labrang monastery

15/01/2014 News

Tibetan writer Kunga Tsayang released from prison after 5 years

Kunga Tsayang acknowledges local Tibetans gathered to receive him in his hometown in Chikdril County.

Writer, essayist, blogger, chronicler, environmentalist and amateur photographer Kunga Tsayang has been released after serving almost five years’ of imprisonment for allegedly writing political essays criticizing Chinese policies in Tibet.

According to reliable information received by TCHRD, Kunga Tsayang, who is also a monk from Labrang Tashikyil Monastery and wrote under a pen name “Sun of Snowland” (Tibetan: Gang Nyi) was released at around 8.30 am on 12 January 2014 from a prison in Lanzhou, capital of Gansu Province.

A source with contacts in Tibet told TCHRD that after release, Kunga Tsayang went to Labrang Monastery and from there on 14 January 2014, he returned to his hometown in Chikdril County in Golok (Ch: Guoluo) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, where a grand ceremony was held to celebrate his release. Local Tibetans, both young and old, came in droves bearing ceremonial scarves, as they burned juniper leaves and scattered ‘windhorse prayer flags’ (Tib: lungta) in the air to celebrate his release.

12/03/2013 News

Guest Post: Remembering a noble soul on his second death anniversary

By Jayang Jinpa*

The noble soul Sangye Gyatso was born in 1969 in a nomadic village called Lha De Sangkhog in Amdo, Eastern Tibet. His father’s name was Gobha and mother’s Soelo. At the age of 16, he became monk and joined Thoesamling dratsang (college), at the famous Labrang Tashikyil Monastery. He was regarded as one of the brightest students in his class when it came to learning Buddhist texts. In 1991, when he was 23, he left for India to do further studies. He joined Gomang dratsang at Drepung Monastery, South India. The weather of the sub-continent was not suitable to his health. After studying for nearly three years at Drepung, he returned to his homeland. His passion for Buddhist studies did not die down however; once again he joined the Labrang Tashikyil Monastery.

04/02/2013 News

Labrang monk Jayang Jinpa reflects on his daring 2008 protest

Jayang Jinpa, 26, was among the 15 Tibetan monks who staged a daring protest in front of a group of international and Chinese journalists at Labrang Tashikyil Monastery in Sangchu County. On 9 April 2008, monks of Labrang Monastery interrupted the Chinese government-organized media visit that was carefully planned to show that Tibet was stable and that monks enjoyed freedom of religion and other human rights. The protest lasted for about 10 minutes but was quickly suppressed. And over a year, he spent time in the mountains trying to escape arrest. Jayang Jinpa who now lives in India tells his story (The following is a direct translation of Jayang Jinpa’s personal notes.)

I was born in December 1986 in Sangkhog Village in Sangchu (Ch: Xiahe) County, located in Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province.

It is a nomadic village. My family is called Rilatsang. My father’s name is Choepa and mother’s name is Lhaye. I have four siblings – two older sisters and two younger ones. I will never forget the love and affection I have received in our family and the nomadic life that we lived.