Built in the year of 1385, Shegar Chode Monastery is located in Tingri County, Shigatse area, 7 kilometers away from Tingri Everest Hotel. This temple is constructed near the mountain containing about 35 monks at present. The unique wall made of gobbet and sun-dried mud brick and after four times of rehabilitation and expansion made the appearance of Chode Monastery become increasingly attractive to tourists from all over the world.
According to legend, there was a practice hole on its site before the construction of this monastery in the year of 1385. Since its initial construction, Shegar Chode Monastery has been expanded to the scale of containing more than 100 monks with a variety of sects coexisting together, living in harmony, involved the Sakya sect, the Shalu sect and Gelug sect. Totally, there are about 15 halls in the temple and mainly enshrined gilded Shakyamuni Buddha which is of 9 meters high. In 1645, all monks within the temple embraced the Gelug Sect during the ruling of the fifth Dalai Lama. In addition, the temple has served 28 Khenpo one after another and later became a subordinated temple of the Sera Monastery in Lhasa, being authorized to manage the territory here of Sera Monastery which including rents collection and also labor dispatch, etc. Furthermore, Shegar Chode Monastery once has been well-known for its printed Buddhist sutras with more than 100 pieces of precious cultural relics being preserved for today involved the Buddhist scriptures of fingerprint, board of scripture, Thangka, chronicles of Shegar, silks, satins, statues and implements used in a Buddhist mass which contribute a lot to both historical research and scientific research. In 1985, there was a reconstruction of this temple and till now, there are 4 halls and 40 monks in total within Shegar Chode Monastery, worshipped Vajrayana Buddha. When it comes to activities related to this temple, there will be a horse racing held each year, which is spontaneously celebrated by local villagers after the busy season of each year. It will be jubilated for 7 days with abundant contents including horse racing, dance competition, singing and so on.
Here we’ll go on learning something important about traveling there. In Tingri County, the Tingri Everest Hotel is getting an increasing popularity among numerous tourists on basis of its relatively good living condition. Tourists who travel from Tingri to Mount Everest will commonly choose to settle in Rongbuk Monastery and the Everest Base Camp also located here. Besides that, here are some military depots of the Liberation Army and transportation depots that offer poor condition accommodations surrounded by walls but without shower, restaurants, lights and other equipment for travelers. One small room will always be placed 2 or 3 beds while a big room usually is able to accommodate 10 people by boards nailed on the floor. The management is loose, though, there will be someone to help you open the door if you call out. Bottles are offered and you can ask them to help you with hot water. Although the quilts are provided in the temple, it is strongly recommended to bring your own sleeping bags with you for you will feel better especially in cold winter. The quilt and sleeping bags together of course will be warmer however there may be no pillow for you here. Accommodation in the temple for one night often charges 20 RMB per one.
