Ramoche Monastery

Ramoche Monastery

Brief Introduction: The sister monastery to the Jokhang, the Ramoche was constructed around the same time as its more famous sibling. It was originally built to house the Jowo Sakyamuni image brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng. Sometime in the 8th century the Skyamuni image was moved to the Jokhang and replaced with the image of Jowo Mikyoba (Akshobhya), brought to Tibet in the 7th century by King Songtsen Gampo’s Nepali wife, Princess Bhrikuti. By the mid-15th century the monastery had become Lhasa’s Upper Tantric College. It is an early witness of the cultural exchange and integration between the Han and the Tibetan, and represents the harmony of ethnic relations and Buddhist culture.

In terms of architecture, the Ramoche Monastery combines the two styles and condenses the wisdom of Han and Tibetan. The monastery burnt down several times overy history, and was then rebuilt repeatedly. Only the bottom shrine remains from the early period, and the pillars in the monastery still retain the Tuobo style. The main building of the Ramoche Monastery is three-storied. The first floor consists of a gate, scripture halls and Buddha halls, surrounded by prayer corridors. The whole building reflects the combined style of Tibetan and Han ethnic groups. Now it is known as Gyuto Monastery, where monks learn and prctice Esoteric Bddhism.