The Songzanlin lamasery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist lamasery in yunnan province as well as one of the 13 famous Lamaist monastesrise in Tibetan regions. Thou gout the history,Tibetan buddism has developed into different schools and such sects as the Nyingma sect,the Sakya sect, the Gelug sect,the Kagyu sect. The Gadan Songzanlin lamasery features the Gelug sect.

This lamasery has a history of over 320 years. During the period of emperor kangxi in Qing Dynasty,a war broke out among different Buddhism sects in Tibetan regions.the war of conflict was suppressed by Dalai Lama V with the assistance and support of a MongoIlan troop.After that in the year of 1679 he sent a report to Emprror Kangxi,under whose authorization he personally divined the location and started the building of the gandan Songzanlin lamasery.the site that the Dalai Lama V choose in person was an ideal place with good surroundings. When construction was comp in 1681,the Dalai Lama V Named it "Gandan"Songzanlin lamasery ."