Changme Monastery


About 41km from Gyantse is the county capital of Panam and the 15th-century Changme Monastery. Levelled in the Cultural Revolution, the monastery was rebuilt in 2006 and is home to 18 monks. In the inner chapel look for three lifelike statues: King Trisong Detsen (wearing a white hat), Shantarakshita (wearing a red hat) and Padmasambhava.

According to lore, it was Shantarakshita (at the behest of Trisong Detsen) who invited Padmasambhava to Tibet in order to subdue Tibetan devils and demons.


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