Erdene Zuu Monastery

Temple at Erdene Zuu monastery.

The "Golden Stupa" at Erdene Zuu

The Erdene Zuu Monastery (Mongolian: Эрдэнэ Зуу) is probably the most ancient surviving Buddhist
monastery in Mongolia. It is in Övörkhangai Province, near the town of Kharkhorin and adjacent to the
ancient city of Karakorum. It is part of the World Heritage Site entitled Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape.

The Erdene Zuu monastery was built in 1585 by Abtai Sain Khan, upon the (second) introduction of Tibetan
Buddhism into Mongolia. Stones from the ruins of Karakorum were used in construction. It is surrounded by
a wall featuring 102 stupas. The number 108, being a sacred number in Buddhism, and the number of beads
in a Buddhist rosary, was probably envisioned, but never achieved. The monastery temples' wall were
painted, and the Chinese-style roof was covered with green tiles. The monastery was damaged by warfare in
the 1680s, but was rebuilt in the 18th century and by 1872 had a full 62 temples inside.

In 1939 the Communist leader Khorloogiin Choibalsan had the monastery ruined, as part of a purge that
obliterated hundreds of monasteries in Mongolia and killed over ten thousand monks Three small temples
and the external wall with the stupas remained; the temples became museums in 1947. They say that this
part of the monastery was spared destruction on account of Joseph Stalin's pressure. One researcher claims
that Stalin's pressure was connected to the short visit of US vice president Henry A. Wallace's delegation to
Mongolia in 1944

Erdene Zuu was allowed to exist as a museum only; the only functioning monastery in Mongolia was
Gandantegchinlen Khiid Monastery in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. However, after the fall of Communism in
Mongolia in 1990, the monastery was turned over to the lamas and Erdene Zuu again became a place of
worship. Today Erdene Zuu remains an active Buddhist monastery as well as a museum that is open to
tourists.

On a hill outside the monastery sits a stone phallus. The phallus is said to restrain the sexual impulses of the
monks and ensure their good behavior.

Brief history of Erdene Zuu

The history of Mongolian Buddhism has three stages. Erdene zuu's history belongs to the third
stage of development. Ochirbat Tusheet Avtai Sain Khaan, the son of Onoh Uizen Noyon, a
descendent of Chingis Khaan , supported and continued the policy of Altan Khaan.
In 1577, during the meeting with Dalai Lama, Avtai Sain Khaan
chose to spread Buddhism in Mongolia and brought back with
him statues of Gombogur and Ochirvaani /Vajrapani/. The statue
of Gombogur is still in Erdene Zuu as its main deity. After
returning to Mongolia, Avtai Sain Khaan led a variety of works
to spread Buddhism in Mongolia, setting up temples and
monastereis. Erdene Zuu, the first temple of the third stage of
spread of Buddhism in Mongolia, was built on the ruins of old
Karakorum. There was already a temple here that was restored and consecrated in 1586, Fiery
Dog year.
Avtai Sain Khaan built Gol /main/ Zuu first. Next, the temple of Baruun /western/ Zuu was built
by together Avtai Khaan's second son, Ereehei Mergen khaan's senior queen Sum Taih, and
Holoch Darkhan noyon. Zuun /eastern/ Zuu temple was built by Ereehei Khaan, his son
Gombodorj, and Handjampts, the Tusheet Khan queen and mother of Under Gegeen Zanabazar.
Sinse its foundation Erdene Zuu was respected and supported by many, more temples were built
but the building process was slow. Historians noted that the carpenter Manjushri made a great
contribution in the building of Erdene Zuu.
In 1688, III Tsorj Luvsan-Odser built 4 stupas in four corners of
the Erdene Zuu temple. In 1674, after meeting the Fifth Dalai
Lama, the Tusheet Khan Chahundorj built Tsamba temple and
Dalai Lama temple dedicated to Dalai Lama. In 1681, Avid
temple was built after a Maitreya procession and in 1675,
Regsengomdo temple was built.
In 1688, the yellow Dragon year, during a time of war, Galdan
Boshigt Khaan, the king of Oirat Mongol with his 30,000 soldiers entered Khalkh Mongol.
Khaan Chahundorj, the king of Khalh Mongol fought and lost the war. Khaan Chahundorj took
his queen and children. Meanwhile , Undor Gegeen escaped to Ogoomor Gazar. Erdene Zuu was
left empty for 13 years and only in 1701, the fourt Shireet Lam Erdene Tsorj took care of the
temples. In 1706, in the year of male Dog, Erdene Zuu was reconstructed and re-consencrated.
Several new temples were built.
In 1732, a Legend says, General Baga Tserendondov of Galdan Boshigt Khaan with his 30,000
soldiers came to Erdene Zuu. Gombogur Buddha of the Erdene Zuu temple suddenly bowed to
him and grunted . Then a stone dog barked which frightened the intruders. Fearing it they fled
the temple and fell into Orhon river and died. Sinse then, the Orhon river was given a title Orhon
Tushee Gun.
Later, after learning the story of the temple, the Bogd Khaan intensified the reconstruction work
of the temples. One of the main contributors of the project was the Seventh Tsorje Davgadarjaa
Lama. In 1860, he offered 1000 Buddha thankas, 21 Tara and fixed 100,000 tsatsas in a Bodhi
Stupa. Around that Bodhi stupa, he also build and consecrated eight stupas. The VII Tsorj
Dagvadarjaa Lama had also showed great efforet to build Tsogchin temple. He met many
wealthy people in Setsen Khaan Aimag who supported him with money and skilled carpenters.
In the White tiger year of 1770, the planned temple building work was finished .The temple site
is still can be seen north of the Avtai Sain's Ger palace's site.
Through VII Tsorj Lama, the people of Thusheet Khan aimag
requested advice from the Panchen Lama /in Tibet/ and the Janjia
hutagt /in inner mongolai / as to what type of a Buddhist school
to build in Erdene Zuu. They advised the mongols to build a
school of Lamrim /The Path to Buddhahood/ and, in 1782, a
Lamrim school with 50 pupils was built.
In 1792, three store temples of Tibetan style were built in Erdene
Zuu and called Laviran temple. The Russian scholar and explorer A.Pozdneev called it “ The
most beautiful temple among Erdene Zuu buildings”.
In front of the three main Zuu's inside the fence, are two stupas containing the bodies of Tusheet
Khaan Avtai Sain Khaan and his grandson Tusheet Khaan Gombodorj.
In 1799, dedicated to 25 th birthday of the IV Bogd Javzandamba, by the decree of VII Tsorj
Davgadarjaa Lama, and eight meter high stupa was built and interred with 155,000 sutras, 70
bodhi stupas, 2500 tsatsas, 100,000 statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and ritual objects. This
stupa is now called Golden Stupa.
Erdene Zuu is surrounded by a 108 stupa-walled enclosure with 400 meter long walls and four
gates.
By 1808, all the reconstruction work had been finished in Erdene Zuu. Historians inform that
there were 62 temples inside the walls of Erdene Zuu. There were many rare historical stone
monuments with various writings that were taken from Karakorum.
Development of Erdene Zuu began to slow in the beginning of XIX century. The reason was that
every aimag already had its own temples and monasteries also people concentrated to the capital
city Huree, which moved along the Tuul River bank. But, Erdene Zuu remained an important
pilgrimage site for Mongols then and now.
Most of the buildings and temples of the Erdene Zuu was greatly destroyed during time of
repression in 1936's.
At present, the main, western and eastern Zuu temples have been reconstructed and the main
expositions of the museum are included. In the red fence of the these three temples are a Tsamba
temple on the rigth side, Ayush temple on the left, two stupas of bodies of Avtai sain Khaan and
Tusheet Khaan Gombodorj Located in front.
There are temples of Regsumgombo and Dalai Lama with special
fence on the rigth, outside the red fense. The temples have a
channel for circumambulation inside. There is also a Blue temple
 for Avtai Sain Khaan or Gombogur temple. Labran temple or Erdene Zuu is a functioning
monastery with a number of monks. On the rigth of the monastery is the Janraiseg temple.
Erdene Zuu temple has many unique art and cultural exposition of Mongolia including: the stone
Gombogur Buddha statue brought by Avtai Sain Khaan;Zandan Zuu Buddha made of
sandalwood; and a coral cup offered by Naga king of Ogii lake for the consecration of Erdene
Zuu. Among more than 10,000 expositions of the museums, 18 were included in the list of state
treasury, by the decree of mongolian government.
The complex was ravaged by communist storm troopers in 1937 and dozens of temples were
burned to the ground. Priceless Buddhist relics were forever lost. The museum was taken under
state protection in 1940 and somewhat reconstructed. Erdene Zuu became a museum in 1965 and
at present it is one of biggest museums in the country. The number of tourists visiting the
museum increases year by year and 20,000 people visited the complex last year.

Далай ламын сvм

Тvшээт хан Чахундорж , Зая бандид Лувсанпэрэнлэй нар
Энх амгалангийн 12- р он буюу 1673 оны хар vхэр жил
баруун зууд морилон Далай лам тэргvvтнээс ван , жонон,
гvн, ном сонсоод 1674 онд эргэж ирээд Эрдэнэзууд Далай
ламын сvм , цамын сvмvvдийг байгуулжээ.

Шєргєн хашаа
Хар модоор нэг ч хадаас оруулалгvй хийсэн энэхvv шєргєн
хашааг гадаад , дотоодын дайснаас хамгаалахыг билэгдэн
мєн бурхан шашины зан vйл гvйцэтгэх , цам гарах vед морь
мал , олон хvнийг орохыг хориглох зориулалтаар манжийн
хаанаас бэлэглэсэн .

Цамбын сvм
нэ сvмийг Цамба шvтээнд зориулан босгосон бєгєєд 3 тасалгаатай ,
урд нь тасалгаа бvрт 4:4 лам сууж ном уншдаг байсан . Ханын
Ганзай болон бурхдын олон танка , зээгт наамал , бар зургуудыг 17-
19- р зууны vед бvтээжээ .

Баруун зуу сvм

Баруун зуугийн сvмийг Автай сайн хааны хєвгvvн Эрэхий
мэргэн хааны хатан холоч Дархан ноёны эх бариулжээ . Баруун зуу сvмд : Гурван суугаа
дvртэй баримлыг хойморт байрлуулжээ . Уг гурван бурханы голынх нь Бурхан багшийн
настай vеийн дvр . Баруун нь Одсvрэн бурхан . Зvvн нь Майдар бурханы дvр юм .

Гол зуу сvм

Гол зуу сvмийг Тvшээт хан Зvнгэн , Тvшмэл Цогт нар
бvтээлгэжээ . Гол зуу дахь сvмийн танка зургуудыг 17-19- р
зуунд бvтээсэн . Энд Бурхан багшийн дvр ,16 архадын
дvрийг байрлуулжээ .

Зvvн зуу сvм

Зvvн зуугийн сvмийг Эрэхий мэргэний хєвгvvн Тvшээтхаан
Гомбодоржийн хатан анхдугаар Богд Жавзан дамба хутагт
Занабазарын эх Ханджамц хатан гvйцээн бариулжээ .

Аюушийн сvм
Энэ сvмийг Аюуш бурханд зориулан бvтээсэн бєгєєд урьд
нь єрєє болгонд 4:4 лам суугаад хурал явуулдаг байсан .

Алтан суврага
Энэ суварга Бодь суварганы тєрєлд орох бєгєєд 8 жижиг
суврагаар хvрээлvvлсэн дєрвєлжин тавцанд
байрладаг . Алтан суврагыг 1799 онд Богдод зориулан
бvтээжээ . єндєр нь 5 алд , vvдэндээ зулын сvмтэй ,
тvvнд бурхан багшийн 4 их дvйцэнд их зул єргєдєг
байжээ . Гvнгэрваанд нь бурхан багш заларч байгаа
бєгєєд анхны сvншигтэйгээ байгаа суврага юм .

Хєх сvм
Хєх сvмийг хамгийн анх барьжээ . Нэг ч хадаас оруулаагvй барьсан
уран барилгын євєрмєц хийц энэ сvмийн дотор талаас илvv сайн
харагддаг . Энд дэлгэсэн бурхадын хєргvvдийг 17-19- р зуунд
урлажээ .
Жанрайсигийн сvм
Жанрайсигийн сvмд лам нарын хурал номондоо хэрэглэдэг
эд зvйлс , хєгжмийн зэмсэг , хатгамал , танка зээгт наамал
бурхадын хєрєг , цамын багийг дэлгэн тавьжээ.