Tashi Delek, everybody! Welcome to Lhasa, a city of busy markets, sweet incense and flowing robes! Please follow me to the Potala Palace. Look! Built against the southern slope of Hongshan Mountain, the Potala Palace stands so majestic with golden roofs glittering in the sunshine. Seeing the heavenly palace, do you feel its awesome grandeur?
The Potala Palace dates back to the 7th century AD when King Songtsen Gampo built the 1000-room palace for his wife, Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty. Unfortunately, the original palace was destroyed by lightning and fires. In the spring of 1645, the 5th Dalai Lama performed a ritual to rebuild the architectural wonder on top of the ruins of Songtsen’s old abode in the presence of many monks and lay people. Although the 5th Dalai Lama moved into a section of the palace five years later, the entire structure took 45 years to complete. Today the Potala Palace continues to dominate the Lhasa skyline and is the most visible of all the city’s sights. It offers one of the best views of Lhasa and the surrounding area, especially in the early morning.
As you know, the Potala Palace consists of the outside White Palace and the central Red Palace. The White Palace enfolds the Red Palace on its west, south and east sides. The 7-storey White Palace contained living quarters, offices, a seminary and a printing house. Pay attention to the murals on the walls of this lobby. This mural depicts Princess Wencheng entering Tibet. The Princess sits in the four-wheeled carriage drawn by three horses, bringing the gold statue of Sakyamuni Buddha as part of her dowry. Nowadays, the most precious statue in Tibet is worshiped in the Jokhang Temple. And that one portrays the Tubo minister asking the Tang court for a marriage alliance on behalf of Songtsen Gampo.These murals vividly reflect the cohesiveness of friendly Tang and Tubo ties. This winding corridor leads to Dongdadian on the 4th floor.This hall is the most spacious with the portraits of the Dalai Lamas on the walls. Look up at the panel hanging above the throne. It reads “Strengthen and Keep the Borderland in Peace”. The calligraphy is by the hand of Emperor Tongzhi. It was here that the Dalai Lamas were enthroned as Buddhist spiritual leader and the region’s temporal ruler.
Now we are arriving at the Red Palace. From outside, the Red Palace appears to have 13 stories, but in fact there are only nine. Let’s move through narrow corridors, dimly lighted by many small butter lamps, to watch the tomb stupas of the 5th and the 7th to 13th Dalai Lamas. One especially dramatic sight is the tomb of the 5th Dalai Lama. It stands 48 feet high tall and it contains about 8,000 pounds of gold as well as 10,000 precious pearls, jades and agates. In January 1653 he paid a visit to Emperor Shunzhi and submitted to the rule of the Qing court. Interestingly, he was also a prolific writer. Well, the Potala Palace used to serve as the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas. Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama’s former summer palace constructed in the 18th century, is located on the bank of the Lhasa River about 2 miles west of the Potala Palace in the beautiful and serene environment.
Dear visitors! An Indian expert from UNESCO once said the Potala Palace was a great landscape in the history of human civilization and a marvel in the history of ancient architecture. I’d like to add it also sees the unity and harmony of the Hans and Tibetans. Don’t you think so? Thank you!
