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Potala Palace
The sacred shrine of Tibetan Buddhism
The world-renowned Potala Palace is an architectural complex that embodies the quintessence of Tibetan architecture. Having capitalized on the collective wisdom of the Tibetan people and witnessed the cultural exchanges between the Han and Tibet, this ancient architectural complex has become the hallmark of the Tibetan ethnic culture owing to its massive and imposing structure and its being the sacred shrine of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1994 Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, was put on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List.
Potala Palace was initially built in the seventh century; during the reign of Songtsen Gampo, the thirty-second successor to the throne of the Tubo kingdom. Songtsen Gampo commissioned the construction of' the palace for Princess Wencheng of' the Tang dynasty, whom he was soon to marry. The palace was named "Red Hill Palace" at the time. It was later reduced to ruins with the decline of the Tubo kingdom. In the eighteenth century, the fifth Dalai Lama ordered the construction of a new and imposing structure that was named Potala Palace. Since then, the palace has assumed the role of a political and religious center for Tibet.
The stone and wood structure of Potala Palace is 12,140 ft (3700 m) above sea level and covers an area of over 3,875,040 square feet (3160,000 square meters), with its 13-story main building measuring 387 ft (118 m) in height. Complete with palaces, stupas, chambers for worship, chambers of scriptures, living quarters, and courtyards, the palace is the highest above sea level and the biggest architectural complex in the world. It is referred to as the Holy Palace in the Highlands.
Potala Palace consists of two sections: the Red Palace and the White Palace. The Red Palace, right at the center of the complex, has a religious function. The White Palace, with its white polished walls, incorporates the offices and living quarters of the Dalai Lama.
With an exterior of 13 stories and an interior of 9 stories, the Potala contains chambers for worshiping, chapels, living quarters, stupas, and courtyards. The Red Palace is where all kinds of religious ceremonies take place. It houses stupas that contain remains of previous Dalai Lama. All the stupas look magnificent as they have been plated with gold and inlaid with gems.
The most magnificent stupa is that of the fifth Dalai Lama. Standing three stories tall inside the palace, this stupa was covered in gold and countless gems from top to toe. A plate bestowed by Emperor Qianlong was hung in the palace, bearing inscriptions that read, "Where the Lotus Flower Emerges" (Yong Lian Chu Di). The palace also houses a huge pair of brocade drapes, a rare treasure. The legend goes that Emperor Kangxi ordered a weaving factory to be built in order to make them, and that it took workers a year to finish them.
The Red Palace has a large collection of valuable cultural relics and various types of Buddhist sculptures, thankas, and utensils for religious ceremonies. The palace that flanks the Red Palace is the White Palace, which is predominantly used as the Dalai Lama's offices and 1Mng quarters. The halls in the White Palace, especially the Dalai Lama's living hall, are extravagantly furnished. On display in the living hall are an exquisite gold teapot and jade tea bowls on a tea table and resplendent embroidered bedding made of brocade.
Rising up from the eastern foot of the mountain, zigzag steps ascend to the Pengcuoduo Gate, giving way to meandering corridors that lead to the grand East Platform of Deyangxia, where religious activities and performances used to be staged during festivals.
Today, the unique value of the Potala - stemming not only from its architectural structure of stone and wood but also from its cultural significance - seizes the gaze of every visitor. The granite walls, the wooden roofs with flared eaves covered with gilded bronze tiles, and the carvings of birds and animals on the beams are perfectly combined to lend a touch of majesty to the palace as a whole.
The frescoes inside are another treasure of the Potala Palace. These are a collection of paintings and other art forms of huge dimensions. They not only tell the history of Tibetan Buddhism, but the personal history of the fifth Dalai Lama and the story of Princess Wencheng's marriage in Tibet. They also depict ancient architectural structures and a large number of Buddhist characters. It is no exaggeration that these frescos are a valuable historical record in painting.
Location
Potala Palace is located on the Red Hill in northwest Lhasa, Tibet.
Climate
There is a cold highland climate here with a long winter and no summer. The air is thin and there is plenty of sunshine.
Of Special Interest
Potala Palace is a renowned architectural complex that embodies the quintessence of ancient Tibetan architecture.
Main Attractions
Potala Palace, Jokhang (Dazhao) Monastery, the Red Palace.
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