Riwoche Tsuglhakhang was founded in 1276 by Sangye On, who relocated to Kham after the death of his master Sangye Yarjon (1203–72), the third leader of the Talung order. Riwoche started as an offshoot of Talung Monastery in Ü. Eventually it grew to eclipse its parent monastery and it now ranks as one of Tibet’s most impressive monasteries. It retains the characteristic red, white and black vertical stripes of the Talung school, and is home to more than 500 monks.
The huge tsuglhakhang towers over Riwoche village, dwarfing the pilgrims who circumambulate the massive structure. You enter through 20m-tall doors into a breathtaking open inner courtyard covered with a plastic-glass roof. Photos are not allowed in the chapels. The eye is immediately drawn to the huge statues that loom out of the half-light. The entry is flanked on the left by Jampa (Maitreya) and eight chörtens, and on the right by two dramatic protector masks that peer down at you from a high pillar. The left wall has statues of Tsepame (Amitayus), Guru Rinpoche (one peaceful and one smaller wrathful variety with a scorpion in his hand) and Sakyamuni. The west wall has the funerary chörten of a local rinpoche, three Sakyamunis, two abbots and the two early Talung lamas – Sangye Yarjon on the right and Sangye On to the left. The altars are fronted by elephant tusks and long banners made of petals. Along the right wall is a white statue of Namse (Vairocana) in front of a mandala, a gold chörten, a seated Jampa (Maitreya), Matrö Bodhisattva, Sakyamuni Buddha and finally two 1000-armed statues of Chenresig (Avalokiteshvara).
The middle floor is relatively bare but has some fine murals and statues of Guru Rinpoche, a 1000-armed Chenresig (Avalokiteshvara) and Sakyamuni.
A small hut on the roof is where the real gems are kept, though. Again you’ll need to have the door here unlocked for you, and photography is strictly prohibited inside the hut. Items include some beautiful antique statues and ancient horse saddles that are said to belong to Gesar of Ling and his general. Look for the very old statue of Dorje Chang (Vajradhara), with the slender waist. There are fine views of the village, the valley and the surrounding mountains from the roof top here.
Monks’ quarters lie to the north, and it’s worth walking up the hillside a little to get overviews of the site.
