VI
EN
Located more than 900km from Chengdu, China, Larung Gar began to become a center of Buddhism in the 1980s and has since flourished, attracting over 40,000 monks from countries such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Tibet.
The Larung Gar Valley is located in Sertar County, in the traditional Tibetan region of western Sichuan Province. Despite its remote location, it is home to the Larung Gar Buddhist Academy – the world's largest Buddhist institution. Any visitor to Larung Gar will be completely overwhelmed by the landscape covered with countless small, charming red wooden houses nestled across the hillsides.
The monks and nuns lived in houses near the academy, separated and divided into living areas based on age and gender. The male and female quarters were separated by a large road running through the densely populated area of red houses.
Living conditions are very basic; residents share toilets, and each house has only one to three rooms. Television is banned, but mobile phones (especially iPhones) are permitted.
Thousands of monks and nuns have gathered in Larung Gar to live, study, pray, and participate in lectures at the Buddhist academy. The curriculum is taught in either Chinese or Tibetan.
Not only is it home to monks, but Tibetan people also live in this area. The locals sustain themselves through donations, renting out guesthouses, or running small shops, which is why Larung Gar is always welcoming to visitors.
(Translated from Dailymail)
