Gyantse

Gyantse
Gyangzê
Tibetan transcription(s)
- Tibetan	རྒྱལ་རྩེ་
- Wylie transliteration	rgyal rtse
Chinese transcription(s)
- Traditional	江孜镇
- Simplified
- Pinyin
A view of Gyantse from the top of its fortress
Gyantse
Coordinates: 28°57′N 89°38′E / 28.95°N 89.633°E / 28.95; 89.633
Country	China
Province	Tibet Autonomous Region
Prefecture	Xigazê Prefecture
County	Gyangzê County
Population (2003)
- Total	60,000
Time zone	CST (UTC+8)

Gyantse with the Dzong fortress in the background. 1995.

Main street Gyantse, with Kumbum on left and fort above. 1993

Gyantse Fortress

Gyantse (rGyal rtse) also spelled Gyangtse, Gyangdzê; (Tibetan: རྒྱལ་རྩེ་ Chinese: 江孜镇; Wylie: rgyal rtse;) is a town located in Gyangzê County, Shigatse Prefecture. It was previously considered the third largest town in Tibet, (after Lhasa, and Shigatse, but there are now at least ten larger cities.^[1]

At the time of the Chinese occupation in 1952, Gyantse had a population of perhaps 8,000 people,^[2] about the same as today.^[3] It is 3,977 metres (13,050 ft) above sea level, and is located 254 km southwest of Lhasa in the fertile plain of the Nyang Chu valley and on the Friendship Highway, which connects Kathmandu, Nepal to Lhasa, Tibet.

The town is strategically located in the Nyang River Valley on the ancient trade routes from the Chumbi Valley, Yatung and Sikkim, which met here. From Gyantse, routes led to Shigatse downstream and also over the Karo La (Pass) to Central Tibet.^[4]

The fortress (constructed in 1390)^[5] guarded the southern approaches to the Tsangpo Valley and Lhasa.^[6] The town was surrounded by a wall 3 km long.^[7]

Gyantse was the third largest city in Tibet before being overtaken by Chamdo. It is often referred to as the "Hero City" because during the British Younghusband expedition of 1904, the 500 soldiers of the Gyantse dzong held the fort for several days before they were overcome by the British forces.

Gyantse is notable for its magnificent tiered Kumbum (literally, '100,000 images') of the Palcho Monastery, the largest chörten in Tibet. The Kumbum was commissioned by a Gyantse prince in 1427 and was an important centre of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. This religious structure contains 77 chapels in its six floors, and is illustrated with over 10,000 murals, many showing a strong Nepali influence which have survived pretty well intact. They are the last of this type in Tibet. Many of the restored clay statues are of less artistry than the destroyed originals - but they are still spectacular.^[8][9]

The town was nearly destroyed by flooding in 1954. After rioting in 1959, local industries were dismantled and artisans fled while others were placed in workcamps. Some 400 monks and laypeople were imprisoned in the monastery.^[7] During the Cultural Revolution the fort, the monastery and Kumbum were ransacked. Precious objects were destroyed or sent back to China. Fortunately, the chorten was spared.^[7]

The main building of the Pelkor Chode or Palcho Monastery and the Kumbum have been largely restored but the dzong or fort is still largely in ruins but there is an "Anti-British Imperialism Museum" there which gives the Chinese version of the 1904 British invasion.^[10]

The BBC Four documentary "A Year in Tibet" focused on the lives of ordinary Tibetans living in this city.[1]

Footnotes

References

• Allen, Charles. (2004). Duel in the Snows: The True Story of the Younghusband Mission to Lhasa. John Murray (publishers), London. ISBN 0-7195-5427 6.
• Buckley, Michael and Strauss, Robert. 1986. Tibet: a travel survival kit. Lonely Planet Publications, South Yarra, Australia. ISBN 0-0908086-88-1
• Das, Sarat Chandra. 1902. Lhasa and Central Tibet. Reprint: Mehra Offset Press, Delhi. 1988. ISBN 81-86230-17-3
• Dorje, Gyurme. 1999. Footprint Tibet Handbook. 2nd Edition. Bath, England. ISBN 1 900949 33 4. Also published in Chicago, U.S.A. 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
• Mayhew, Bradley and Kohn, Michael. (2005). Tibet. Lonely Planet Publications. ISBN 1-74059-523-8.
• Richardson, Hugh E (1984). Tibet and its History. Second Edition, Revised and Updated. Shambhala Publications, Boston. ISBN 0-87773-376-7.
• Vitali, Roberto. Early Temples of Central Tibet. (1990). Serindia Publications. London. ISBN 0-906026-25-3.

Gallery

Entrance to Pango Chorten, Gyantse, 1993	Wrathful Deity, Pango Chorten, Gyantse.	"Musilin Restaurant of the Hero City"	Pango Chorten, Gyantse.
A street in Gyantse old town	Tara statue. Gyantse Kumbum. 1993	Protective deity, Gyantse Kumbum. 1993	Sitting Buddha, Gyantse Kumbum. 1993
Deity, Gyantse Kumbum. 1993	Statue, Gyantse Kumbum. 1993	Gyantse fort from Kumbum roof. 1993	Small chorten, Gyantse. 1938.
Fortress wall. Gyantse. 1938.	Building in Gyantse. 1938.

Coordinates: 28°57′N 89°38′E / 28.95°N 89.633°E / 28.95; 89.633