Tóngrén’s main monastery is a huge and rambling maze of renovated chapels and monks’ residences, dating from 1301. It’s well worth a wander, and you’ll need one or two hours to see everything. Your ticket includes entry into six main halls, although you may be able to take a peek inside others, too.
There are more than 500 resident monks and every day dozens of them go into the courtyard outside the Hall of Bodhisattva Manjusri (文殊殿, Wénshū Diàn) to take part in animated, hand-clapping debates. There’s a map in English on a wooden board just inside the main gate.
