Lhagang monastery is the first ever Buddhist monastery in Kham or far eastern Tibet, originally the monastery practices Kagyupa sect and then later it changed into Sakyapa sect. It currently has 108 white stupas behind the main temple and few hundreds of prayer wheels all around the monastery.
According to the history, one of the Indian Eighty Mahasiddhas, Huchen Kara visited this holy place and magically built a stupa and named it as Drupthok Choeten which literally means Stupa of Mahasiddhas.
Later great scholars like Brahmin Saraha, Brahmin Gunpo, Vairochana, Guru Padmasambava, Yudra, Phakpa and four other Minyag local scholars built stupas which are still exist with other holy remains like speaking statue of Avalokiteshvara, Divine Conch Shell, Trumpet and conch of Vairochana, footprint of Dharmaraj Phakpa and so on.
Lhagang monastery is one of the popular monasteries in the Kham region and it receives thousands of local pilgrims every year to see its most holy image of Jowo Shakyamuni. Four spiritual mountains of Avalokiteshvara, Vajrapani, Manjushri and Tara surround the monastery.
Currently there are about 100 monks in the monastery and up to 90 monks studying at the Lhagong Buddhist Institution, this institute receives monks from all over the region to do their further Buddhist study and practice their Buddhist philosophical debate in the cord yard.
Moreover the Lhagang monastery has opened a monastic school that teaches basic Tibetan language and Buddhist study for primary level, but currently it is only boys and then after they completed the school they can decide whether continues study Buddhist philosophy at the monastery, with help of some international NGOs, this monastic school is also trying to introduce some vocational training among the kids like Thangka painting and carpenter.
Printing House-Dege Parkhang
The celebrated printing press of Dege Parkhang is a magnificent three-storeyed building with original frescoes that were blackened by smoke during the wanton destruction of the 1960s, but recently restored with pains-taking care. Beyond the portico, there is an inner courtyard, giving access to the temple on the ground level, the printing works on the second level, and the rooftop chapels on the third level. The temple contains original exquisite images of the three emanations of Manjughosa, namely; Sakya Pandita, flanked by Tsongkhapa and Longchen Rabjampa; along with Four-armed Avalokiteshvara, Amitabha, Shakyamuni, Padmasambhava, Manjughosa, Tara, Pelpung Situ Chokyi Junge, and King Tenpa Tsering. There is an old tangka depicting Milarepa and murals of the 1,000 buddhas of the aeon.
Upstair, is the precious collection of xylograph blocks, including the Derge editions of the Kangyur, Tangyur, Nyingma Gyudbum and other works, which are constantly in demand throughout the towns, villages and monasteries of Tibet. The entire printing process can be observed here; from the preparation of the paper and the ink to the carving of the woodblocks and the actual printing and collating of the various texts. The bookshop is located in the south wing of the building opposite the Parkhang.
Dzogchen Rudam Orgyen Samten Choling Monastery
Dzogchen monastery is recognized as the major pilgrimage site in East Tibet plateau and as one of the largest monastery of Nyingmapa sect in Kham. It sits at an altitude of 4023 meter, in the concealed valley of Rudam Kyitram, dominated to the southwest by the jagged snow peaks of Trori Dorjee Shiltrom(5846m). The monastery was founded in 1684-85 on the advice of the fifth Dalai Lama, by the charismatic first Dzogchen Pema Rigzin (1625-97), and it was subsequently maintained by his students, including Shechen Rapjam Tenpei Gyaltsen, and by his successive incarnations. Among the latter, second Dzogchen Gyurme Thekchok Tenzin (1699-1758) is know to have inspired the king of Dege to establish the famous Dege Parkhang (prining house), third Dzogchen Ngedon Tenzin Sangpo (1759-92) built 13 hermitages, colleges and mantra-wheels. Later the Dzogchen linages had improve their teaching and its Dzogchen branch monasteries throughout the Tibet plateau.
Dzogchen monastery was renowned for the study of philosophy and Vajrayana untill the mid 20th century. Apart from that the monastery as equally renowned for its meditation hermitages and the caves which were inhabited by hermits in the upper reaches of the Rubdam Hyitram valley. Important figures such as Dodrub Trinley Ozer (1745-1821), Do Khentse Yeshi Dorje, Peltrul Rinpoche and Mipham Rinpoche passed many years in meditation in this region, the rocks of which are intimately connected with their visionary experiences. It was also here that the Peltrul Rinpoche composed his great commentary on the preliminary practices of Buddhist meditation.