Manzushir Monastery

Manzushir was founded in 1733 and grew into a complex of some twenty temples housing several hundred monks in a wooded valley on the southern side of Bogd Khan mountain. It was destroyed in 1937, and what remains is foundations, walls and a single restored temple that now functions as a small museum. The setting does much of the work: granite boulders, pine and birch, a stream, and rock paintings of Buddhist figures on the boulders above the ruins. A huge bronze cauldron cast in 1726, capable of boiling meat for hundreds, stands in the open. Walking routes continue up over the mountain towards Ulaanbaatar on the far side. It is a quiet, melancholy place, close enough to the capital for a half-day.

History

The monk Luvsanjambaldanzan founded the monastery in 1733, dedicated to Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva of wisdom, and in 1750 it came under the personal administration of the Jebtsundamba Khutuktu. It grew to 20 temples and more than 300 monks, with ceremonies often drawing over 1000, and it kept rare scriptures, among them texts in golden script on silver leaf (Wikipedia, Manjusri Monastery).

What's there

• The ruined complex - foundations and walls of the destroyed temples.
• The restored temple museum - the one rebuilt building with displays.
• Rock paintings - Buddhist images on boulders above the site.
• The bronze cauldron - the 1726 vessel standing in the open.

When to go

May to October; the valley is snowbound and cold in winter though accessible. Autumn colour among the birches is good. Weekends bring visitors from the capital. Mornings are quiet.

Things to know

Almost nothing survives standing, so the visit is about ruins and setting rather than architecture. The museum is small. The track in from Zuunmod is rough. Facilities are minimal, with a ger camp nearby. Walking over the mountain to the city side is a serious full day.

Nearby

Zuunmod is south; Bogd Khan summit and Ulaanbaatar lie over the mountain.

Key facts