Zaki Temple is the only one temple of the God of Wealth in the whole Tibetan region. Located on the Zaki Road, in north suburb of Lhasa, Zaki Temple keeps a small scale but has been received quite good attendance with free charges. Zaki Temple is known as a branch temple of Sera Monastery . “Zaki Temple” means “ a temple with four monks” in Tibetan language as there were only 4 monks of Sera Monastery sent to manage this temple.
The God of Wealth of Zaki Temple is named Zaki Lhamo who is said to be the embodiment of Protective God of Lhasa City Palden Lhamo. Actually the god is in the female image There is an interesting legend about this Zaki Lhamo. Long long ago, a female Buddha believer named Zaki Lhamo from inland came to Lhasa followed by a master of Sera Monastery. Her unparalleled beauty incurred jealousy from many local goddesses who poisoned her and cut her feet cruelly. Zaki Lhamo used her remarkable ability to push the all poison onto her tongue and replace chicken claws with the cut feet. Those goddesses were helpless to smash the girl completely and gave up then. Due to this legend, the Buddha image of Zaki Lhamo has been featured in the widely open eyes, black face, black poisoning tongue out of her mouth and a pair of chicken claws.
In the fact, Zaki Temple was not originally worshiped for wealth but earned its fame for praying safety by outsiders at the beginning. Most outsiders were businessmen who came here mainly to mainly ask for wealth, and found it was efficacious finally. Gradually, Zaki Temple had become a Temple of the Goddess of Wealth. As the Zaki Goddess worshiped here came from the inland and had been holding a quite magic ability, Zaki Temple has ushered lots of inland people or Han people which is a little different from other Tibetan monasteries or temples.
According to the worshiping custom of Tibetan people, Monday is for praying wealth, Wednesday for safety and Friday for health. It is said the Goddess of Zaki Temple is an alcoholic so people come here could buy some alcoholic drink, wormwood, hada and buttered tea to the Goddess.
Open Time: 07:00-18:00
Entrance Charges: free
Travel Tips:
- According to the local custom, visitors could buy some wine, wormwood and buttered tea for the Goddess of Wealth in Zaki Temple.
- Visitors should exchange some cash when you come here. If you don’t have the small change, you can get change by your selves from the table of donation box when you put big cash into it.
