Khar tsokhion khuree
Read in Mongolian
Name(s) of Temple :
Khar tsokhion khuree,Gun khudgyn dugana,
Rinchen Number :
0
Type of Temple :
Monastic School
Aimag Temple located in :
Khovd
Sum Temple located in :
Byant soum
Old Aimag Name :
Zasagt Khan
Old Sum Name :
Tariachin khoshuu
Description of location :
The site is nestled in the Altai Mountains. The place called Khar Tsokhio of Buyant sum in Khovd Province is located on the western shoreline of a lake Khar Us on the slopes of Altai Mountain range extension. The area is sandy and filled with garagana plants surrounded by low knolls. There is no nearby stream or pond. Local wells provide drinking water to locals and livestock. The site is 25 km. away from Khovd town and about 20 km. far from Buyant River. During the 1950s, Khar Tsokhio brigade centre of Buyant sum was built on the base of the monastic city. There is a mound of dirt which used to be an owoo worshiped by the monastic city’s monks.
GPS readings :
North 47° 48’ East 091° 40’
Estimated site dimensions (metres) :
Side1: 6 Side2: 6 Side3: 3,50 Side4: 10 Side5: 11 Side6: 16
Revived temple on site :
No
Status of site at time of survey :
During the 1950s, the brigade centre was built slightly north of the monastic city’s site and near the slopes of Khar Tsokhio mountain. The brigade centre consisted of an administration hall, a culture centre and a bathhouse. The remains of these buildings are located about 300 m. from the monastic city base and thus some of the monastic city’s building remains -bases of small buildings and a stone base of a ger - can still be seen. Some buildings of the monastic city were demolished and stones, bricks and mud were recycled in the brigade center’s sites. Thus the monastic city base has mainly stone bases or remains of bases. Since 1990, the brigade center’s buildings were privatized by local residents and are mostly wrecked. Some are now used for storage by the residents. A well created during the brigade center’s construction is not working. Currently, a newly built well southwest of the brigade centre provides drinking water to the locals during summer and autumn.
Date of founding the monastery/temple :
1880
Date of closing and destroying the monastery :
Огноо хаагдсан: 1938 - Ярилцлагын дугаар:001
Огноо нураагдсан:: 1950 - Ярилцлагын дугаар:001
Old monastery/temple revived:
No
Үүсгэн байгуулагч хүний нэр болон цол хэргэм (мэдэгдэж байвал):
Date of Reviving:
Monks in Old Temple :
30 monks
30 monks
Notes :
1. The local seniors informed us of the location of the Khuree on the slopes of Khar Tsokhion, in Buyant sum of Khovd Province. The name Khar Tsokhio is the name of the area where the Khuree was located. Some people also call it Gun Khudgiin Datsan, from a story about a well which was built by the monastic city’s well.
2. The site was not recorded in Prof. B. Rinchen’s list.
4. It was built by Tariach Barren which was occupied by residents of Zasagt Khan province who came to this area to harvest crops in a valley of Buyant river during the governing of Manchurians in Buyant Sum of Khovd Province. Thus the monastic city was built by people of khalkh ethic origin which is the majority of the sum population.
11. Initially we were provided with info that the name of the monastic city was called Khar Tsokhion Khuree, however it seems that the name Gun Khudgiin Datsan was commonly used till the mid 1950s as told by Agvaandorj and Samballkhundev, local residents who were born in 1939. Samballkhundev remembers that when he was about 10 years old, the monastic city buildings were intact and he used to play inside these buildings. During late 1950s when agriculture units were just introduced the temple and other buildings were demolished.
13. It is recorded to have 30 – 40 monks before its closure.
Form Number :
ХОБУ 089
Survey Team :
Team B