Yarlung Valley

The restored Yungbu Lakang Palace.

The Yarlung Valley is formed by the Yarlung Tsangpo 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 Tsangpo River or Brahmaputra.[1] It is situated in Nedong County of Lhokha Prefecture (Ch. Shannan Prefecture) in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The capital of Lhokha Prefecture, Zêtang, in the Yarlung Valley, is one of Tibet's largest cities, and is 183 km southeast of Lhasa.[2] Coordinates: 29°12′N 91°46′E / 29.200°N 91.767°E / 29.200; 91.767

It was originally well-forested and suitable for agriculture. The Tsetang district is famous for its apples and pears.[3]

The Yarlung and the adjoining Chongye Valley formed the original seat of the Yarlung dynasty of Tibetan kings and controlled important ancient trade routes into India and Bhutan. The first Tibetan Emperor, Songtsen Gampo (605 or 617? - 649), moved the capital to Lhasa after greatly expanding his territories and power.

Description

The valley, often referred to as the "cradle of Tibetan civilisation", is only 72 km (45 mi) long, but contains a number of important castles, monasteries, temples, meditation caves, peaks and stupas. There are three renowned power places (ne-sum), Sheldrak, Tradruk, and Yumbu Lagang or (Yungbulakang Palace). Also, there are three major stupas which serve as receptacles for sacred relics (ten-sum): Takchen Bumpa, Gontang Bumpa, and Tsechu Bumpa.[4]

Just below the town of Tsetang there was a 14th-century iron suspension bridge built across the Yarlung Tsangpo River or Brahmaputra by the famous engineer, Tangtong Gyalpo, with a span of 150 to 250 metres, but only five large stone supports are left today. A modern bridge has been built a few kilometres downstream at Nyago.[5] Even by the time Sarat Das visited in 1879 it was in such a state of disrepair that he had to take a large boat containing traders and their donkeys, to ferry across the river.[6]

"To the north of the town was the Gonpi ri, one of the favourite resorts of Chenrezig (Avalokitesvara), and where, according to tradition, the monkey king and the goblin raised their family of monkeys, from which ultimately descended the Tibetan race.
There are four lamaseries around Tse-tang, and in the town are some fifteen Nepalese, twenty Chinese, and ten Kashmiri shops, besides native traders from all parts of Tibet. Mutton and butter were abundant, but barley, though cheap, is of inferior quality."[7]

Major sites of interest

The Lower Yarlung Valley

  • Sheldrak Drubpuk (Shel brag) faces east and was Guru Rinpoche or Padmasambhava's first meditation cave in Tibet from where the indigenous forces and demons were made to take an oath of allegiance to Buddhism. It is one of the most revered pilgrimage destinations on the Tibetan plateau and symbolizes the Buddha attributes of Padmasambhava. Originally there was a "speaking" image of Padmasambhava, but this has now been moved to Traduk Monastery. The altar now has new images of Guru Rinpoche with his two main consorts and the rock west wall has images of Avalokiteshvara, the 25 disciples of Padmasambhava, Boudhanath Stupa near Kathmandu and a crescent moon.[12]
  • Tsogyel Sangpuk (mTsho rgyal gsang phug) faces northeast and is the secret meditation cave of Yeshe Tsogyal, Padmasmabhava's consort. Its location is indicated by a prayer flag to the south of the cave.
  • Pema Shelpuk or Padma Shepuk (Padma shel phug or yar-(k)lung shel-gyi brag-phag - 'Crystal Cave/Rock') faces west. This is where the famous Orgyen Lingpa (1323-circa 1360) discovered the terma Pema Katang (The Life and Liberation of Padmasambhava) and many other important works here. It is a vital Nyingma site.[13][14][15]

The Upper Yarlung Valley

Elderly Tibetan women at Ombu Lhakang in the Yarlung Valley

Footnotes

  1. Dowman (1988), p. 173.
  2. Dorje (2009), pp. 219, 940.
  3. Stein (1972), pp. 20, 24.
  4. Dorje (1999), p. 190.
  5. Dorje (1999), p. 186.
  6. Das (1902), p. 228.
  7. Das (1902), pp. 229-230.
  8. Dowman (1988), pp. 174-175.
  9. Dorje (1999), p. 186.
  10. Homage to Yeshe Tsogyal by Gyurme Dorje
  11. Dorje (1999), p. 190.
  12. Dorje (1999), pp. 190-191.
  13. Dorje (1999), pp. 190-191.
  14. Dudom Rinpoche, et al. (1999), Vol. 1, p. 775.
  15. Dowman (1988), pp. 174-175.
  16. Dorje (1999), p. 191.
  17. Dowman (1988), pp. 189-190.
  18. Dorje (1999), p. 191.
  19. Dowman (1988), pp. 188-189.
  20. Dorje (1999), p. 194.
  21. Dowman (1988), pp. 187-188.
  22. Dorje (1999), p. 194.
  23. Hilton (2000), p. 58.
  24. Dorje (1999), p. 194.
  25. Dowman (1988), p. 183.
  26. Dorje (1999), p. 195.
  27. Dowman (1988), pp. 183-184.
  28. Dorje (1999), pp. 195-196.
  29. Dowman (1988), p. 184.
  30. Dorje (1999), p. 196.
  31. Dorje (1999), p. 196.
  32. Dorje (1999), p. 196.
  33. Dorje (1999), p. 196.
  34. Dorje (1999), p. 196.

References

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