Sights in Seda

Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, also known as Seda Buddhist Academy, is considered the world's largest Buddhist academy. Its monastic quarters are magnificent: thousands of crimson Tibetan-style bungalows stretch for kilometers, clustered around several magnificent temples and halls, forming a majestic mountain city. The sheer scale of its sprawling structure often leaves first-time visitors to Seda awestruck, and no photograph can truly capture the breathtaking spectacle. This mountain wonder, hand-crafted by monks who have practiced here for thousands of years, evokes a sense of devotion and faith. Thousands of lamas and nuns (female practitioners) reside here, their crimson-robed monks coming and going, each face radiating a tranquility and a carefree spirit. The crowds swell during Buddhist ceremonies, sometimes reaching over 40,000.

The mandala is undoubtedly the closest place to Buddha in all of Serthar. Originating from the Indian Tantric Buddhism, it serves as a gathering place for the Tantric deity and his retinue. Mandala means circle in Sanskrit and center and edge in Tibetan. The mandala has two levels: the upper one for adding fragrant oils, and the lower one surrounded by 108 prayer wheels. Every morning, the mandala is filled with worshippers. The first level prays 10,800 times, the second level 1,080 times, and the third level 108 times. Devotees chant as they turn the golden prayer wheels, making a creaking sound. The wheels have been polished to a gleaming shine, as if gilded anew. The open space beside the mandala is perpetually filled with devout believers prostrating themselves, and the academy has even placed wooden boards on the first-floor platform specifically for this purpose.

Sky burial is an ancient and unique Tibetan custom, practiced by most Tibetans. The Sertar Sky Burial Platform is located on a relatively flat, gentle slope mid-mountain. Next to a small white pagoda, a flat area the size of a basketball court is partially enclosed by iron railings. This is where the sky burial takes place. Sky burial involves offering the deceased's body to a vulture, an incarnation of the Supreme Dakini. After consuming the body, the vulture flies into the sky, and Tibetans believe the deceased has ascended to heaven.

Donggar Monastery is a renowned Red Sect temple in Tibet, listed as one of the three major temples of Seda. Founded in 1686 by Quxi Wujin, the temple sits atop a sacred mountain shaped like a white conch. Within the halls lies a seated statue of Sakyamuni, religious murals painted on three sides, and vibrant red pillars adorned with dragon carvings and floral patterns. The vibrant colors create a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

This is the largest pagoda in Tibet, meaning "Demon Subduing Pagoda." Construction began in 1913, the Iron Hunter Year of the Tibetan calendar. The main structure features alternating layers of inner circle and outer square, and outer circle and inner square. The pagoda's exterior is adorned with a dazzling array of Buddhist niches. The outer perimeter of the first floor houses a prayer room with 155 large and small prayer wheels for worshippers. The pagoda contains the Five Dharanis, which have been recited ten million times, along with complete Buddhist texts and several ancient artifacts, including a rare copy of a sutra from India during the Tubo Dynasty. Every year, it attracts a steady stream of pilgrims from Qinghai, Gansu, Tibet, and the rest of the prefecture, both north and south.

The museum has many exhibits related to Gesar culture, including stone carvings, sculptures, and props for Gesar Tibetan opera. The museum is still small, with only a few very small exhibition halls, but museums related to Gesar culture are rarely seen elsewhere, so those interested in it should visit.

The main peak of Mount Zhuri, at 4,961 meters above sea level, is the highest peak in Seda. The people of Seda hold Mount Zhuri in high esteem, viewing it as the protector of the Golden Horse Grassland. The mountain boasts numerous relics related to Gesar, including Zhumu's water bucket, a horse hitching post, and the resting places of the spirits of Gesar's 30 generals.

Serba was the territory of General Serwa Nibengdaya, leader of the Eight Tribes of Shangling, a general of King Gesar. The Tibetan dwellings here are strikingly different from those in other counties and cities. They are all built in the "General's Style," constructed primarily of stone, mud, and wood. Even the roofs are made of mud, not tiles. Furthermore, the houses are uniquely shaped, completely anthropomorphic, with the upper part larger than the lower, forming an inverted "品" (Chinese character for "品"), resembling a general in armor and battle robes. This symbolizes not only the Tibetan people's exceptional architectural skills but also their wisdom and devotion to heroes.