The Shar was one of four families – Shar, Nub, Gung and Khangsar – that were aligned with Sakya Monastery and which did not directly descend from the Khon clan. The name Shar originates with the activities of Sharpa Sherab Jungne, a student of Jetsun Drakpa Gyeltsen and Sakya Paṇḍita Kunga Gyeltsen. He either bought the Zimkhang Nyingma, one of the first buildings established at Sakya, from Ponchen Śākya Zangpo, or was given it by Sakya Paṇḍita, and made it his residence. Due to its location to the east of the Utse Nyingma, it was called Labrang Shar, the Eastern Labrang, which from then on also became the name of the family. The masters of the Luding Labrang of Ngor Monastery belong to the Shar family as well.