Dangka Monastery Rebuilt After Yushu Quake

July,26 2016 BY Master Catherine Jigme 0 COMMENTS

Dangka Monastery Rebuilt After Yushu Quake

Two years ago, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu in Gansu Province and damaged Dangka Monastery. Reconstruction is nearly finished. CCTV reporter Ning Hong visited the new Dangka Monastery to find out how the work is coming along.

Rising from the ruins.

Before the earthquake on April 14th, 2010, Dangka Monastery had stood for nearly a thousand years. Reconstruction started two months after the quake hit, and is near completion.

Quja, monk of Dangka Monastery, said, "By this year, the construction had finished seventy to eighty percent. There are only 25 domitories left to build."

Dangka Monastery has 154 monks. Most of them have moved into the new dormitory. Most of the other buildings in the Monastery have also been completed. The sutra chanting hall will be finished this October.

Craftsmen are fashioning statues. Every detail is done by hand with delicacy and precision. The craftsmen are all Buddhists from Tibet’s Changdu Prefecture. It’s clearly a labor of love.

Tsetrim Songbo, head craftsman, said, "What we are doing is not like any other job, especially when making statues. If the proportion and scale are not done correctly, it won’t do me any good in this life or in the next."

Dangka Monastery belongs to the Bka’rgyud sect and has had two living Buddhas in its history. It’s highly respected among people living in this area. The cost of the reconstruction is being shared by the government and the Monastery.

About the Author - Master Catherine Jigme

With exceptional passion and outstanding leadership, Mrs. Catherine has dedicated herself to Tibet inbound tourism and China tour for 15 years. As one of the handful females who see great potential of Chinese inbound tourism, Catherine has made great contribution to promoting Tibet tourism and enhancing the employment of Tibetans and prosperity of local Tibetan community.

Over the years, she travelled overseas with Tibet Tourism Bureau many times to promote Tibet tourism. Currently, Catherine works as the marketing director of Tibet Vista, an opinion leader behind the whole team of Tibet Vista.

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