length “The Historical Record”, it tells the history and legends of Tibetan religion. 

Because the trip is long, it is better to lodge overnight in a small hostel inside the monastery for about 15 to 40 RMB. The monastery treasured various kinds of religious articles that Master Lianhuasheng – the founder of the monastery – used for Buddhism ceremonies.