Discover Yushu: Temples, Remembrance and the Gesar Epic

Yushu’s diverse cultural sites include Jiegu Temple on the northern slope of Jieguduo Mountain, the Yushu Earthquake Memorial Hall, the Gesar King sculpture and the viewing platform on Dandang Mountain. They represent religious history, remembrance of earthquake relief and rescue efforts, an epic and views of Yushu after reconstruction. There is also a temple outside the city. These different themes can help you plan your trip around the subjects that interest you most.

Religious history at Jiegu Temple

Jiegu Temple is on the northern slope of Jieguduo Mountain in Yushu City, at an altitude of 3,700 metres. Today, it is a temple of the Sakya school. Its history encompasses several religious periods: it was first a Bön temple and later belonged to the Kagyu school. In 1389, the Sakya master Dangqinwa Jiagaxi Ranjian Co converted the temple to the Sakya tradition. This sequence makes the site interesting if you want to consider not only its current religious affiliation but also how that affiliation changed over time. The altitude and precisely identified mountainside also locate the temple clearly in Yushu’s landscape.

Another temple south of Yushu

The Wencheng Princess Temple, also called the Dairi Tathagata Buddha Hall, is in Benagou, 20 kilometres south of Yushu City. It is more than 1,300 years old. It therefore offers a distinct historical point of reference outside the city and complements Jiegu Temple with a second temple in a different location and with a different history. If you include both sites in your travel plans, bear in mind that they are separate: the Wencheng Princess Temple is south of Yushu, not at the site of Jiegu Temple.

Earthquake remembrance and culture in Jiegu

The Yushu Earthquake Memorial Hall in Jiegu Town is a documentary exhibition centre. It comprehensively documents the difficult relief and rescue efforts following earthquakes in high-altitude regions. The complex includes an earthquake ruin, the memorial museum itself and Gratitude Square. Together, the ruin, museum and square offer a different way to engage with Yushu’s history than the religious sites at Jiegu Temple: here, the focus is on the effects of earthquakes and the associated relief and rescue work. This lets you explore different historical themes as you choose which places to visit.

Another cultural thread leads to the Gesar King sculpture. It depicts the protagonist of the epic “The Gesar Kings.” Its connection to the epic differs both from the religious history of Jiegu Temple and from the memorial hall’s culture of remembrance. In Yushu, the temple, memorial site and sculpture thus offer different ways to engage with history and culture.

Views and choosing where to stay

The viewing platform on Dandang Mountain offers views over Yushu and its post-earthquake reconstruction. While the Memorial Hall documents relief and rescue efforts, the viewpoint connects reconstruction with a view across the city. Both sites relate to the effects of the earthquake, but have different focuses.

When choosing a holiday rental in Yushu, it may help to first decide which themes interest you most. If you are primarily interested in religious history, Jiegu Temple and the Wencheng Princess Temple to the south represent different sites and historical contexts. The memorial hall, the Gesar King sculpture and the viewpoint offer other perspectives.

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