Chimpu Meditation Centers

It is an ideal place for preventing sun strikes and keeping off the cold, very suitable place for trekking. It’s not only a sacred place for pilgrims, the tourists may enjoy much more fun there. “Chim” refers to the Chim clan while “Pu” means the upper part of a ravine. The ravine where Chimpu lies is a basin with a surrounding of mountains to three sides, which are just like two hands holding Chimpu in the middle, and then faces gradually to open slopes into a vast valley of the Yarlung Tsangpo River in the south.

Jihu, Padmasambhava and many eminent monks practiced Buddhism there and left many sacred remains there. Before the ending of the former flourishing period of Tibetan Buddhism, many Buddhist scriptures were buried there and during the early later flourishing period of Tibetan Buddhism, a lot of scripture diggers came to dig scriptures. Chimpu shares the same great reputation as the Samye monastery that Tibetans believe that you don’t really visit Samye Monastery without going to Chimpu.

Location: Located half way up the Narein Hill, on the north bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, about 8 kilometers northeast from the Samye monastery with an altitude of 4300 meters above sea level.

Transportation: In holidays, there are Dongfeng trucks taking villagers to make a pilgrimage to Chimpu at five or six o’clock every morning. 10 Yuan a person for going to and fro. But there are too many people that we can even use “impenetrable” to describe the scene. In ordinary times, sometimes there will be trucks to Chimpu and it depends on how many people are going there. It will cost you 200 to 300 Yuan or so to rent a truck. Though it’s only 10 kilometers from Samye, it will take you more than an hour there because of the terrible road condition.

Evaluation: Chimpu is a wonderland full of wonders, imagination and fantasy. You will never regret to go there.

 

Tips:

1. If you are confident about your physical strength, you can go there on foot for about five to eight hours (depending on personal physical strength and perseverance)

2. Another recommended way: Riding up and walking down. On the way back, you may feel it relaxed and much more comfortable than to take the crowded and bumping trucks. As seeing from high above, you can see the road winding its way to the mountain and you can take the shortcuts down the mountain for two hours or so. It’s boring when you reach the mountain foot and begin the remaining way in Gobi desert. You need to prevent sun strike in summer. If it’s cloudy, it will be much more comfortable. You have to walk eight to ten kilometers back.

3. Don’t eat too much in the morning if you take a truck to Chimpu or you may throw up when arriving there,

4. Accommodation: As there are more and more pilgrims and visitors in recent years, a small hotel with six beds has been built on the half way of the mountain near the Buddhist hall. 15 Yuan per person for a night. Or you may camp on the top of the mountain. There’s a snack bar beside the hotel and you can buy some tins, biscuits and instant noodles as your food as there is no restaurants or canteens there.


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