"A temple of the Three Jewels, rebuilt from fire, where an eighth-century bell once rang loud enough to reach Tibet"
Konchogsum Lhakhang
Pedtsheling_Tamzhing, Bumthang District, Bhutan
Konchogsum Lhakhang — the Temple of the Three Jewels — was built in the eighth century on Guru Rinpoche's instructions by Tibetan King Trisong Detsen. Its most treasured relic is a bronze bell bearing an eighth-century inscription, whose chimes could reportedly be heard as far as Tibet. Tibetan soldiers tried to steal it but dropped it, cracking it. The temple burned in 2010 and was rebuilt by 2014, but the broken bell persists through each cycle of destruction and renewal.
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Quick Facts
Location
Pedtsheling_Tamzhing, Bumthang District, Bhutan
Tradition
Site Type
Year Built
8th century
Coordinates
27.5855, 90.7394
Last Updated
Mar 9, 2026
Learn More
Built in the eighth century on Guru Rinpoche's instructions. Named for its three statues of the Three Jewels. Contains Bhutan's most significant early bronze bell.
Origin Story
Guru Rinpoche instructed King Trisong Detsen of Tibet to build this temple in the eighth century. It was named Konchogsum — the Three Jewels — for its three main statues. The bronze bell, cast at the temple's founding, bore an inscription and produced a sound that, according to tradition, could be heard as far as Tibet. When a Tibetan army came to seize it, the soldiers found the bell so heavy they dropped it, cracking it permanently.
Key Figures
Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava)
Gave instructions for the temple's construction; buried terma texts at the site
King Trisong Detsen
Built the temple on Guru Rinpoche's instructions
Bonpo Dragtshel
Terton who discovered terma texts hidden by Guru Rinpoche
Pema Lingpa
Discovered the temple in ruins and restored it
Spiritual Lineage
Connects to the earliest period of Buddhism in Bhutan through Guru Rinpoche and Trisong Detsen. The terma discovery tradition links it to the Nyingmapa treasure-revelation lineage through both Bonpo Dragtshel and Pema Lingpa.
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