Where the borderlands are
Tibetan culture is not confined to the Tibet Autonomous Region. Historically, the Tibetan-speaking world also included Kham in the east and Amdo in the north-east. Today these regions lie mostly in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu, with parts in Yunnan and in the Tibet Autonomous Region itself. The terms Kham and Amdo are cultural and historical rather than current administrative ones, and Tibetans and others may draw their boundaries differently.
These areas have long been a meeting place of Tibetan, Chinese, Mongol and other peoples, and their monasteries reflect this. Many of them are large teaching institutions that have shaped Tibetan Buddhism well beyond the region.
Kham
Kham is a landscape of deep river valleys, high passes and grasslands. It has been an important home for several schools, and it is especially associated with the Nyingma and with the Rime, or non-sectarian, spirit of cross-school study.
Some well-known Kham monasteries include:
- Dzogchen Monastery, a major Nyingma centre in Sichuan, whose name is shared by a teaching tradition.
- Kathok and Shechen, two other Nyingma monasteries with well-known branches elsewhere, including in Nepal.
- Palpung, a Karma Kagyu monastery in the Dege area, with an extended lineage in exile. The wider story of the Kagyu lineage is told in a separate article.
- Dege Parkhang, a famous printing house in Dege county where Tibetan texts have been carved onto wooden blocks for centuries.
- Litang, a Gelug monastery in a high town long known for its horse festival.
Kham is also home to Larung Gar, a very large Buddhist study community in Sichuan. Its size and its status have been affected by official decisions in recent years, which illustrates why up-to-date information matters.
Amdo
Amdo lies north-east of central Tibet, around the upper Yellow River and Lake Kokonor. It is closely linked to the Gelug school: by tradition Tsongkhapa, the figure honoured by that school, was born in this region, and the Kumbum Monastery near Xining is said to have been founded at his birthplace. Kumbum is covered in two articles on the site, and the Kumbum butter sculptures are a notable feature of its festivals.
Other important Amdo monasteries include:
- Labrang in Xiahe, Gansu, one of the largest Gelug monasteries outside central Tibet, known for its extensive circumambulation path and its colleges.
- Rongwo in Tongren, Qinghai, known for its painters, who work in the style called Regong art.
Because many senior teachers have come from Amdo, the region’s monasteries carry weight in the Gelug school’s story. The school itself is described in a companion article on the Gelug school.
A few features of borderland monasteries
Eastern monasteries are often built into hillsides, with rows of monks’ quarters climbing around the main halls. Some larger institutions operate several colleges within one site, each with its own curriculum. The tradition of monastic education here has a long history of debate practice and examination, and monastic education is discussed in another article. Local religious life also includes pilgrimage to sacred mountains and lakes, which are often tied to protector figures.
How travel rules change
This is the part of the article to read most carefully. Whether foreign visitors can reach a given monastery, and under what conditions, has varied over the years. Rules may differ between provinces and counties, and areas can be closed to foreigners at short notice, often around anniversaries, festivals or periods of unrest. Visits may require advance registration, local guides or specific permits; some roads have checkpoints. Information in guidebooks and online reports can be out of date within a season.
Before making any plan:
- Check current official government travel advice for your own country and for China.
- Check the latest entry and permit requirements on official sources.
- Be aware that monasteries themselves may restrict access, and that photography may be prohibited or limited.
- Treat any suggestion that conditions are “usually fine” with caution.
Altitude is a serious matter here. Many towns lie above 3,000 metres and passes much higher. Read medical advice and the notes on altitude sickness awareness, and allow time to acclimatise. Weather can change quickly, and winter conditions can close roads.
Visiting with respect
Monasteries in these regions are active communities, and local people may be wary of strangers asking sensitive questions. Avoid discussing politics unless local people raise it, never photograph without permission, dress modestly, and walk clockwise around halls and stupas. Do not offer gifts or donations that could expose local people to difficulty; if you want to give, use the donation boxes. Customs differ between monasteries, so follow local guidance.