China Takes a Chain Saw to a Center of Tibetan Buddhism

Atop a hill, a growling chain saw drowned out loudspeakers broadcasting a lama’s chants from a nearby temple. The chain saw, wielded by workers demolishing a row of homes, signaled the imminent end of thousands of hand-built monastic dwellings here at Larung Gar, the world’s largest Buddhist institute. Since its founding in 1980, Larung Gar has grown into an extraordinary and surreal sprawl — countless red-painted dwellings surrounding temples, stupas and large prayer wheels. The homes are spread over the walls of this remote Tibetan valley like strawberry jam slathered on a scone. Read more