Located in an isolated valley 4000m above sea level in Pelyul (Baiyu) County, Garze (Ganzi), Sichuan, Yachen Monastery ( "Yaqing Si" in Chinese) is a Nyingma Sect. Gar built in 1985. With more than 10,000 Sangha members now, it's the largest concentration of nuns and monks in the world. Most of the Sanghas are nuns.

Having such a huge Sangha population, the place is severely lacking in lodgings and retreat facilities. Food,water and clothes are in extremely short supply, electric power is only available from 7pm to 10pm every day... Though living in such a miserable conditions and having been frequented by illnesses, the Sanghas have shown remarkable powers of endurance and perseverance. They diligently practice the Buddha Dharma and seek liberation from Samsara.

A Fundraising Project was initiated by some philanthropists to reconstruct the nuns' quarters and improve the living facilities of the monatery.

The current Chief Abbot His Holiness Achuk Rinpoche, is an incarnation of the great terton Longsal Nyingpo (1625-1682) of Kathok Monastery who was an incarnation of Amitabha Buddha. He is the head of the Nyingma Sect in China and now the foremost person of great holiness and virtue in all Tibet. Born in 1927 in Eastern Tibet, Achuk Rinpoche has spent 43 years in retreat with his master, Tulku Arik Rinpoche. As a realized Buddhist master, Achuk Rinpoche is regarded as one of the world's greatest living exponents of the Great Perfection Teaching.

For regular travelers, Yachen Monastery is definitely not a good place for sightseeing, unless you want to experience absolute isolation and buddhism atmosphere without being afraid of the adverse conditions.

Bird's view of Yachen Monastery

The bridge connects the two sides of the river.

In side the monastery