Kyichu Lhakhang, is an important Himalayan Buddhist

Himalayan Buddhism

Himalayan Buddhism is a term used to collectivly refer to the Buddhist schools of Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and those practiced in the Indian Himalayan regions of Ladakh, Himachel Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachel Pradesh.Himalayan Buddhism includes:...

 temple situated in Lamgong Gewog of Paro District

Paro District

Paro District is the name of a district , valley, river and town in Bhutan. It is one of the most historic valleys in Bhutan. Both trade goods and invading Tibetans came over the pass at the head of the valley, giving Paro the closest cultural connection with Tibet of any Bhutanese district...

 in Bhutan

Bhutan

Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...

.

History

The Jowo Temple of Kyichu is one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, originally built in the 7th century by the Tibetan Emperor Songsten Gampo. It is considered to be one of the 108 border taming temples he built.

In the 8th century the temple was visited by Guru Rinpoche and it is believed he concealed many spiritual treasures

Terma (religion)

Terma are key Tibetan Buddhist and Bön teachings, which the tradition holds were originally esoterically hidden by various adepts such as Padmasambhava and his consorts in the 8th century for future discovery at auspicious times by other adepts, known as tertöns. As such, they represent a...

 here.

Je Khenpo Sherab Gyaltshen wrote that during the 12th century the temple was looked after by the Lhapa Kagyu tradition and that during the 13th century it was handed over to a descendant of Phajo Drugom Zhigpo's son Nyima.

In his The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: It's Fundamentals and History H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje

Dudjom Rinpoche

Dudjom Rinpoche is the title of a prominent line of tulkus of the Nyingmapa order of Tibetan Buddhism. Dudjom Rinpoche was born in 1904 on the tenth day of the sixth month in the year of the wood dragon in Southern Tibet in a region called the "hidden land" of Pema Ko. He died on January 17, 1987...

 records that the Jowo Temple of Kyichu could not be seen and that Terton Pema Lingpa

Pema Lingpa

Pema Lingpa or Padma Lingpa was a famous saint and siddha of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was a preeminent terton , and is considered to be foremost of the Five Terton Kings...

 (1450-1521) uncovered the temple and restored it as it was before.

In 1644 the temple was taken over by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. From 1836 to 1838 the temple was restored and re-consecrated by the 25th Je Khenpo Sherab Gyaltshen.

In 1971 HM Kesang Choden Wangchuck,the Queen of King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck

Jigme Dorji Wangchuck

Jigme Dorji Wangchuck was the Third Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.He began to open Bhutan to the outside world, began modernization, and took the first steps toward democratization...

, built a Guru Temple next to the old Jowo Temple which was consecrated by HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Dilgo Khyentse

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was a Vajrayana master, scholar, poet, teacher, and head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism from 1987 to 1991.-Biography:...

. Ever since then the annual rites of great accomplishment for the deities Vajrasattva

Vajrasattva

Vajrasattva is a bodhisattva in the Mahayana, Mantrayana and Vajrayana buddhist traditions...

, Palchen Heruka, and Vajrakilaya have been held in this temple for the well being of the country under the patronage of HM Kesang Choden Wangchuck.

There is a belief that the two orange trees in the courtyard of Kyichu Lhakhang bear fruit throughout the year.