Valley of the Kings (Tibet)
Encyclopedia
The Valley of the Kings or Chongye Valley branches off the Yarlung Valley
to the southwest and contains a series of graveyard tumuli
, approximately 27 kilometres (16.8 mi) south of Tsetang
, Tibet
, near the town of Qonggyai on Mure Mountain in Qonggyai County
of the Shannan Prefecture
.
The site possesses eight large mounds of earth resembling natural hills that are believed to contain eight to ten buried Tibetan kings.
), Nansong Mangsten
, Tridu Songtsen, Gyangtsa Laban, Tride Tsugtsen, Trisong Detsen
, Muni Tsangpo and Tritsu Detsen.
s were erected at the front of the Valley of the Kings. Although one has been destroyed, the other is intact except for a broken leg. The lion is 1.55 meters high and 1.3 meters in length and stands on a 0.76 meter (about 0.83 yards) pedestal.
The largest of the mounds, located near the north bank of Qonggyai (Chonggye) River, has a reconstructed 13th century temple dedicated to Songtsän Gampo. The temple was rebuilt with restored murals in 1983 and is maintained by three monks. Gampo's statue is situated in the centre of the temple's altar and is surrounded by statues of his Chinese wife, Wen Cheng, and his Nepalese wife, Tritsun, who is holding a crystal ball. Eminent ministers stand at the side, including Sambhota, a noted Tibetan philologist who is held to be the founder of Tibetan writing. Behind this altar statue display is a crowned Maitreya
with two Sakyamunis and a mural on the right wall depicting Indian deities of the 8th century AD.
A number of scholars have raised doubts that this is the actual place where Gampo was laid to rest, given that it has not been formally excavated; others have speculated that he was actually interred in Jokhang
, Lhasa
. According to the ancient Tibetan Annals
and Tibetan tradition, however, his tomb is believed to be located deep beneath the ground in a central, subterranean chamber in a silver coffin, with nine smaller chambers filled with treasures. According to funeral rites listed in the annals, on the left side was a suit of armour worn by Songtsan Gampo on expedition, and on the right side were knights and battle horses made of solid gold which had been sacrificed with the king. Other sources indicate that the Tibetan Annals document the inner part of the tomb as having five halls and a central tomb chamber that is about 100 square meters in area and 13.4 meters (about 44 feet) high. Gampo's silver coffin is believed to be surrounded by his statues and ones of Sakyamuni and Avalokitesvara
. Buried at the head of the coffin is a coral statue of Lord Loyak Gyalo, who is intended to give light to the dead king; at the foot of the coffin is a cache of pears weighing 35 kilograms, wrapped in silk, that symbolise Gampo’s share of wealth. The tomb is also believed to contain an extensive number of large gold and silver utensils, reliquary and commemorative artifacts.
Another mound is for Tride Songtsen, who ruled Tibet from 798 to 815. The stele is 7.18 meters (about 23 feet) high and is inscribed with vivid carvings of floating clouds and flying celestials. The second stele is similar to the first, with only small differences depicted in the carvings. The ancient Tibetan script at the site reveals that he was credited with great achievements during his reign.
Yarlung Valley
The Yarlung Valley is formed by the Yarlung River and refers especially to the district where it joins with the Chongye River, and broadens out into a large plain about 2 km wide, before they flow north into the Yarlung Zangbo River or Brahmaputra. It is situated in Nedong County of Lhokha...
to the southwest and contains a series of graveyard tumuli
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
, approximately 27 kilometres (16.8 mi) south of Tsetang
Tsetang
Zêtang is one of the largest cities in Tibet and is located in the Yarlung Valley, 183 km southeast of Lhasa in Nedong County of Lhoka Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of China...
, Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
, near the town of Qonggyai on Mure Mountain in Qonggyai County
Qonggyai County
Qonggyai County or Chongye County, is a county of the Shannan Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region.-History:...
of the Shannan Prefecture
Shannan Prefecture
The Shannan Prefecture also known as the Lhoka Prefecture is a prefecture in the southeastern area of the Tibet Autonomous Region...
.
The site possesses eight large mounds of earth resembling natural hills that are believed to contain eight to ten buried Tibetan kings.
Other sources, however, have indicated that there are actually nine mounds rather than eight or ten. The kings believed to be buried at the site include Songtsän Gampo (the founder of the Tibetan Empire"According to Tibetan tradition all the kings from Dri-gum onwards are buried at ‘Phyong-rgyas, but as the site now presents itself, there are just ten tumuli identifiable as the tombs of all the kings from Srong-brtsan-sgam-po to Khri-lde-srong-brtsan, including two princes . . . ."
Tibetan Empire
The historic name for the Tibetan Empire is different from Tibet's present name.Traditional Tibetan history preserves a lengthy list of rulers, whose exploits become subject to external verification in the Chinese histories by the seventh century. From the 7th to the 11th century a series of...
), Nansong Mangsten
Mangsong Mangtsen
Mangsong Mangtsen, Trimang Löntsen or Khri-mang-slon-rtsan succeeded to the throne after the death of his grandfather, Songtsän Gampo, and was the second emperor of the newly created Tibetan Empire....
, Tridu Songtsen, Gyangtsa Laban, Tride Tsugtsen, Trisong Detsen
Trisong Detsen
Trisong Detsän or Trisong Detsen ཁྲི་སྲོང་ལྡེ་བཙན , was the son of Me Agtsom and one of the emperors of Tibet and ruled...
, Muni Tsangpo and Tritsu Detsen.
Features
Two stone lion steleStele
A stele , also stela , is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief , or painted onto the slab...
s were erected at the front of the Valley of the Kings. Although one has been destroyed, the other is intact except for a broken leg. The lion is 1.55 meters high and 1.3 meters in length and stands on a 0.76 meter (about 0.83 yards) pedestal.
The largest of the mounds, located near the north bank of Qonggyai (Chonggye) River, has a reconstructed 13th century temple dedicated to Songtsän Gampo. The temple was rebuilt with restored murals in 1983 and is maintained by three monks. Gampo's statue is situated in the centre of the temple's altar and is surrounded by statues of his Chinese wife, Wen Cheng, and his Nepalese wife, Tritsun, who is holding a crystal ball. Eminent ministers stand at the side, including Sambhota, a noted Tibetan philologist who is held to be the founder of Tibetan writing. Behind this altar statue display is a crowned Maitreya
Maitreya
Maitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
with two Sakyamunis and a mural on the right wall depicting Indian deities of the 8th century AD.
Jokhang
The Jokhang, , also called the Qokang Monastery, Jokang, Jokhang Temple, Jokhang Monastery or Zuglagkang , is located on Barkhor Square in Lhasa. For most Tibetans it is the most sacred and important temple in Tibet. It is in some regards pan-sectarian, but is presently controlled by the Gelug school...
, Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
. According to the ancient Tibetan Annals
Tibetan Annals
The Tibetan Annals, or Old Tibetan Annals , are composed of two manuscripts written in Old Tibetan language found in the early 20th century in the "hidden library", the Mogao Grottoes near Dunhuang, which is believed to have been sealed in the 11th century CE...
and Tibetan tradition, however, his tomb is believed to be located deep beneath the ground in a central, subterranean chamber in a silver coffin, with nine smaller chambers filled with treasures. According to funeral rites listed in the annals, on the left side was a suit of armour worn by Songtsan Gampo on expedition, and on the right side were knights and battle horses made of solid gold which had been sacrificed with the king. Other sources indicate that the Tibetan Annals document the inner part of the tomb as having five halls and a central tomb chamber that is about 100 square meters in area and 13.4 meters (about 44 feet) high. Gampo's silver coffin is believed to be surrounded by his statues and ones of Sakyamuni and Avalokitesvara
Avalokitesvara
Avalokiteśvara is a bodhisattva who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas. He is one of the more widely revered bodhisattvas in mainstream Mahayana Buddhism....
. Buried at the head of the coffin is a coral statue of Lord Loyak Gyalo, who is intended to give light to the dead king; at the foot of the coffin is a cache of pears weighing 35 kilograms, wrapped in silk, that symbolise Gampo’s share of wealth. The tomb is also believed to contain an extensive number of large gold and silver utensils, reliquary and commemorative artifacts.
Another mound is for Tride Songtsen, who ruled Tibet from 798 to 815. The stele is 7.18 meters (about 23 feet) high and is inscribed with vivid carvings of floating clouds and flying celestials. The second stele is similar to the first, with only small differences depicted in the carvings. The ancient Tibetan script at the site reveals that he was credited with great achievements during his reign.