Katok Monastery

Katok Monastery is found 4,000m above ocean level on the eastern flanks of a mountain run in Baiyu County, Garze, Sichuan. The whole religious community complex is around 700m over the valley floor and is gotten to by an earth street containing 18 barrette turns. The closest town is Horpo, 17 km toward the north. Katok Monastery was established in 1159 by a more youthful sibling of Phagmo Drupa Dorje Gyalpo, Katok Dampa Deshek, at Derge, the notable seat of the Kingdom of Derge in Kham. Katok Monastery's third abbot, Jampa Bum 1179-1252, whose 26-year residency as abbot finished in 1252, "is said to have appointed a great many priests from crosswise over Tibet, and particularly from Kham area of Minyak mi nyag, Jang 'byang, and Gyémorong rgyal mo rong."