Photo taken on March6, 2015, shows Zonglor Chamba Khedrup Rinpoche, vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Tibet Committee and head of Champa Ling Monastery Management Committee. [Photo/China Tibet Online]

"Champa Ling Monastery has almost 1,200 monks with an annual earning of more than seven million yuan, which can fully cover all the monastery’s expenditures, and we even have surplus to spend," said Zonglor Chamba Khedrup, vice chairman of CPPCC Tibet Committee and head of Champa Ling Monastery Management Committee.

Zonglor Chamba Khedrup, born in 1940 in Tibet's Chamdo Prefecture, was recognized as a Rinpoche of Tsonglhor Monastery in Riwoqe County in 1943. Studying scripture and practicing Buddhism in Champa Ling Monastery from the age of 11, Zonglor got his Geshe Degree, the highest religious degree of Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, in 1987 and became an eminent monk respected by religious personnel and believers.

According to Zonglor, Champa Ling Monastery has the largest number of monks among all the monasteries in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

In a bid to meet the increasing number of monks, Champa Ling Monastery started to extend their dormitory in 2005 and 2014.

With a subsidy of 5,000 yuan per monk, the regional government invested nearly six million yuan in the extension of the dormitory for the Champa Ling Monastery in 2014.

"The construction is expected to be finished in 2015. After the extension, two monks share one room equipped with a TV and kitchen," Zonglor said.

In addition to extending the dormitory, the regional government invested over 90 million yuan in the renovation and repair of prayer rooms, walls, and roads around the monastery, making it much more convenient for the local believers to worship while also protecting Buddha figurines, cultural relics, and Tibetan classics in the Champa Ling Monastery.

Apart from the government's investment, Champa Ling Monastery has its own sources of income as well.

"The annual income of Champa Ling Monastery is more than seven million yuan, which includes three parts. First, we lease our shops to retailers at the foot of the monastery. Second, Champa Ling bought a piece of land in the east of Lhasa and constructed commercial buildings to collect rent. Third, Champa Ling has 300-mu land(20 hectares) in Chamdo, and we lease it to farmers," said Zonglor Rinpoche.

The annual income can fully cover all the monastery's expenditures, and any money left is used to buy staples like butter, Zanba, and tealeaves, which are distributed equally amongst the monks.

As Zonglor Chamba Khedrup Rinpoche said, "Tibetan Buddhism is in a very good time of development. Our country values and respects religious beliefs, and the monastery can hold religious activities. Monks have freedom to practice their religion. In the meantime, the monastery should abide by the laws and make a commitment to love our country and religions."

Champa Ling Monastery performs its social responsibilities by donating money to nursing homes and orphan asylums and helping people who suffer from disasters.

Built in 1444, Champa Ling Monastery is the first and largest monastery of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Chamdo Prefecture of eastern Tibet.