Erdene Zuu Monastery
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| photo from Mongolia Tourism |
The Erdene Zuu Monastery is probably the most ancient
surviving Buddhist monastery in
Mongolia.
It is located in the heart of
Mongolia
in the Ovorkhangai Provence, approximately 2 km north-east from the centre of
Kharkorin and adjacent to the ancient city of
Karakorum. It is also part of the World
Heritage Site entitled Orkhun Valley Culturla Landscape.
Construction of the Erdene Zuu monastery was started in 1585
by Abtai Sain Khan, upon the (second) introduction of Tibetan Buddhism into Mongolia.
Stones from the ruins of Karakorum
were used in construction. It is surrounded by a wall featuring 100 stupas. The number 108, being a sacred number in
Buddhism, and the number of beads in a Buddhist rosary, was probably
envisioned, but never achieved. The monastery temples' wall were painted, and
the Chinese-style roof was covered with green tiles.
The monastery was damaged during the warfare with Dzungars
in 1688, when local people dismantled the wooden fortifications of the
abandoned monastery. Monastery was rebuilt in the 18th century and by 1872 had
a full 62 temples and up to 1000 monks inside. Bunia, disciple of this
monastery, attempted human flight with a device similar to a parachute in 1745
in this monastery.
In 1939 the Communist leader Khorloogiin Choibalsan had the
monastery ruined, as part of a purge that obliterated hundreds of monasteries
in Mongolia
and killed over ten thousand monks. Three small temples and the external wall
with the stupas remained; the temples became museums in 1947. They say that
this part of the monastery was spared destruction on account of Joseph Stalin's
pressure. One researcher claims that Stalin's pressure was connected to the
short visit of US vice
president Henry A. Wallace's delegation to Mongolia in 1944.
Erdene Zuu was allowed to exist as a museum only; the only
functioning monastery in Mongolia
was Gandantegchinlen Khiid Monastery in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. However, after the fall of
Communism in Mongolia
in 1990, the monastery was turned over to the lamas and Erdene Zuu again became
a place of worship. Today Erdene Zuu remains an active Buddhist monastery as
well as a museum that is open to tourists.
Tuvkhun Monastery
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| photo from Mongolia tourism |
The monastery was built in 1654 by Saint Zanabazar who was a
great sculptor and one of the biggest representative of Buddhism in Mongolia.
The creation work temple dedicated to religious study and art works became the
foundation of today's Tuvkhun Monastery. It is located on a rocky mountain hill
surrounded by forests elevated in 2300 meters above sea level. In 1651, the
first religious statesman Zanabazar built a small stony building.
In 1648, about the time he had found what now Shankh
monastery on the Shariin gol, Zanabazar noticed an unusual armchair-shaped peak
among the ridges west of the Orkhon
River. He soon concluded
that the mountain, known as Shireet Ulaan Uul, was an auspicious spot. Upon his
return in 1651 from his first trip to Tibet he had a small walled stone
meditation hut built here. 1653, he visited Erdenezuu, founded by his great
grandfather, and appeared before a convocation of kalkh nobility. While there
he prevailed upon his followers to build temple and retreat at Shireet Ulaan
Uul in his own personal use. Later it became worship where many of his famous
artworks were created; including five transcendent Buddha's now located in the Zanabazar Fine Art Museum
and Choijim Lama Musuem. Zanabazar also reportedly designed his Soyombo
Alphabet while his residing here. During Zanabazar's lifetime retreat was
called Bayasgalant Aglag Oron (Happy
Secluded Place).
After his death it became Tuvkhun Monastery, the name which
it is known today. The small temple was heavily damaged by communists during
the upheavals of the late 1930s. During the summer of 1997 extensive ceremonies
were performed here and new statue of deity Gombo Makhagal (Mahakala) was
placed in top of refurbished and consecrated. Several monks live at the
monastery full time.
The peak of where Tuvkhun is located resembles an easy chair
with arm rest on either side. In the seat of the chair, several hundred meter
above the base of peak to the temples. According to legend, only Zanabazar was
allowed to right up to the temples. Others had to dismount at the base at base
of the peak and walk up. Near the top of staircase, to the right of temples,
are two wells about fifteen feet from each other. One has fresh water in it,
while the other has slightly brackish water.
No one has been able to explain why one is brackish and one not,
or for that matter, how there can be wells at all here in there solid rock very
close to summit of mountain where ordinarily there would not be any underground
water sources. From the temples trial to the left, when facing the mountain,
leads to two meditation caves. Near the cave is "Zanabazar's throne",
a stone seat where, according to monks in residence, Zanabazar would seat each
morning at dawn. On a sloping shelf of stone below the caves, pressed into
native rock, are the imprints of several feet. Local monks say one is the bare
foot of Zanabazar as a small boy, while another is of his foot as grown man,
shod in Mongolian style boots. There also an imprint of what is said to be his
horse's hoof. To the right of temple a path leads upward to summit of the rock.
One branch of the path leads to the so called mother womb, a narrow passageway
which pilgrims crawl through to be symbolically reborn, cleansed of their sins.
An extension of the path continues to peak, where the sizable flat area created
with the help of stone retaining walls is surrounded with the large ovoo.
Naadam is the one and only Big Event in Mongolia –a lively
national festival, held every year from the 11th – 13th July. 
Join us as we photograph the Naadam Festival and other cultural highlights like legendary Tuvkhun monastery and surroundings, and Erdene Zuu, the first Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. It was built on the ruins of the 13th century capital of Karakorum.
