[2025 Sertar Attraction] Travel Guide for Dongga Temple (Updated Mar)

| Mysterious Red Buddhist Kingdom. A sacred place of Tibetan Buddhism, the red house complex and profound cultural heritage attract countless pilgrims and travelers. The dense red houses cover the valley like a red ocean. In the early morning, the sunlight shines on the wooden huts, and the interplay of light and shadow tells the story of the perseverance of the practitioners. Attraction introduction: 📍Seda Larung Gar Buddhist Academy: One of the largest Tibetan Buddhist academies in the world, the monks' quarters here are spectacular, with dense wooden huts scattered throughout the valley for miles. 📍Dongga Temple: A famous Nyingma temple in the Tibetan area, listed as one of the three major temples in Seda. 📍Sky Burial Platform: A place to learn about the Tibetan sky burial customs. 📍Mandala: Overlooking the entire valley, enjoy a quiet and brilliant night. Ticket booking notes Booking is divided into online and offline, online booking must be made three days in advance in the "Larung Valley Reservation" mini program. Offline booking cannot be made on the same day, and must be made one day in advance at the Seda Jinma Grassland Distribution Center. 👔Notes: 1. Seda Buddhist Academy is not a scenic spot, but a place for religious activities, so be sure to respect the local religious beliefs when visiting. 2. Drones are prohibited in the Buddhist Academy. 3. Social vehicles are not allowed to enter, so you need to park your vehicle in the Luoruo Town parking lot in advance and take the shuttle bus at the distribution center. 4. The average altitude of Seda is about 4,000 meters, so always pay attention to your physical condition. 5. You need to book tickets three days in advance to enter Seda. 6. Do not take away some of the colorful carved stones. 7. Do not wear skirts into the temple, and do not touch the Buddha statues and monks' belongings.

| Seda Dongga Temple has great weather! 🌟 Is Dongga Temple worth a visit? The answer is definitely yes. If you plan to stay in Seda for two days, it is recommended to include Dongga Temple in your itinerary. Not only does it bear the mark of history, but it is also a gift from nature. 📍 With its unique architectural style and tranquil environment, Dongga Temple has become a must-visit destination for many travelers and photography enthusiasts. 📸 Photo tips: • Best photo spots: The white walls, red walls, golden roofs, and rows of white pagodas of Dongga Temple are all must-see backdrops. Whether it's sunrise or sunset, you can take photos with a strong sense of story. • Dress suggestions: It is recommended to wear brightly colored clothes, or rent a Tibetan robe in Seda County. The simplicity of the temple forms a sharp contrast, making the photos more outstanding. • Prop recommendations: Bring a wide-brimmed hat or a national style scarf to add a sense of layering to the photos. 🚶‍♂️ Tour methods: • Self-driving or local one-day tour experience: Walk slowly and appreciate every detail. If you are in a small group with a tour guide, you can also listen to the explanation. Learn about the history and cultural stories of the temple. • The tour is free of charge, keep quiet during the tour, and don't disturb the monks. ⏰ Tour time: • Best time: Spring and autumn are the most beautiful seasons of Dongga Temple, with pleasant climate and picturesque scenery. • Recommended duration: 1-2 hours, you can take a leisurely tour, Dongga Temple is not big. 🍃 Environmental experience: • Natural scenery: Dongga Temple is surrounded by magnificent mountains and clear streams, and it is an excellent place to appreciate the beauty of nature. • Tranquil atmosphere: The atmosphere in the temple is quiet and peaceful, and it is a good place to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. 🌈 Dongga Temple is not just a temple, it is a witness to history and a gift from nature. Here, you can slow down, feel the passage of time, and experience the tranquility of life.

My friends and I embarked on a trip to western Sichuan, with our first stop being Seda. My friends told me that a trip to Seda is not complete without a visit to Dongga Temple. Dongga Temple in Seda County is located on the Hailuo Mountain in the Jinma Grassland of Yalong Township, Ganzi Prefecture. Built in 1686, it is one of the three most famous temples in Seda and the largest Gelug temple in Yadong. Dongga Temple is very close to Seda County, about a 10-minute drive. Admission is free and no reservation is required. You can drive directly to the entrance of the temple without having to climb the mountain. The white pagoda is very photogenic. Remember to wear brightly colored clothes. Dongga Temple is slow and quiet. Visitors can slow down and listen to the devout Sanskrit, making it a good place to purify the mind. Photography is allowed inside and outside the Dongga Temple. You need to take off your shoes to enter the temple, and you also need to take off your sunglasses and hat, which is a respect for the temple culture. The temple is really golden and magnificent. The chandeliers are really exquisite and beautiful. If you come to Seda, you must come here to appreciate the charm of traditional Tibetan architecture.

Dongga Temple is one of the three major temples in Seda County, located on a mountain resembling a white conch about 6 km west of the county seat. The panoramic view of Seda County can be seen from afar. The temple was founded by Qu Xiwujin in 1686. The main hall has a building area of about 800 square meters and is about 10 meters high. There is a statue of Sakyamuni in the hall, a religious mural, a carved dragon on a red pillar, and colorful and dazzling colors. The atmosphere is solemn and solemn, and the momentum is magnificent. The living Buddha of the temple, Endeng Qujini, has practiced in India for several years and has been respected by the Indian Dharma King. His Dharma name is "Kangqu Pula", which means a lama who can fly on the water. The temple has a long history of precious cultural relics: 1,000 bells, 1 person, 1 silver-plated gold incense burner, and more than 10 small bronze-plated gold Buddha statues. For more than 300 years, the temple has systematically taught the five Ming and the secret teachings of the public, and has cultivated many Kambu and the great achievers who have realized the great perfection. The second Dongdongga Living Buddha was 19 years old and was famous for flying over the Yarlung Zangbo River. He became the mentor of the eighth Dalai Lama and was the top of the kings of Nepal and Bhutan. At present, the renovation work of the Lotus Light Palace, the size of the seminary, and the Qingxiu Academy in the temple have been completed. There are more than 400 monks in the temple who live and study. Tourists can appreciate the mystery of Tibetan culture and taste the artistic conception of "holy land and pure land".

Just after leaving the house, I found a magnificent temple by the roadside... I checked the map and found out its name is Dongga Temple. Feeling inspired, I decided to go up the mountain. The scenery at the top is really beautiful, with a vast sky and clouds, offering an unobstructed view. The temple exudes a sense of understated luxury from the outside to the inside, with various statues of deities inside... There were also lamas chanting scriptures with great concentration. Although it has been around for 500 years, compared to the bustling F Academy, it feels a bit obscure... even a bit desolate... But I quite like it here, with its peaceful and serene atmosphere... The national road from Seda to Ganzi completely exceeded my expectations... No wonder some people call Route 317 the 'Road of Hell.' Not only is it at a high altitude, but it's also full of sharp, winding mountain roads with cliffs on one side and steep slopes on the other, making the drive heart-pounding... But the scenery is truly beautiful, offering an endless view at the peak... Snow-capped mountains, grasslands, lakes, surrounded by clouds and mist. I deeply regret not bringing my pocket camera to capture it all... The section from Ganzi to Dege was not favored by the weather, with some drizzling rain, so I couldn't capture the best state of Yulong Laco (Xinlu Lake) as I passed by... The rain got heavier and heavier, so instead of rushing, I decided to have a cup of roaming coffee ... Today's insights: * I didn't do enough research. After leaving Seda, I should have taken the Ganbai Road to see Yaqing Temple. I hesitated at the intersection but ultimately took Route 317, mainly considering the electric car's range... * The second hesitation today was at Zhashi Teling Temple, whether to take a detour to Cuotong Cui Lake. The guide said the road conditions were poor, and I was worried about tire damage from gravel and the low ground clearance... So I gave up, feeling a bit regretful... An off-road vehicle would have been better.

: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : ️Precautions 1️⃣Seda is a holy place of Tibetan Buddhism. When visiting, you should respect local customs and beliefs, and do not take photos of local monks or their lives at will 2️⃣ If you encounter someone asking for money in the Buddhist Academy, it is basically a scam, so be careful to distinguish 3️⃣ Do not bring fire, smoke, live broadcast, or take drone photos 4️⃣Seda is located in a high-altitude area. If you have altitude sickness, drink a small amount of water frequently and keep resting . 🎒Travel equipment .1. Documents: ID card, student ID 2. A small amount of cash is required 3. Clothing: thick clothes and pants, hats 4. Daily necessities: sunglasses, umbrellas, sunscreen, lip balm, tissues, thermos cups, waist bags/backpacks (carry valuables with you) 5. Electronic equipment: chargers, cameras 6. Others: cosmetics, snacks, bread, water

Seda Route Seda Buddhist Academy → Jinma Grassland → Danqing Medicine King Mountain → Dongga Temple Buddhist Academy Route Observation Deck → Altar City → Library → Great Hall → Sky Burial Platform → Reclining Buddha Temple → Long Staircase 📷Check-in points 1️⃣Observation Deck: You can overlook the Buddhist Academy, a great place for photos. 2️⃣ Altar City: Clockwise around the prayer wheel, a place that emits golden light, with three layers in total. 3️⃣Reclining Buddha Temple: Next to the altar, no photos are allowed here. 4️⃣Long Staircase: You must walk through it once!! The staircase going down from the Altar City. 5️⃣Dongga Temple: You can see it as soon as you enter Seda, and it's really shocking to take photos inside. 📝Reservation Method Larong Gou Mini Program: Make a reservation 2 days in advance, the round-trip ticket is 30, wait for the car at the Luoruo Collection Center in advance. Seda Jinma Grassland Tourist Collection Center: Round trip 40/person, directly go offline to buy the ticket for the next day. 🚶Travel Tips 1️⃣You can take pictures of the morning mist at 8 o'clock in the morning, and the sun shining on the red houses at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. 2️⃣The tour time is 1 hour. If you miss it, it's okay. You can wait to leave with the next bus (the last bus is at 8 o'clock). 3️⃣You can't wear a hat in the Buddha Hall, your clothes can't be revealing, and don't casually take pictures of monks and Tibetans on the road. 4️⃣It is recommended to stay in Seda County, book tickets offline directly from the county, and you can also rent Tibetan clothes in the county~ 5️⃣The altitude of Seda is about 4000, the temperature is very low during this period, wear cotton clothes/down jackets, we wore thick Tibetan clothes and it was very cold❄️

There are many friends who know about Seda, but most of my friends only know that Seda has Wuming Buddhist College and Tianyuetai. In fact, Dongpu Temple not far from the Buddhist College is worth seeing. Dongpu, which means white conch in Tibetan, is named after Dongpu Temple. Dongpu Temple is one of the famous temples of the Tibetan Buddhism Nyingma School, and it is the first of the 13 temples in ancient and modern times. It is the largest and most influential Gelugpa temple in Yadong, and it is an important temple in the modern history of Tibet.