History
The monastery, dedicated to Manjusri (Tib: Jampelyang - the Bodhisattva of Wisdom), was first established by the sainted monk Luvsanjambaldanzan in 1733 as the permanent residence of the Reincarnation of the Bodhisattva of Wisdom . It came under the personal administration of Mongolia’s religious leader Bogd Gegeen in 1750. Over time, the monastery expanded became one of Mongolia’s largest and most important monastic centers with 20 temples and more than 300 monks. Religious ceremonies often involved more than 1000 monks. The lamasery housed a collection valuable and rare Buddism scriptures, including golden script on silver leafs .
On February 3, 1921 the Bogd Gegeen sought refuge at the monastery after occupying Chinese troops released him before fleeing the advance of forces under Baron Ungern von Sternberg. The monastery’s chief abbot, Manzushir Khutagt Sambadondogiin Tserendorj, was then made prime minister during Ungern von Sternberg’s puppet regime (February to July 1921).
The monastery’s fortunes changed after the Outer Mongolian Revolution of 1921. In the early years following the revolution, Manzushir Khutagt Tserendorj allegedly collaborated with the physically weakened Bogd Khan on various counter-revolutionary schemes, including sending messages for assistance to Japan. Following the Bogd Khan's death in 1924, the monastery and its inhabitants suffered waves of persecution as the socialist regime sought to eliminate the influence of institutional Buddhism within the country. In 1929 – 1930 Manzushir Khutagt Tserendorj had his personal property confiscated by the state and in 1936, at the start of Stalinist purges, he was one of 24 lamas arrested by Khorloogiin Choibalsan’s Interior Ministry for belonging to a "counter-revolutionary group." In February 1937, the monastery’s last remaining 53 lamas (most older than 50–60 years) were arrested, many of whom were later shot. All 20 temples of the monastery were then destroyed. The valuable Buddhist scriptures were moved to the Mongolian National Library. After a year long trial Manzushir Khutagt Tserendorj was found guilty and publicly executed in front of the national theater in October 1937.
Restoration of the individual buildings began in 1990 shortly after the 1990 Democratic Revolution and in 1992 the executed monks were officially rehabilitated. In 1998 the ruins of the monastery were protected by the state. To date, only the main building has been rebuilt and is now a museum.
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