Day 8 (2/2) - Sera Monastery

After bad case of AMS at Drak Yerpa, I was glad that we were headed Sera Monastery which was close by Lhasa and at more manageable altitude. The difference between a Tibetan temple and monastery is that monks in monastery studies scriptures. Sera Monastery houses hundreds of monks.

The most unique sight of Sera was the afternoon debate held everyday except Sunday around 3PM or so. We got there just in time before the debate started. The debate was held in the court yard in the monastery.

Monks gathering prior to the start of the debate session

The monks gathered in small groups, some as small as 3 while others as big as 10 or so. There were more small groups than big groups. In each group, there was usually one monk standing up delivering the points while the other two sitting on the floor. The debate appeared to be between two monks usually while others listened in and intermittently inject their opinion.

Often time, the standing monk would lift knee slightly forward, with the praying bracelet on one arm, raising the other arm above the shoulder, and emphatically clap, at the same time delivering his point with force.

A group of three monks debating. The one standing on the left appeared to the be senior monk

Unfortunately, my guide was no where to be found, so I don't know if the clapping meant anything, and what the monks were debating specifically. Because the presence of many tourists, some monks appeared to worried about whether the onlookers were watching or not. It was entertaining nonetheless.

An elderly looking on the debate

Young debating monk, he was very passionate and did not back down from the older monks

After about an hour or so, the monks got up and gather in a semi-circle in the middle to chant and listen to a monk speaking. The proceeding lasted another half an hour or so.

Monks getting up


The young one was still debating


The monks chanting and listening in


There was a monk waving burning incense. The tourists were in the background clicking and filming away throughout the proceedings.


The door at the monastery

By now, the monastery itself is closed. Still suffering the after effect of AMS, I was somewhat glad that I did not have to explorer the place. But as I am writing this blog now, I wish I could have at least taken a peek at the inside of the monastery. After all, it's not everyday I get to visit Lhasa.

We had dinner at another Sichuan restaurant. The choice of Han/Chinese food here were mostly Sichuan or Shanxi. Sichuan is the neighboring province, naturally there were more immigrants from there. The Sichuan restaurant we visited was alright. But none of them had English menu nor do the waiters spoke English.

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