The Former Residence of Thonmi Sambhota is located in Tunda Village, Tunba Township. It lies approximately 20 kilometers from Nyemo County Seat, 110 kilometers from downtown Lhasa, and 2.3 kilometers away from National Highway 318.

According to local legends, the residence was built over 1,300 years ago during the reign of Songtsen Gampo of the Tubo Dynasty. It is a two-story building constructed mainly with earth and wood, covering an area of more than 600 square meters. Due to its long history, many murals and interior facilities have been damaged to varying degrees. Only a few fragmented murals of great historical value and a small number of original furnishings remain today.

In the past, there were three water-driven prayer wheels including one on the roof. The walls were adorned with a wealth of murals of high historical and artistic value, depicting Songtsen Gampo, Thonmi Sambhota, the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (the Six Realms of Rebirth), the Twenty-One Taras, Avalokiteśvara, major Dharma protectors of Tibetan Buddhism, Sakyamuni, as well as architectural renderings of the residence. The site also housed precious Buddha statues such as the Four-armed Avalokiteśvara, Manjushri and Vajra, together with the Kangyur and Tengyur, the two major collections of Tibetan Buddhist scriptures.

More than 50 meters to the east of the residence stands a Mani Chapel built by local people in memory of Thonmi Sambhota. It preserves cultural relics originally discarded from the former residence, including stone-carved statues of Avalokiteśvara and Vajra, inscriptions of the Six-Syllable Mantra, and a replica of the water-driven prayer wheel from the residence.

On July 3, 2008, Nyemo County launched a project to build the Tunba Folk Culture and Tourism Zone with a total investment of 3 million yuan. The initiative aimed to protect cultural and natural resources, increase the income of local farmers and herdsmen, develop tourist routes and scenic spots, and integrate tourism with local culture. The county government allocated 600,000 yuan to relocate 11 households around the former residence. By the end of 2008, all villages in the area were connected by roads, and the road section leading to Tunba was fully completed.

In 2010, the People's Government of Nyemo County approved the construction of the Thonmi Sambhota Memorial Hall, and carried out restoration and collection work for the murals and furnishings inside the former residence.