Palcho Monastery as seen from
Gyantse Fortress. The gold-topped, white building is the
Kumbum.
The Kumbum of the Palcho Monastery.
The Palcho Monastery or Pelkor Chode Monastery or Shekar Gyantse is the main monastery in Gyantse, Tibet, next to the Dzong or fort. It is most notable for its Kumbum, which has 108 chapels in its four floors.
The Tsuklakhang, the main temple of the monastery was built 1418-1428 by Rabten Kunzang Phak, the second Prince of Gyantse, who was a devotee of Kedrub Je (1385-1438), one of Tsongkapa's leading disciples later recognised as the 1st Panchen Lama. It became an important centre of the Sakya sect of Tibetan Buddhism.
In 1904, the town and monastery were attacked by British soldiers and, although most of the damage was later restored, bullet holes from this attack remain in the monastery to this day.
It was partially destroyed in 1959 after a revolt against Chinese rule.
It was ransacked again during the Cultural Revolution, but has since been largely restored.[1][2]
- ^ Dowman (1988), p. 269.
- ^ Buckley and Strauss (1986), pp. 157-162.
[edit] References
- Buckley, Michael and Strauss, Robert. (1986). Tibet: a travel survival kit. Lonely Planet Publications, South Yarra, Australia. ISBN 0-908086-88-1.
- Dorje, Gyurme (1999). Footprint Tibet Handbook with Bhutan. 2nd Edition. Footprint Handbooks, Bath, England. ISBN 0 8442-2190-2.
- Dowman, Keith (1988). The Power-places of Central Tibet: The Pilgrim's Guide. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London and New York. ISBN 0-7102-1370-0.
