Jiegu Monastery stands on a hillside north of Jiegu Town. It is widely renowned across China’s Tibetan areas for its magnificent architecture, large number of monks, abundant cultural relics and distinguished accomplished clergy. Built along the mountain terrain, the halls and monastic quarters are well arranged and tower over the hilltop.

The Mani Stone Mounds of Jiegu Monastery enjoy worldwide fame. In his later years, the 1st Living Buddha Jiana settled in Xinzhai Village east of the town and built the Mani mounds here, later known as Jiana Mani Mounds or Xinzhai Mani Mounds. Over more than 200 years, the mounds have kept expanding, holding over 2.5 billion Mani stones. Honored as the World’s Largest Mani Stone Mound, it stands as an outstanding symbol of Tibetan religious culture.

In the Tibetan language, the monastery is called Jiegu Dunzhulung, which means "Jiegu Land of Accomplishment". Nestled against the hillside, its buildings are laid out in a graceful scattered pattern, resembling multi-storey pavilions from a distance. The main prayer hall, Duwen Sangzhou Gyatso Hall, was designed by Venerable Badekyojun, the chief abbot of Sabian Monastery, and the 1st Living Buddha Jiana Duoxiang Songchok Paven. With support from Dzogchen Monastery in Dege, it was constructed under the supervision of Living Buddha Zhawu Maigen. The hall can accommodate up to 1,000 monks for scripture recitation.

Besides the main hall, other large and distinctive buildings include the Lecture Hall, Jokhang Hall, Maitreya Hall, as well as the courtyards of Living Buddhas Jiana and Wenbao.

Inside the halls and chapels are enshrined more than 3,400 gilded bronze and fine wooden statues, including Sakyamuni Buddha, Padmasambhava, Goddess of Auspiciousness, Mahakala, sandalwood-carved Tara, and the Five Patriarchs of the Sakya School. The monastery houses nearly 10,000 volumes of Buddhist scriptures such as the Kangyur and Tengyur. Its precious relics also include a Thangka of Sakyamuni presented by Drogön Chögyal Phagpa, a sandalwood Tara statue, and a legendary ancient treasured sword handed down by the chieftain of Zhawu clan.

Originally a Bon monastery, Jiegu Monastery later converted to the Kagyu School. During the Mongol-Yuan Dynasty, Phagpa, the Imperial Preceptor of Kublai Khan, passed through the Jiegu area and began to promote religious conversion among local temples. By the Ming Dynasty, Jiegu Monastery officially became a monastery of the Sakya School.

Admission fee: 10 yuan per person

The monastery is located on the hillside north of Jiegu Town. A taxi ride from the town center costs around 10 yuan.