Kingdom of Dêgê
Encyclopedia
The Kingdom of Derge was an important kingdom
in Eastern Tibet, a center of industry, religion and politics, with the seat of its kingdom in the town of Derge
. The kings of Derge followed a 1300-year lineage.
At its height, the population of the kingdom consisted of 12,000 to 15,000 families. The northern border of the kingdom was defined by Qinghai Lake
; on the east, the boundary terminated at those states that utilized the Horpa variation of the Rgyalrongic languages, Chantui and Litang
; the southern and western boundaries were defined by Batang
, Sanai, Gonjo and Draya; and Lhato
and Ch'amdo, respectively.
The kingdom was known for its metal working and was an important center in the establishment of the Rime movement
in Tibetan Buddhism
. The royal family of Derge were known as supporters of art, producing such artists as Situ Panchen
, the kingdom's senior court chaplain, who is also known for his contributions to medicine and religion.
to establish the renowned Gongchen Monastery
in the region. The kingdom expanded during the 18th century under the reign of Tenpa Tsering, who conquered territories to the north.
In 1727, the Kingdom of Derge and other regions in Eastern Tibet fell under the governance of China. It is linked with others of the "more important districts", as Spencer Chapman termed them, such as Nyarong, Batang, Litang, and the five Hor[pa] States under the name "Kham
", which Chapman describes as "an indefinite term suitable to the Tibetan Government, who are disconcertingly vague over such details as treaties and boundaries." In 1733. The Yongzheng Emperor
granted the king of Derge status of Hsuan Wei Ssu, a high position for native chieftains which effectively permitted him independence, though he was responsible for paying tribute. In spite of the change of provenance, the kings of the region continued their internal struggles, and in 1863, rule of the kingdom was disrupted for two years by the successful invasion of Nyarong. Intervention by the army of Tibet restored the kingdom, following a brief intermediate governance.
In the early 1900s, Eric R. Coales prepared a report that included information about the "recent" history of the kingdom for the British. According to Coales' report, in 1895, the Governor-General of Szechuan sent forces into Chantui, led by General Chang Chi, who advanced further into Derge. The king and his family were imprisoned in Chengdu
. By the time political intrigue in China had forced the troops to withdraw, the king had died, leaving behind two sons, Doje Senkel and Djembel Rinch'en. The former of these enjoyed the support of the Chinese, but the latter, who may have been illegitimate, had backers in Chantui. The two struggled over the throne until 1908, when Doje Senkel appealed for assistance to the Chinese General Chao Eh-Feng, who was on military campaign in the area to secure the political primacy of China. Djembel Rinch'en was driven to take sanctuary with the Dalai Lama
, Thubten Gyatso; Doje Senkel yielded the kingdom to China in exchange for an allowance. The Chinese retained direct control of Derge until 1918.
The palace of the Derge kings was subsequently converted into a school.
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
in Eastern Tibet, a center of industry, religion and politics, with the seat of its kingdom in the town of Derge
Dergé
Dêgê County is a county in Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in China's Sichuan province. Its county seat is the town of Dêgê. It was once the location of the Kingdom of Dêgê.-External links:*...
. The kings of Derge followed a 1300-year lineage.
At its height, the population of the kingdom consisted of 12,000 to 15,000 families. The northern border of the kingdom was defined by Qinghai Lake
Qinghai Lake
Qinghai Lake , is a saline lake situated in the province of Qinghai, and is the largest lake in China. The names Qinghai and Kokonor both mean "Blue/Teal Sea/Lake" in Chinese and Mongolian. It is located about west of the provincial capital of Xining at 3,205 m above sea level in a depression...
; on the east, the boundary terminated at those states that utilized the Horpa variation of the Rgyalrongic languages, Chantui and Litang
Litang
Litang is a county in the southwest of Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, western Sichuan Province of Southwest China.In 2001 it had a population of 47,500...
; the southern and western boundaries were defined by Batang
Batang
-Places in Southeast Asia:* Batang Regency, regency in Central Java province, Indonesia* Batang, Batang, capital of Batang Regency* Batang, Irosin, Sorsogon, one of the 28 barangays of Irosin, Sorsogon, Philippines-Places in China:...
, Sanai, Gonjo and Draya; and Lhato
Lhato
-See also:*List of towns and villages in Tibet...
and Ch'amdo, respectively.
The kingdom was known for its metal working and was an important center in the establishment of the Rime movement
Rime movement
Rimé is a Tibetan word which means "no sides", "non-partisan" or "non-sectarian". In a religious context, the word ri-mé is usually used to refer to the "Eclectic Movement" between the Buddhist Nyingma, Sakya, and Kagyu traditions, along with the non-Buddhist Bön religion, wherein practitioners...
in Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
. The royal family of Derge were known as supporters of art, producing such artists as Situ Panchen
Situ Panchen
Situ Panchen , also known as the 8th Tai Situ Rinpoche, was an influential Tibetan painter, writer and medical innovator as well as a notable figure in the histories of Karma Kagyu and the Kingdom of Dêgê, where he served as senior court chaplain...
, the kingdom's senior court chaplain, who is also known for his contributions to medicine and religion.
History
Derge became the capital of the kingdom in the 15th century under the reign of Lodro Tobden, the 31st in the line of the Derge kings. It was he who invited Thang Tong GyalpoThang Tong Gyalpo
Thangtong Gyalpo also known as Drubthob Chakzampa and Tsundru Zangpo was a great Buddhist adept, a yogi, physician, blacksmith, architect, and a pioneering civil engineer....
to establish the renowned Gongchen Monastery
Gongchen Monastery
Gonchen is a large Sakya Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the town of Derge, in Sichuan, China...
in the region. The kingdom expanded during the 18th century under the reign of Tenpa Tsering, who conquered territories to the north.
In 1727, the Kingdom of Derge and other regions in Eastern Tibet fell under the governance of China. It is linked with others of the "more important districts", as Spencer Chapman termed them, such as Nyarong, Batang, Litang, and the five Hor[pa] States under the name "Kham
Kham
Kham , is a historical region covering a land area largely divided between present-day Tibetan Autonomous Region and Sichuan province, with smaller portions located within Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan provinces of China. During the Republic of China's rule over mainland China , most of the region was...
", which Chapman describes as "an indefinite term suitable to the Tibetan Government, who are disconcertingly vague over such details as treaties and boundaries." In 1733. The Yongzheng Emperor
Yongzheng Emperor
The Yongzheng Emperor , born Yinzhen , was the fifth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty and the third Qing emperor from 1722 to 1735. A hard-working ruler, Yongzheng's main goal was to create an effective government at minimal expense. Like his father, the Kangxi Emperor, Yongzheng used military...
granted the king of Derge status of Hsuan Wei Ssu, a high position for native chieftains which effectively permitted him independence, though he was responsible for paying tribute. In spite of the change of provenance, the kings of the region continued their internal struggles, and in 1863, rule of the kingdom was disrupted for two years by the successful invasion of Nyarong. Intervention by the army of Tibet restored the kingdom, following a brief intermediate governance.
In the early 1900s, Eric R. Coales prepared a report that included information about the "recent" history of the kingdom for the British. According to Coales' report, in 1895, the Governor-General of Szechuan sent forces into Chantui, led by General Chang Chi, who advanced further into Derge. The king and his family were imprisoned in Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
. By the time political intrigue in China had forced the troops to withdraw, the king had died, leaving behind two sons, Doje Senkel and Djembel Rinch'en. The former of these enjoyed the support of the Chinese, but the latter, who may have been illegitimate, had backers in Chantui. The two struggled over the throne until 1908, when Doje Senkel appealed for assistance to the Chinese General Chao Eh-Feng, who was on military campaign in the area to secure the political primacy of China. Djembel Rinch'en was driven to take sanctuary with the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
, Thubten Gyatso; Doje Senkel yielded the kingdom to China in exchange for an allowance. The Chinese retained direct control of Derge until 1918.
The palace of the Derge kings was subsequently converted into a school.