Shalu Monastery

Shalu Monastery, about 22 kilometres south of Shigatse, is one of the oldest and most architecturally distinctive monasteries in Tibet. Founded in the 11th century, it was substantially expanded in the 14th century under the patronage of the Sakya rulers, and the result is a hybrid building unlike anything else on the plateau: Chinese-style green-glazed roof tiles atop Tibetan walls, with interior murals that blend Tibetan and Nepalese artistic traditions.

The murals are the reason to make the trip. Dating from the 14th and 15th centuries, they are among the best-preserved examples of pre-Gelug Tibetan religious art and depict tantric deities, protective figures, and narrative cycles in rich ochre, blue, and green. The level of detail is extraordinary; bring a torch to see the darker corners properly.

Shalu receives few independent visitors compared to the main sites in Shigatse. A hired jeep or bicycle can reach it via a bumpy unpaved road. Combine it with Narthang for a worthwhile day out from Shigatse.

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A story
Shalu is the home monastery of a tradition of Tibetan monks trained to perform extraordinary physical feats — long-distance running across the plateau in a trance state, generating body heat sufficient to dry wet sheets in freezing temperatures, and other documented "superhuman" capacities. The tradition, called lung-gom, was recorded by early 20th-century Western travellers and remains one of the stranger documented practices in Tibetan Buddhism.

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