The Shalu Monastery is located 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Shigatse. In a quiet jungle valley, the ancient Shalu Monastery looks very outstanding with all villages nearby. This is its specialty that makes it different from other monasteries of the Yellow Communion. In Tibet Shalu means new leaf and tender grass. It was built in 1084 and completed in 1087. The contemplative named Jiezunxiraojiong took the charge of founding.

There are two important figures linked closely with the Shalu Monastery. One is the founder of the monastery Jiezunxiraojiong, the other is the most learned pontiff named Budunrenqinzhu since the beginning of Tibet. His contribution and dedication make this monastery receive many recommendations. After he passed away, the statue of Budunrenqinzhu was added in the Shalu Monastery and his turning bearing system were started to carry out.

The four treasures to calm the monastery are handed down from hundreds of years to now in the Shalu Monastery. One is a scripture board put together by sandalwood, one is the holy water sealed by copper altar, one is the stone basin that the founder of the monastery Xiraojiongnai used to wash the face and one is a foundation stone carved 6-word saying. That sandalwood scripture board is put together with 108 small boards. Allegedly it has the history of more than 700 years. That holy water of the copper altar is covered with red cloth and has the seal. It is said that the water is added every 12 years and it can wash 108 kinds of filths.

The Shalu Monastery is made up of the Shalu Palace and the four storehouses. Nowadays the four storehouses have already become local-style dwelling houses around the palace. There are 49 houses in the whole palace and they cover an area of more than 1,500 square meters.

For the construction of the Shalu Monastery, the murals are very important. The Tibetan murals in the Shalu Monastery have very high appreciation value because they have a very long history. Many figures, animals and plants all have the graceful miens of Han style.

The Shalu Monastery is an unadorned big monastery and it was listed as an emphatic preservation unit of cultural relics of the whole country by the China state council in 1988.