Mangyül Gungthang
Encyclopedia
Mangyül Gungthang ) alternatively known as Ngari Me (Lower Ngari) is the name of a Tibetan kingdom established under Sa-skya
overlordship in Southwest Tibet
around 1265. Historically it lies in an area that was an important transit point between the north and south Himalayas, and it was through this route that Padmasambhava
and Śāntarakṣita arrived in Tibet. It was founded by a descendent of the Tibetan royal house, Bumdegon (1253–1280) It was one of the thirteen myriarchies (khri skor bcu gsum) ruled by a Sakya lama viceroy, appointed by the Yuan Dynasty
Mongol
court.
Chokyi Dronma, the eldest daughter of Thri Lhawang Gyaltsen (1404–1464) and the first Dorje Pakmo – the third-highest ranking person in the Lamaist hierarchy – hailed from the district.
The kings of Gungthang were subject to a variety of central Asian overlords down to 1620, when their kingdom was destroyed by the King of Tsang
.
The capital of the kingdom was the fortified citadel of Dzongkar (White Fortress). After the discovery of gold in Western Tibet, it became an important link in the network of trans-Himalayan trade.
Sakya
The Sakya school is one of four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the others being the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Gelug...
overlordship in Southwest Tibet
Ngari Prefecture
Ngari Prefecture is a prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Its capital is Gar County. Its regional headquarters is in the town of Purang. The biggest town is Ali. It includes part of the Aksai Chin area, a disputed region claimed by India but over which China exercises administrative...
around 1265. Historically it lies in an area that was an important transit point between the north and south Himalayas, and it was through this route that Padmasambhava
Padmasambhava
Padmasambhava ; Mongolian ловон Бадмажунай, lovon Badmajunai, , Means The Lotus-Born, was a sage guru from Oddiyāna who is said to have transmitted Vajrayana Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet and neighbouring countries in the 8th century...
and Śāntarakṣita arrived in Tibet. It was founded by a descendent of the Tibetan royal house, Bumdegon (1253–1280) It was one of the thirteen myriarchies (khri skor bcu gsum) ruled by a Sakya lama viceroy, appointed by the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
Mongol
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
court.
Chokyi Dronma, the eldest daughter of Thri Lhawang Gyaltsen (1404–1464) and the first Dorje Pakmo – the third-highest ranking person in the Lamaist hierarchy – hailed from the district.
The kings of Gungthang were subject to a variety of central Asian overlords down to 1620, when their kingdom was destroyed by the King of Tsang
Ü-Tsang
Ü-Tsang , or Tsang-Ü, is one of the three traditional provinces of Tibet, the other two being Amdo and Kham. Geographically Ü-Tsang covered the central and western portions of the Tibetan cultural area, including the Tsang-po watershed, the western districts surrounding and extending past Mount...
.
The capital of the kingdom was the fortified citadel of Dzongkar (White Fortress). After the discovery of gold in Western Tibet, it became an important link in the network of trans-Himalayan trade.