The Zezhol Monastery is the largest monastery of the Tibetan indigenous religion, Bon. It is located at an altitude of 4,800 meters on Zezhol Hill, 37 kilometers from Tengchen County in Chamdo. History of the monastery can be traced back to as far as 3,000 years ago. It was rebuilt in the middle of the 14th century. In Tibetan, this name means Six Peaks because of its topography around.
Zezhol Monastery teaches traditional Bon sutras and practices methods that include the ancient and mystic supreme yoga. It is said that Amitabha Buddha once came to Zezhol Hill to encourage Buddhism and made a wish that Zezhol Hill would have far-reaching influences to the development of Bon, and that this area would give rise to many supreme Masters of the Bon religion. In over 3, 000 years there have been eighty-two Masters, who left footprints and handprints in their meditation caves as a result of their supernatural powers.
For pilgrims, it is not simple to get to this monastery because of its altitude, though in recent years a road to Zezhol has been constructed at the instigation of the present Living Buddha of the monastery, Zezhol Dingzher. Late June to mid August is the best time to visit Zezhol. In late June, every twelve years according to the Tibetan calendar, the monastery holds a festival with naked religious dancing. Naked religious dancing is a tradition of Bon, but today in Tibet only Zezhol Monastery keeps this tradition exactly the same as it originally was. Like many other religions, Bon also worships Sakyamuni and its doctrines advise people to be honest and do good deeds. This theme is also related through the religious dances. In its religious dancing, Yama, the King of Hell, judges people of different ranks and classes from the emperor to the civilian, from the common man to monks by weighing the things they have done in their lives and deciding where they should go after they die. The dancing tells that only good people will have happy endings and it makes people examine their own consciences. Since the festival is held every twelve years, the pilgrims greatly look forward to the chance of viewing the dancing themselves and they strongly believe that this will make their minds re-born and eliminate their burden of sins. The festival attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists.









