Lamaling sits in the hills south of Bayi in Nyingchi prefecture, in the wet south-eastern corner of Tibet where the plateau drops towards the Indian border. The setting is what distinguishes it: at around three thousand metres and in a region that catches the monsoon, Nyingchi is forested, green and relatively warm, with rhododendrons, conifers and rivers. A monastery here looks nothing like the whitewashed and sun-scorched houses of the Changtang, and Lamaling is a good place to see how differently Tibetan Buddhism built in a place where timber and rain are plentiful.
The monastery
Lamaling belongs to the Nyingma school, the oldest of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, and it is laid out over a hillside with a main assembly hall, an upper temple housing a large statue, and smaller shrines and living quarters around them. The building style is heavily timbered, with painted eaves, carved brackets and a colour scheme of red, gold and blue, and the interiors are dense with murals, thangkas and guardian figures. A sacred tree in the courtyard is traditionally associated with the founder, and pilgrims leave offerings and prayer flags around it rather than the trunk itself.
Nyingchi around it
Nyingchi is the part of Tibet that most visitors do not expect: the Yarlung Tsangpo river gorge runs through it, the slopes carry some of the tallest trees in China, and the region is known in spring for peach and apricot blossom across the valley floors. Combining Lamaling with a walk in the surrounding forest and a drive along the gorge makes a full day that is completely unlike the Lhasa itinerary, and the lower altitude means the walking is far easier.
Practical notes
Nyingchi has its own airport and is also reachable by road from Lhasa along the highway that follows the river, a drive of several hours. Foreign visitors need a Tibet Travel Permit plus a permit for travel outside Lhasa, arranged through a licensed agency, and Nyingchi sometimes requires a further permit. Dress modestly, walk clockwise around the buildings and prayer wheels, remove hats inside the halls and ask before photographing monks or interiors. The season runs from spring to autumn; winter is cold and some roads are affected.
