Founded in the mid-15th century by the Kagyu schoolmaster Dondrup Rinchen, the temple has long been an important center of religious and cultural activity in the region.
[3] The walls and ceilings of the temple are adorned with intricate murals depicting scenes from Buddhist sutras and the lives of past lamas, showcasing the artistic and spiritual heritage of the region.
In the 1930s, the sixth hot Zhen live Buddha served as the regent of Tibet, overseeing a significant reconstruction of the Zatang monastery.
In the 1940s, Tibetan officials from Kashgar dispatched Gangba Dongbo to the Zatang region to examine the temple's operations, enforce discipline, and expel monks with families and children from the monastery.
During the Cultural Revolution, all auxiliary structures of Zatang Monastery were demolished; only the ground floor of the great hall remained, which served as the grain repository for Zacang County for an extended period.