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{{Short description|Former country}}
{{Short description|Former country}}
{{for|the search engine that formerly used the Chinese name "Gu Ge"|Google China}}
{{for|the search engine that formerly used the Chinese name "Gu Ge"|Google China}}
 
{{Infobox former country
[[Image:Tibetan Bodhisattva of Compassion.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A [[brass]] [[alloy]] statue of the [[bodhisattva]] [[Avalokiteśvara]], Guge, c. 1050 CE.]]
|image_coat =  古格阴霾.jpg
 
|symbol_type = Ruins of the Guge capital at [[Tsaparang]]
|coa_size      = 290px
|image_map      =
{{Location map+
|South Asia
|float      = center
|width      = 290
|caption    = {{center|Location of Guge and neighbouring polities in the early 1000s.}}
|nodiv      = 1
|mini      = 1
|relief=yes
|places    =
{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=34.016667|N |long=72.433333|E |label='''[[Hindu Shahis|SHAHIS]]'''|position=top |label_size=60|mark=Button Icon Black.svg|marksize=4}}
{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=33.549167|N |long=68.423333|E |label=[[Ghaznavid Empire|GHAZNAVID<br>EMPIRE]]|position=bottom |label_size=70|mark=Button Icon Black.svg|marksize=0}}
{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=27.07|N |long=79.92|E |label=[[Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty|<center>GUJARA-<br>PRATIHARAS</center>]]|position=left |label_size=70|mark=Button Icon Black.svg|marksize=0}}
{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=25.6125|N |long=85.128333|E |label=[[Pala Empire|PALA EMPIRE]]|position=bottom |label_size=70|mark=Button Icon Black.svg|marksize=0}}
{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=35.920833|N |long=74.308333|E |label='''[[Trakhan dynasty|TRAKHANS]]''' |position=top |label_size=60|mark=Button Icon Black.svg|marksize=4}}
{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=31.484167|N |long=79.800556|E |label='''GUGE'''|position=top|label_size=70|marksize=6}}
{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=34.073182|N |long=77.639294|E |label='''[[Maryul|MARYUL]]'''|position=top|label_size=60|mark=Button Icon Black.svg|marksize=4}}
{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=34.09|N |long=74.79|E |label='''[[Lohara dynasty|LOHARAS]]'''|position=bottom |label_size=60|mark=Button Icon Black.svg|marksize=4}}
{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=17.195|N |long=77.160833|E |label=[[Western Chalukya Empire|WESTERN CHALUKYA]]|position=top |label_size=70|mark=Button Icon Black.svg|marksize=0}}
{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=37.3|N |long=81|E |label=[[Kara-Khanid Khanate|KARA-KHANIDS]]|position=top |label_size=70|mark=Button Icon Black.svg|marksize=0}}
}}
|map_caption    =
|conventional_long_name = Guge
|common_name    = Guge
|government_type = Monarchy
|capital        = [[Tsaparang]]
|year_start      =
|year_end        =
|religion        = Tibetan Buddhism
|p1              = Era of Fragmentation
|s1              = Ladakh
| leader1        = [[Kyide Nyimagon]] ''(first)''
| year_leader1  = {{circa|910}}–{{circa|930}}
|today          = [[China]]; [[India]]; [[Nepal]]
}}
'''Guge''' ({{bo|t=གུ་གེ་|w=gu ge}}; {{zh|c=古格}}) was an ancient dynastic kingdom in Western [[Tibet]]. The kingdom was centered in present-day [[Zanda County]], [[Ngari Prefecture]], [[Tibet Autonomous Region]]. At various points in history after the 10th century AD, the kingdom held sway over a vast area including south-eastern [[Zanskar]], Upper [[Kinnaur district]], and [[Spiti Valley]], either by conquest or as tributaries. The ruins of the former capital of the Guge kingdom are located at [[Tsaparang]] in the [[Sutlej]] valley, not far from [[Mount Kailash]] and {{convert|1200|mi|km}} westwards from [[Lhasa]].
'''Guge''' ({{bo|t=གུ་གེ་|w=gu ge}}; {{zh|c=古格}}) was an ancient dynastic kingdom in Western [[Tibet]]. The kingdom was centered in present-day [[Zanda County]], [[Ngari Prefecture]], [[Tibet Autonomous Region]]. At various points in history after the 10th century AD, the kingdom held sway over a vast area including south-eastern [[Zanskar]], Upper [[Kinnaur district]], and [[Spiti Valley]], either by conquest or as tributaries. The ruins of the former capital of the Guge kingdom are located at [[Tsaparang]] in the [[Sutlej]] valley, not far from [[Mount Kailash]] and {{convert|1200|mi|km}} westwards from [[Lhasa]].


==History==
==History==
{{see also|Timeline of the Era of Fragmentation}}
{{see also|Timeline of the Era of Fragmentation|Purang-Guge Kingdom}}


=== Founding ===
=== Founding ===
Guge was founded in the 10th century.  Its capitals were located at [[Tholing]] {{coord|31|28|55|N|79|48|01|E|display=title}} and [[Tsaparang]].<ref>.Snelling, John. (1990). ''The Sacred Mountain: The Complete Guide to Tibet's Mount Kailas''. 1st edition 1983. Revised and enlarged edition, including: Kailas-Manasarovar Travellers' Guide. Forwards by H.H. the Dalai Lama of Tibet and Christmas Humphreys, p. 181. East-West Publications, London and The Hague. {{ISBN|0-85692-173-4}}.</ref>  ''Skyid lde Dpal Nyi ma mgon'', a great-grandson of [[Langdarma]], the last monarch of the [[Tibetan Empire]], left insecure conditions in [[Ü-Tsang]] in 910. He established a kingdom in [[Ngari Prefecture|Ngari]] (West Tibet) in or after 912 and annexed [[Burang County|Purang]] and Guge. He established his capital in Guge.
Guge was founded in the 10th century.  Its capitals were located at [[Tholing]] {{coord|31|28|55|N|79|48|01|E|display=title}} and [[Tsaparang]].<ref>.Snelling, John. (1990). ''The Sacred Mountain: The Complete Guide to Tibet's Mount Kailas''. 1st edition 1983. Revised and enlarged edition, including: Kailas-Manasarovar Travellers' Guide. Forwards by H.H. the Dalai Lama of Tibet and Christmas Humphreys, p. 181. East-West Publications, London and The Hague. {{ISBN|0-85692-173-4}}.</ref>  [[Kyide Nyimagon]], a great-grandson of [[Langdarma]], the last monarch of the [[Tibetan Empire]], fled from the insecure conditions in [[Ü-Tsang]] in 910 to arrive in [[Ngari Prefecture|Ngari]] (West Tibet). He established a kingdom around 912, annexing [[Burang County|Purang]] and Guge. He established his capital in Guge.


''Nyi ma mgon'' later divided his lands into three parts. The king's eldest son ''dPal gyi mgon'' became ruler of [[Maryul]] ([[Ladakh]]), his second son ''bKra shis mgon'' received Guge-Purang, and the third son ''lDe gtsug mgon'' received [[Zanskar]].  
Nyimagon later divided his lands into three parts. The king's eldest son [[Lhachen Palgyigon|Palgyigon]] became ruler of [[Maryul]] ([[Ladakh]]), his second son [[Trashigon]] (''bKra shis mgon'') received Guge-Purang, and the third son [[Detsukgon]] received [[Zanskar]].


=== Second diffusion of Buddhism ===
=== Second diffusion of Buddhism ===
''bKra shis mgon'' was succeeded by his son ''Srong nge'' or [[Yeshe-Ö|Ye shes 'Od]] (947–1024 or (959–1036), who was a renowned Buddhist figure. In his time a Tibetan [[lotsawa]] from Guge called [[Rinchen Zangpo]] (958–1055), after having studied in India, returned to his homeland as a monk to promote Buddhism. Together with the zeal of Ye shes 'Od, this marked the beginning of a new diffusion of Buddhist teachings in western Tibet. In 988 Ye shes 'Od took religious vows and left kingship to his younger brother ''Khor re''.
[[Image:Tibetan Bodhisattva of Compassion.jpg|thumb|right|150px|A [[brass]] [[alloy]] statue of the [[bodhisattva]] [[Avalokiteśvara]], Guge, c. 1050 CE.]]
Trashigon was succeeded by his son ''Srong nge'' or [[Yeshe-Ö]] (''Ye shes 'Od'') (947–1024 or (959–1036), who was a renowned [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] figure. In his time a Tibetan [[lotsawa]] from Guge called [[Rinchen Zangpo]] (958–1055), after having studied in India, returned to his homeland as a monk to promote Buddhism. Together with the zeal of Yeshe-Ö, this marked the beginning of a new diffusion of Buddhist teachings in western Tibet. In 988 Yeshe-Ö took religious vows and left kingship to his younger brother ''Khor re''.


[[File:Guge in Maryul.png|thumb|Guge in [[Maryul]] during 11th century]]
According to later historiography, the Turkic [[Karluks]] (''Gar log'') took the Guge king ''Yeshe-Ö'' prisoner during a war.<ref name="Beckwith2009">{{cite book |first=Christopher I. |last=Beckwith |title=Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5jG1eHe3y4EC&q=undertaken+western+captured+turks+died+captivity&pg=PA169 |date=2009 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0-691-13589-2 |pages=169–}}</ref> The episode has a prominent place in Tibetan history writing. The Karluks offered to set him free if he renounced Buddhism which he refused to do. They then demanded his weight in gold to release him. His junior kinsman ''Byang chub 'Od'' visited him in his prison with a small retinue, but ''Yeshe-Ö'' admonished him not to use the gold at hand for ransom, but rather to invite the renowned [[Mahayana]] sage [[Atiśa]] (982–1054). ''Yeshe-Ö'' eventually died in prison from age and poor treatment.{{sfnp|Shakabpa, Tibet: A Political History|1984|pp=56–57}} The story is historically debated since it contains chronological inconsistencies.
According to later historiography the Turkic [[Karluks]] (''Gar log'') took the Guge king ''Ye shes 'Od'' prisoner during a war.<ref name="Beckwith2009">{{cite book |first=Christopher I. |last=Beckwith |title=Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5jG1eHe3y4EC&q=undertaken+western+captured+turks+died+captivity&pg=PA169 |date=2009 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0-691-13589-2 |pages=169–}}</ref> The episode has a prominent place in Tibetan history writing. The Karluks offered to set him free if he renounced Buddhism which he refused to do. They then demanded his weight in gold to release him. His junior kinsman ''Byang chub 'Od'' visited him in his prison with a small retinue, but ''Ye shes 'Od'' admonished him not to use the gold at hand for ransom, but rather to invite the renowned [[Mahayana]] sage [[Atiśa]] (982–1054). ''Ye shes 'Od'' eventually died in prison from age and poor treatment.{{sfnp|Shakabpa, Tibet: A Political History|1984|pp=56–57}} The story is historically debated since it contains chronological inconsistencies.


=== Successions ===
=== Successions ===
[[File:Donor depiction, presumably king Lha lde; mural painting inside the Northwest stupa, Tholing monastery, ca. 1025.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Donor depiction, presumably king Lha lde of Guge. Northwest stupa, [[Tholing Monastery]], ca. 1025 CE.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Heller |first1=Amy |title=Tibetan Inscriptions at Alchi, Part I Towards a reassessment of the chronology |journal=Tibetan Genealogies: Studies in Memoriam of Guge Tsering Gyalpo (1961-2015), Guntram Hazod and Shen Weirong, Editors, China Tibetology Publishing House |date=1 January 2018 |url=https://www.academia.edu/37803934/Tibetan_Inscriptions_at_Alchi_Part_I_Towards_a_reassessment_of_the_chronology}}</ref>]]
In 1037, ''Khor re''<nowiki/>'s eldest grandson ''<nowiki/>'Od lde'' was killed in a conflict with the [[Kara-Khanid Khanate]] from Central Asia, who subsequently ravaged Ngari. His brother ''Byang chub 'Od'' (984–1078), a [[bhikkhu|Buddhist monk]], took power as secular ruler.  He was responsible for inviting [[Atiśa]] to Tibet in 1040 and thus ushering in the so-called ''Chidar'' (Phyi-dar) phase of Buddhism in Tibet. ''Byang chub 'Od''<nowiki/>'s son ''rTse lde'' was murdered by his nephew in 1088. This event marked the break-up of the Guge-Purang kingdom, since one of his brothers was established as separate king of Purang. The usurping nephew ''dBang lde'' continued the royal dynasty in Guge.<ref>{{harvp|Hoffman, Early and Medieval Tibet|1990|pp=388,&nbsp;394}}; {{harvp|Petech, Ya-ts'e, Gu-ge, Pu-ran|2003|pp=53–66}}</ref>
In 1037, ''Khor re''<nowiki/>'s eldest grandson ''<nowiki/>'Od lde'' was killed in a conflict with the [[Kara-Khanid Khanate]] from Central Asia, who subsequently ravaged Ngari. His brother ''Byang chub 'Od'' (984–1078), a [[bhikkhu|Buddhist monk]], took power as secular ruler.  He was responsible for inviting [[Atiśa]] to Tibet in 1040 and thus ushering in the so-called ''Chidar'' (Phyi-dar) phase of Buddhism in Tibet. ''Byang chub 'Od''<nowiki/>'s son ''rTse lde'' was murdered by his nephew in 1088. This event marked the break-up of the Guge-Purang kingdom, since one of his brothers was established as separate king of Purang. The usurping nephew ''dBang lde'' continued the royal dynasty in Guge.<ref>{{harvp|Hoffman, Early and Medieval Tibet|1990|pp=388,&nbsp;394}}; {{harvp|Petech, Ya-ts'e, Gu-ge, Pu-ran|2003|pp=53–66}}</ref>


A new Kara-Khanid invasion of Guge took place before 1137 and cost the life of the ruler, ''bKra shis rtse''. Later in the same century the kingdom was temporarily divided. In 1240 the [[Mongol]] khagan, at least nominally, gave authority over the Ngari area to the [[Drigung Monastery]] in Ü-Tsang.
A new Kara-Khanid invasion of Guge took place before 1137 and cost the life of the ruler, ''bKra shis rtse''. Later in the same century the kingdom was temporarily divided. In 1240 the [[Mongol]] khagan, at least nominally, gave authority over the Ngari area to the [[Drigung Monastery]] in Ü-Tsang.


''Grags pa lde'' was an important ruler who united the Guge area around 1265 and subjugated the related [[Khasa kingdom|Ya rtse (Khasa) kingdom]]. After his death in 1277 Guge was dominated by the [[Sakya]] monastic regime. After 1363, with the decline of the Mongol-led [[Yuan dynasty]] and their Sakya protégés, Guge was again strengthened and took over Purang in 1378. Purang was henceforth contested between Guge and [[Upper Mustang|Mustang]], but was finally integrated in the former. Guge also briefly ruled over Ladakh in the late 14th century. From 1499 the Guge king had to acknowledge the [[Rinpungpa]] rulers of Tsang. The 15th and 16th centuries were marked by a considerable Buddhist building activity by the kings, who frequently showed their devotion to the [[Gelug]] leaders later known as the [[Dalai Lama]]s.{{sfnp|Petech, Ya-ts'e, Gu-ge, Pu-ran|2003|pp=42–45,&nbsp; 68–89}}
''Grags pa lde'' was an important ruler who united the Guge area around 1265 and subjugated the related [[Khasa kingdom|Ya rtse (Khasa) kingdom]]. After his death in 1277 Guge was dominated by the [[Sakya (tribe)|Sakya]] monastic regime. After 1363, with the decline of the Mongol-led [[Yuan dynasty]] and their Sakya protégés, Guge was again strengthened and took over Purang in 1378. Purang was henceforth contested between Guge and [[Upper Mustang|Mustang]], but was finally integrated into the former. Guge also briefly ruled over Ladakh in the late 14th century. From 1499 the Guge king had to acknowledge the [[Rinpungpa]] rulers of Tsang. The 15th and 16th centuries were marked by a considerable Buddhist building activity by the kings, who frequently showed their devotion to the [[Gelug]] leaders later known as the [[Dalai Lama]]s.{{sfnp|Petech, Ya-ts'e, Gu-ge, Pu-ran|2003|pp=42–45,&nbsp; 68–89}}


[[File:Tsaparang-ruins of ancient capital of Guge Kingdom 03.JPG|thumb|left|250px|Tsaparang, the ruins of the ancient capital of Guge]]
=== Ladakhi invasions ===
[[File:Guge in Maryul.png|thumb|right|220px|Guge in [[Maryul]] during 11th century]]
[[File:Tsaparang-ruins of ancient capital of Guge Kingdom 03.JPG|thumb|right|220px|Tsaparang, the ruins of the ancient capital of Guge]]


=== Ladakhi invasions ===
The first Westerners to reach Guge were [[António de Andrade]], a [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] missionary, and his companion brother [[Manuel Marques (Guge)|Manuel Marques]], in 1624. De Andrade reported seeing irrigation canals and rich crops in what is now a dry and desolate land. Perhaps as evidence of the kingdom's openness, de Andrade's party was allowed to construct a chapel in Tsaparang and instruct the people about [[Christianity]].<ref>{{cite web |first=John |last=McKinnon |title=The Kingdom of Guge, Western Tibet: an account of its history, Western visitors and significance |url=http://www.greenkiwi.co.nz/footprints/frames/gu.htm |website=www.greenkiwi.co.nz |access-date=19 April 2018}}</ref> A letter by De Andrade relates that some military commanders revolted and called the Ladakhis to overthrow the ruler. There had been friction between Guge and Ladakh for many years, and the invitation was heeded in 1630. The Ladakhi forces laid siege to the almost impenetrable Tsaparang. The King's brother, who was chief lama and thus a staunch Buddhist, advised the pro-Christian ruler to surrender against keeping the state as tributary ruler. This treacherous advice was eventually accepted. Tibetan sources suggest that the Guge population was maintained in their old status. The last king Tashi Drakpa De (''Khri bKra shis Grags pa lde''), along with his brother and other kin, was deported to Ladakh, where he lived comfortably until his death. The prince was given a wife from the Ladakhi royal family.{{sfnp|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977|pp=44-45}}{{sfnp|Petech, Ya-ts'e, Gu-ge, Pu-ran|2003|p=44}}
The first Westerners to reach Guge were a [[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]] missionary, [[António de Andrade]], and his companion, brother [[Manuel Marques (Guge)|Manuel Marques]], in 1624. De Andrade reported seeing irrigation canals and rich crops in what is now a dry and desolate land. Perhaps as evidence of the kingdom's openness, de Andrade's party was allowed to construct a chapel in Tsaparang and instruct the people about [[Christianity]].<ref>{{cite web |first=John |last=McKinnon |title=The Kingdom of Guge, Western Tibet: an account of its history, Western visitors and significance |url=http://www.greenkiwi.co.nz/footprints/frames/gu.htm |website=www.greenkiwi.co.nz |access-date=19 April 2018}}</ref> A letter by De Andrade relates that some military commanders revolted and called the Ladakhis to overthrow the ruler. There had been friction between Guge and Ladakh for many years, and the invitation was heeded in 1630. The Ladakhi forces laid siege to the almost impenetrable Tsaparang. The King's brother, who was chief lama and thus a staunch Buddhist, advised the pro-Christian ruler to surrender against keeping the state as tributary ruler. This treacherous advice was eventually accepted. Tibetan sources suggest that the Guge population was maintained in their old status.{{sfnp|Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh|1977|pp=44-45}} A legend has it that the Ladakhi army slaughtered most of the people of Guge, about 200 of whom managed to survive and fled to [[Qulong]].<ref>"[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-08/03/content_6469359_4.htm Guge, a lost kingdom in Tibet]". {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021172827/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-08/03/content_6469359_4.htm |date=2012-10-21 }}</ref> The last king ''Khri bKra shis Grags pa lde'' was brought to Ladakh as prisoner with his kin, and died there. The King's brother-lama was killed by the Ladakhis. Later on the last male descendant of the dynasty moved to Lhasa where he died in 1743.{{sfnp|Petech, Ya-ts'e, Gu-ge, Pu-ran|2003|p=44}}


=== Integration into Tibet ===
=== Annexation to Central Tibet ===
Tsaparang and the Guge kingdom were later conquered in 1679–80 by the Lhasa-based Central Tibetan government under the leadership of the [[5th Dalai Lama]], driving out the Ladakhis.
Tsaparang and the Guge kingdom were later conquered in 1679–80 by the Lhasa-based Central Tibetan government under the leadership of the [[5th Dalai Lama]], driving out the Ladakhis.


Line 46: Line 84:
* [['Od srungs]] (in Central Tibet 842–905) son of Glang Darma
* [['Od srungs]] (in Central Tibet 842–905) son of Glang Darma
* [[dPal 'Khor btsan]] (in Central Tibet 905–910) son
* [[dPal 'Khor btsan]] (in Central Tibet 905–910) son
* [[sKyid lde Nyi ma mgon]] (in Ngari Korsum, c. 912–?) son
* [[Kyide Nyimagon]] (in Ngari Korsum, c. 912–?) son
* [[dPal gyi mgon]] (received Ladakh, 10th century) son
* [[Palgyigon]] (received Ladakh, 10th century) son
* [[lDe gtsug mgon]] (received Zanskar, 10th century) brother
* [[Detsukgon]] (received Zanskar, 10th century) brother
'''B. Kings of Guge and Purang.'''
'''B. Kings of Guge and Purang.'''
* [[bKra shis mgon]] (received Guge and Purang, fl. 947) brother
* [[Trashigon]] (received Guge and Purang, fl. 947) brother
* [[Yeshe-Ö|Srong nge Ye shes 'Od]] (?–988 or 959–1036) son  
* [[Yeshe-Ö]] (?–988 or 959–1036) son  
* [[Nagaraja (ruler)|Nagaraja]] (religious leader, d. 1023) son
* [[Nagaraja (ruler)|Nagaraja]] (religious leader, d. 1023) son
* [[Devaraja of Guge|Devaraja]] (religious leader, d. 1026) brother
* [[Devaraja of Guge|Devaraja]] (religious leader, d. 1026) brother
Line 103: Line 141:
* [[Khri Grags pa'i dBang phyug]] (c. 1600) son
* [[Khri Grags pa'i dBang phyug]] (c. 1600) son
* [[Khri Nam rgyal Grags pa lde]] (fl. 1618) son
* [[Khri Nam rgyal Grags pa lde]] (fl. 1618) son
* [[Khri bKra shis Grags pa lde]] (before 1622–1630) son
* [[Tashi Drakpa De]] (before 1622–1630) son
* ''Kingdom conquered by Ladakh (1630)''
* ''Kingdom conquered by Ladakh (1630)''
* ''Kingdom later conquered by Tibet under the Fifth Dalai Lama (1679–1680)''
* ''Kingdom later conquered by Tibet under the Fifth Dalai Lama (1679–1680)''
Line 149: Line 187:
[[Category:History of Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:History of Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Tibet]]
[[Category:Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Tibet]]
[[Category:Former kingdoms]]

Revision as of 10:15, 28 June 2022


For the search engine that formerly used the Chinese name "Gu Ge", see Google China.
Guge
Ruins of the Guge capital at Tsaparang of Guge
Ruins of the Guge capital at Tsaparang
Location of Guge and neighbouring polities in the early 1000s.
CapitalTsaparang
Religion
Tibetan Buddhism
GovernmentMonarchy
• c. 910–c. 930
Kyide Nyimagon (first)
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Era of Fragmentation
Ladakh
Today part ofChina; India; Nepal

Guge (Tibetan: གུ་གེ་, Wylie: gu ge; Chinese: 古格) was an ancient dynastic kingdom in Western Tibet. The kingdom was centered in present-day Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region. At various points in history after the 10th century AD, the kingdom held sway over a vast area including south-eastern Zanskar, Upper Kinnaur district, and Spiti Valley, either by conquest or as tributaries. The ruins of the former capital of the Guge kingdom are located at Tsaparang in the Sutlej valley, not far from Mount Kailash and 1,200 miles (1,900 km) westwards from Lhasa.

History

See also: Timeline of the Era of Fragmentation and Purang-Guge Kingdom

Founding

Guge was founded in the 10th century. Its capitals were located at Tholing 31°28′55″N 79°48′01″E / 31.48194°N 79.80028°E / 31.48194; 79.80028 and Tsaparang.[1] Kyide Nyimagon, a great-grandson of Langdarma, the last monarch of the Tibetan Empire, fled from the insecure conditions in Ü-Tsang in 910 to arrive in Ngari (West Tibet). He established a kingdom around 912, annexing Purang and Guge. He established his capital in Guge.

Nyimagon later divided his lands into three parts. The king's eldest son Palgyigon became ruler of Maryul (Ladakh), his second son Trashigon (bKra shis mgon) received Guge-Purang, and the third son Detsukgon received Zanskar.

Second diffusion of Buddhism

A brass alloy statue of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, Guge, c. 1050 CE.

Trashigon was succeeded by his son Srong nge or Yeshe-Ö (Ye shes 'Od) (947–1024 or (959–1036), who was a renowned Buddhist figure. In his time a Tibetan lotsawa from Guge called Rinchen Zangpo (958–1055), after having studied in India, returned to his homeland as a monk to promote Buddhism. Together with the zeal of Yeshe-Ö, this marked the beginning of a new diffusion of Buddhist teachings in western Tibet. In 988 Yeshe-Ö took religious vows and left kingship to his younger brother Khor re.

According to later historiography, the Turkic Karluks (Gar log) took the Guge king Yeshe-Ö prisoner during a war.[2] The episode has a prominent place in Tibetan history writing. The Karluks offered to set him free if he renounced Buddhism which he refused to do. They then demanded his weight in gold to release him. His junior kinsman Byang chub 'Od visited him in his prison with a small retinue, but Yeshe-Ö admonished him not to use the gold at hand for ransom, but rather to invite the renowned Mahayana sage Atiśa (982–1054). Yeshe-Ö eventually died in prison from age and poor treatment.[3] The story is historically debated since it contains chronological inconsistencies.

Successions

Donor depiction, presumably king Lha lde of Guge. Northwest stupa, Tholing Monastery, ca. 1025 CE.[4]

In 1037, Khor re's eldest grandson 'Od lde was killed in a conflict with the Kara-Khanid Khanate from Central Asia, who subsequently ravaged Ngari. His brother Byang chub 'Od (984–1078), a Buddhist monk, took power as secular ruler. He was responsible for inviting Atiśa to Tibet in 1040 and thus ushering in the so-called Chidar (Phyi-dar) phase of Buddhism in Tibet. Byang chub 'Od's son rTse lde was murdered by his nephew in 1088. This event marked the break-up of the Guge-Purang kingdom, since one of his brothers was established as separate king of Purang. The usurping nephew dBang lde continued the royal dynasty in Guge.[5]

A new Kara-Khanid invasion of Guge took place before 1137 and cost the life of the ruler, bKra shis rtse. Later in the same century the kingdom was temporarily divided. In 1240 the Mongol khagan, at least nominally, gave authority over the Ngari area to the Drigung Monastery in Ü-Tsang.

Grags pa lde was an important ruler who united the Guge area around 1265 and subjugated the related Ya rtse (Khasa) kingdom. After his death in 1277 Guge was dominated by the Sakya monastic regime. After 1363, with the decline of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty and their Sakya protégés, Guge was again strengthened and took over Purang in 1378. Purang was henceforth contested between Guge and Mustang, but was finally integrated into the former. Guge also briefly ruled over Ladakh in the late 14th century. From 1499 the Guge king had to acknowledge the Rinpungpa rulers of Tsang. The 15th and 16th centuries were marked by a considerable Buddhist building activity by the kings, who frequently showed their devotion to the Gelug leaders later known as the Dalai Lamas.[6]

Ladakhi invasions

Guge in Maryul during 11th century
Tsaparang, the ruins of the ancient capital of Guge

The first Westerners to reach Guge were António de Andrade, a Jesuit missionary, and his companion brother Manuel Marques, in 1624. De Andrade reported seeing irrigation canals and rich crops in what is now a dry and desolate land. Perhaps as evidence of the kingdom's openness, de Andrade's party was allowed to construct a chapel in Tsaparang and instruct the people about Christianity.[7] A letter by De Andrade relates that some military commanders revolted and called the Ladakhis to overthrow the ruler. There had been friction between Guge and Ladakh for many years, and the invitation was heeded in 1630. The Ladakhi forces laid siege to the almost impenetrable Tsaparang. The King's brother, who was chief lama and thus a staunch Buddhist, advised the pro-Christian ruler to surrender against keeping the state as tributary ruler. This treacherous advice was eventually accepted. Tibetan sources suggest that the Guge population was maintained in their old status. The last king Tashi Drakpa De (Khri bKra shis Grags pa lde), along with his brother and other kin, was deported to Ladakh, where he lived comfortably until his death. The prince was given a wife from the Ladakhi royal family.[8][9]

Annexation to Central Tibet

Tsaparang and the Guge kingdom were later conquered in 1679–80 by the Lhasa-based Central Tibetan government under the leadership of the 5th Dalai Lama, driving out the Ladakhis.

Historiography

Western archeologists heard about Guge again in the 1930s through the work of Italian Giuseppe Tucci. Tucci's work was mainly about the frescoes of Guge. Lama Anagarika Govinda and Li Gotami Govinda visited the kingdom of Guge, including Tholing, and Tsaparang, in 1947–1949. Their tours of Central and Western Tibet are recorded in black-and-white photos.[10]

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History and overview

Rulers

A list of rulers of Guge and the related Ya rtse kingdom has been established by the Tibetologists Luciano Petech and Roberto Vitali[11]

A. Royal ancestors of the Yarlung dynasty.

B. Kings of Guge and Purang.

C. Kings of Ya rtse.

D. Kings of Guge.

Ruins of Tsaparang.

See also

References

Specific references:

  1. ↑ .Snelling, John. (1990). The Sacred Mountain: The Complete Guide to Tibet's Mount Kailas. 1st edition 1983. Revised and enlarged edition, including: Kailas-Manasarovar Travellers' Guide. Forwards by H.H. the Dalai Lama of Tibet and Christmas Humphreys, p. 181. East-West Publications, London and The Hague. ISBN 0-85692-173-4.
  2. ↑ Beckwith, Christopher I. (2009). Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present. Princeton University Press. pp. 169–. ISBN 978-0-691-13589-2.
  3. ↑ Shakabpa, Tibet: A Political History (1984), pp. 56–57.
  4. ↑ Heller, Amy (1 January 2018). "Tibetan Inscriptions at Alchi, Part I Towards a reassessment of the chronology". Tibetan Genealogies: Studies in Memoriam of Guge Tsering Gyalpo (1961-2015), Guntram Hazod and Shen Weirong, Editors, China Tibetology Publishing House.
  5. ↑ Hoffman, Early and Medieval Tibet (1990), pp. 388, 394; Petech, Ya-ts'e, Gu-ge, Pu-ran (2003), pp. 53–66
  6. ↑ Petech, Ya-ts'e, Gu-ge, Pu-ran (2003), pp. 42–45,  68–89.
  7. ↑ McKinnon, John. "The Kingdom of Guge, Western Tibet: an account of its history, Western visitors and significance". www.greenkiwi.co.nz. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  8. ↑ Petech, The Kingdom of Ladakh (1977), pp. 44-45.
  9. ↑ Petech, Ya-ts'e, Gu-ge, Pu-ran (2003), p. 44.
  10. ↑ Li Gotami Govinda, Tibet in Pictures (Berkeley, Dharma Publishing, 1979), 2 volumes.
  11. ↑ Petech, Ya-ts'e, Gu-ge, Pu-ran (2003); R. Vitali (1996), The kingdoms of Gu.ge Pu.hrang. Dharamsala: Tho.ling gtsug.lag.khang.

General references:

  • Allen, Charles. (1999) The Search for Shangri-La: A Journey into Tibetan History. Little, Brown and Company. Reprint: 2000 Abacus Books, London. ISBN 0-349-11142-1.

Further reading

  • Bellezza, John Vincent: Zhang Zhung. Foundations of Civilization in Tibet. A Historical and Ethnoarchaeological Study of the Monuments, Rock Art, Texts, and Oral Tradition of the Ancient Tibetan Upland. Denkschriften der phil.-hist. Klasse 368. Beitraege zur Kultur- und Geistesgeschichte Asiens 61, Verlag der Oesterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien 2008.
  • Hoffman, Helmut (1990), "Early and Medieval Tibet", in Denis Sinor; Sinor Denis (eds.), The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-24304-9
  • Petech, Luciano (September 1947), "The Tibetan-Ladakhi Moghul War of 1681-83", The Indian Historical Quarterly, 23 (3): 169– – via archive.org
  • Petech, Luciano (1977), The Kingdom of Ladakh, c. 950–1842 A.D. (PDF), Instituto Italiano Per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente – via academia.edu
  • Petech, Luciano (2003), "Ya-ts'e, Gu-ge, Pu-ran: A new study", in Alex McKay (ed.), History of Tibet, Volume 2: The Medieval Period: c.850-1895, Routledge, pp. 33–52, ISBN 0-415-30843-7 – via archive.org
    • Petech, Luciano (1980), "Ya-ts'e, Gu-ge, Pu-raṅ: A New Study", Central Asiatic Journal, 24 (1/2): 85–111, JSTOR 41927281
  • Shakabpa, Tsepon Wangchuk Deden (1984) [1967], Tibet: A Political History, New York: Potala Publications, ISBN 0-9611474-0-7
  • van Ham, Peter. (2017). Guge--Ages of Gold: The West Tibetan Masterpieces. Hirmer Verlag, 390 pages, ISBN 978-3777426686
  • Zeisler, Bettina. (2010). "East of the Moon and West of the Sun? Approaches to a Land with Many Names, North of Ancient India and South of Khotan." In: The Tibet Journal, Special issue. Autumn 2009 vol XXXIV n. 3-Summer 2010 vol XXXV n. 2. "The Earth Ox Papers", edited by Roberto Vitali, pp. 371–463.

External links

  • [1] "Submerged in the Cosmos" by David Shulman, The New York Review of Books, February 24, 2017, retrieved March 2, 2017.
  • "Unravelling the mysteries of Guge" by Xiong Lei, China Daily, May 8, 2003, retrieved November 24, 2005

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