[2025 Tongren Attraction] Travel Guide for Longwu Temple (Updated Jul)

If you're exploring Qinghai or Gansu, Tongren (Rebgong) is a must-see cultural stop—especially for those interested in Tibetan Buddhism and thangka art. Here's a perfect 2-day itinerary to help you make the most of your visit. --- 🚗 Getting There from Xiahe The road from Xiahe to Tongren is a journey in itself: lush green meadows, grazing yaks, and rolling hills create a scenic drive you won’t forget. It's an ideal transition into the artistic soul of Rebgong. --- 🏨 Where to Stay: Walking Road Book Courtyard Hotel Stay at Walking Road Book Courtyard—a beautifully designed hotel with a serene courtyard and excellent coffee. It’s comfortable, stylish, and the perfect base to explore the city. --- 🕌 Day 1: Arrival & Old Town Stroll If you arrive in the afternoon, we recommend: • 🕌 Visit the main mosque – a peaceful place reflecting the region’s Hui Muslim culture. • 🚶 Stroll around the city center, where Tibetan and Muslim influences meet in architecture and daily life. --- 🎨 Day 2: Explore Rebgong’s Sacred Art & Monasteries ⏰ Start early and head to Wutun Si Lower Monastery (下吾屯寺) • A 15-minute taxi ride (approx. ¥20 for 2 people) takes you to this spectacular temple complex. • The golden chörtens (stupas) shine brightly in the morning light, and the main halls are filled with vibrant murals and statues. • Don’t miss the thangka painting studios just outside—watch artists at work on this sacred Tibetan art. 🎨 Next: Wutun Si Upper Monastery (上吾屯寺) • Smaller and less dramatic, but still worth visiting. You’ll see more thangka practice rooms and a quieter atmosphere. 🎨 On the way to Gomar Gompa, make a highly recommended stop at: 📍 Rebgong Nāgārjuna Painting Gallery • This large, plain-looking building hides a treasure inside. Ask the student artists at the door to open it for you. • Inside, you'll see young thangka painters training for up to 5 years, surrounded by rich artwork. A hidden gem for art lovers. 🛕 Then, continue to Gomar Gompa (Guomari Si 果芒寺) • A beautiful monastery perched on a hillside with sweeping views of the valley. It’s quieter than Wutun, and full of ritual energy, prayer flags, and peaceful corners. A perfect spot for contemplation. 🚌 Return to the city by local bus (¥1) • Catch it by the bridge near Gomar Gompa—it’s an easy and local way to get back. --- 🍚 Lunch: Sonam Yarphel Tibetan Restaurant • A casual place in the city center, perfect for enjoying a simple Tibetan-style rice dish and recharging for the afternoon. --- 🛕 Afternoon: Visit Rongwo Monastery (Rongwo Gonchen 隆务寺) Located right in the heart of Tongren, Rongwo Temple is the spiritual and cultural core of Rebgong. • Wander through large temple halls filled with incense and murals. • Monks chant, locals offer butter lamps, and you’ll get a feel for the deep faith that shapes this region. --- 💬 Final Tip Tongren is much more than a stop—it’s a living center of Tibetan art and devotion. If you time your visit well and keep your eyes open, you'll witness ancient traditions thriving in everyday life.

❤Recommended Reason: The activity of revering the Maitreya Buddha at Longwu Temple on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is an important part of the New Year's Dharma assembly. The Maitreya Buddha is considered the future Buddha among all Buddhas, representing the future. 👍Most Recommended: The ceremony of revering the Maitreya Buddha is extremely solemn. Monks carrying ritual implements line up in the courtyard of the Great Scripture Hall. Starting from the Great Scripture Hall, led by the grand procession, the monks carrying the future Buddha begin to circumambulate the temple accompanied by the ethereal and solemn Buddhist music. 🌟Highlight Features: The faithful followers throw Hada (ceremonial scarves) towards the Maitreya Buddha, praying for a happier and better life in the future.

In the Amdo Tibetan area, the most prestigious temple is the Kumbum Monastery, and the most popular one is the Labrang Monastery. However, the equally prestigious and long-standing Longwu Monastery is relatively unknown. There are many reasons for this, such as its remote geographical location, not being on the main tourist route, lack of good publicity, not having many 'first' titles, etc. However, everything has two sides. We hardly see any tourists taking pictures along the way. What we see most are local Tibetans and Han believers. There is no commercialization at all. It is this relative quietness that makes everything seem more real. Surprisingly, although the tourism atmosphere is not strong, the temple is well-equipped. There are clear route signs and introductions to various Buddha halls for Han tourists, which are easy to find. This is much more friendly than the Labrang Monastery. In addition to the signs, I have to mention the tickets again. There is also a ticket office, but there is no place to buy tickets online. This time we didn't buy tickets and went in directly. Anyway, no one checked the tickets inside, and I don't know whether this is considered ticket evasion or not. What's interesting is that the architecture of Longwu Monastery not only has the rich Tibetan decoration, but also many Han-style architectural styles. It turns out that during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the royal family favored Longwu Monastery and once supported the monks and local people to build a large sutra hall. In the fifth year of Tianqi of the Ming Dynasty (1625), the carpenter emperor once inscribed the plaque of 'Western Region Scenic Spot' and hung it at the entrance of the newly built sutra hall. Therefore, the architecture here is also the result of the integration of Han and Tibetan cultures. Longwu Monastery, a treasure temple worth savoring.

After coming to Qinghai for work, I've known about Tongren in Huangnan Prefecture for a long time. This is the birthplace of Regong Art. This time, I finally made it during the New Year's holiday. Longwu Temple is the largest Gelugpa temple in Huangnan and even Qinghai and Southern regions, which originated from the first summer Rinpoche. Its affiliated temples include Nian Du Hu Temple, Guo Ma Ri Temple, Wu Tun Shang Temple and Wu Tun Xia Temple, etc., which are also famous temples in Huangnan. Here you can see a wealth of Thangka, clay sculpture, pile embroidery and other forms of Regong Art. It can be said to be a cultural and artistic treasure. Although it is the New Year's holiday, there are very few tourists, and you can only see many Tibetan Buddhist believers. Being in it, my own soul has been washed. Let's also talk about the strategy of going there. How to go Tongren City is the capital of Huangnan Prefecture, not far from Xining. Buy a bus ticket at Xining Bus Station for 50 yuan, and you can arrive in more than two hours. Longwu Temple is not far from the city center, and Wu Tun Shang and Wu Tun Xia Temples are only seven or eight kilometers away from the city center. You can take a taxi to go there. Where to stay Tongren is a relatively well-constructed county town with many hotels. I stayed at Longwu Hotel, which seems to be a relatively large hotel locally and is also recommended. What to eat Because there are many Tibetan compatriots locally, there are many Tibetan restaurants, and there are also many halal restaurants. If you are not used to it, there are also Sichuan cuisine which is not bad locally. In summary, Tongren is indeed an ancient city with a special cultural atmosphere. It is not a mainstream attraction. There is more of a kind of original beauty here, which is definitely a recommended place.

In the afternoon, we drove to Longwu Temple, which enjoys a high reputation, influence and reputation in the Amdo area. Although I added a lot of attributives and adjectives, I don't think it's exaggerated. We have already arrived at the time when Longwu Temple has stopped opening business. We have seen very few tourists, all of whom are turning around. The difference with the other temples I have seen before is that there are not only many elderly people, but I also saw students studying. In addition to the new expansion of the temple, there are still some places that still retain the imprint of history. Through these details, you can also see the signs of years of erosion. Such a large area is actually a square. But it is not the time of interpretation, it is empty. I can only imagine the lively and serious scenes of the Bible.

The Ma Tau Ming Wang Dian is the most prosperous place in the Longwu Temple. The Ma Tau Ming Wang Dian is rare in the Tibetan temples. You can't take pictures in the temple of Longwu Temple. The area of the Longwu Temple is very large, and the one hall has an independent courtyard. The courtyard wall is obviously Tibetan. The Great Hall in the center of the temple is the largest hall in Longwu Temple. In the Great Hall, there are hundreds of years of traditional Thangka and Regong art in the art of exquisite embroidery, which is very beautiful. There are many halls in the temple, and it takes a few days if you turn them around. Some of the halls are not open to the public, and occasionally a lama in red costumes will emerge from the closed door. Walk through an alley and turn to the Dharma Buddha Hall. On the edge of the temple wall are prayer wheels. On the square in front of the temple gate, the golden Buddha statue shines, and many believers bow their heads to the Buddha statue, or walk around on foot to express their piety to the Buddha.

If you visit Qinghai in depth, you can feel the local Tibetan Buddhism. There are various temples here. Longwu Temple is one of the very large temples and a temple worth visiting. We arranged a hot explanation to introduce the temple to us. There are many stories in , and treasures can be visited. Believers will also pass through the Longwu Temple. You can visit one afternoon.