| Palcho Monastery Pelkor Chode Monastery | |
|---|---|
 The Palcho Monastery andKumbum | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Tibetan Buddhism |
| Sect | Sakyapa, Kadampa and Gelugpa |
| Festivals | Gyantse festival |
| Location | |
| Location | Gyantse County,Shigatse Prefecture,Tibet Autonomous Region |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
  Location within Tibet Autonomous Region | |
| Coordinates | 28°57′0″N89°38′0″E / 28.95000°N 89.63333°E /28.95000; 89.63333 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Han,Nepali andTibetanArchitecture |
| Founder | Rabten Kunzang Phak |
| Established | 1418–1428 |
ThePalcho Monastery[citation needed] orPelkor Chode Monastery orShekar Gyantse[citation needed] is the mainmonastery in the Nyangchu river valley inGyantse,Gyantse County,Shigatse Prefecture,Tibet Autonomous Region. The monastery precinct is a complex of structures that, apart from the Tsuklakhang Monastery, also includes itsKumbum, believed to be the largest such structure in Tibet,[1] that is most notable for its108 chapels in its several floors and the old Dzong or fort.[2][3][4]
The earliest history of the Penchor Chode Monastery is traced to the ninth century.Pelkhor-tsen, son ofLangdarma (anti Buddhist King ofWest Tibet) after whom the monastery is named as Pelkor Chode, lived here and attempted to perpetuate theYarlung dynasty of his father who had been assassinated.[5] The town ofGyantse was established between the 14th and 15th centuries as afeudatory, with theSakya sect playing a crucial overlord role. During this period, theBuddhist monuments were also built with the Dzong (the old fort) followed by the Kumbum and the Pekor monastery. All three structures have been dated. Tsuklakhang monastery was built by prince Rabten Kunzang Phak between 1418 and 1425. However, Gyantse's historical importance declined by the end of the 15th century.[6]
The Tsuklakhang, the main temple of the monastery was built in 1418–1428 by Rabten Kunzang Phak, the second Prince of Gyantse, who was a devotee ofKedrub Je (1385–1438), one ofTsongkapa's leading disciples later recognized as the1st Panchen Lama. It became an important centre of the Sakya sect ofTibetan Buddhism. The Kumbum or Tashigomang, commenced construction in 1427 and completed by 1437, also by prince Rabten Kunzang Phak. Several other buildings followed, with Buddhist sects such as Sakyapa,Zhalupa andGelukpa building religious colleges or hermitages; 16 colleges were recorded by the end of 17th century, increasing to 18 by the start of the 19th century. However most of them were later closed. Now, only two colleges of the Gelukpa order remain, which are stated to be of little consequence.[2][5] Another testament to Prince Rabten Kunzang Phak's period is the public display of two gigantic paintings; (Thangkas) ofShakyamuni Buddha flanked by his two principal disciples, ofMaitreya,Manjushri and many more on the occasion of the Gyantse festival that is held in the fourth lunar month of theTibetan calendar. This practice was started between 1418 and 1419 in the northeast corner of the monastery walls, known as Goku Tramsa.[5]
In 1904, theBritish expedition to Tibet led by ColonelFrancis Younghusband reached Gyantse on 11 April. The town's garrison had already fled, and the expedition's members entered the town bloodlessly through the front gates, which were opened for them, and occupied Gyantse. After the town was occupied, several British officers visited the monastery and seized several statues and scrolls, some of which were subsequently brought back to the United Kingdom.[7][8] The monastery was partially destroyed by Chinese forces in 1959 after the1959 Tibetan uprising. It was ransacked again during theCultural Revolution, but has since been largely restored.[9][10] Prior to the uprising there were 1,520 monks at the monastery[11] but now they number less than 80.[12]
Architecturally, Pelkhor monastery is a fusion ofHan,Tibetan andNepali architecture.[3][4]The most striking architecture in the complex, a symbol of Gyantse, is the Bodhi Dagoba (Tibetan name: Pelkhor Choede), popularly called as the 'Kumbum'. It is a 32 metres (105 ft) high structure, a nine-tier building with 108 gates (108 interpreted as nine-tier structure representing space multiplied by the time element of 12zodiac signs), and 76 chapels and shrines; out of the nine floors, the first five are square in shape while the rest are circular giving it a pyramidal appearance. It is also given the name “the Ten Thousand Buddha Pagodas”, as it has enshrined about ten thousand figures of Buddhas as images and murals. It has hundred chapels overlapping each other, which is called the 'tower upon tower' structure. The chapels have the finest display of Tibetan art in "vibrant colour and naturalistic style"; in the faces of the murals Chinese images are discerned. Three Buddhist sects namely, Sakyapa,Kadampa andGelugpa are represented here. It is considered the largest of the three Kumbums in Tibet; the other two Kumbams are the Jonang Kumbum and Ching Riwoche.[2][3][4][13]
Kumbum has nine floors or tiers and each tier has unique chapels. The 76 chapels have images that form "a progressive hierarchy of three-dimensional manadalas, as outlined in the Sakyapa compilation known as theDrubtob Gyatsa, ensuring that the stupa encapsulates within it the entire spiritual path and gradation of the tantras".[14]
The first tier of the Kumbum has staircases at the cardinal points which lead to the second tier, with the main entrance being that from the southern side. The second tier has 20 chapels which house images of Kriyatantras in a clockwise order. The third tier has 16 chapels and also depicts images ofKriyatantras along withCaryatantras, arranged in a clockwise order. In the fourth tier, there are twenty chapels depicting images of Yogatantras in a clockwise order. The fifth tier has 12 chapels depicting lineageholders. In the sixth tier there are four chapels, which show Yogatantra deities. The seventh tier has a single chapel with 10 mandalas, a unique depiction of the "Father Class of Unsurpassed Yogatantras". The eighth tier has also a single chapel but depicts 11 mandalas of "Mother Class of Unsurpassed Yogatantras". The last and tenth tier has a single chapel, which has an idol of theVajradharaBuddha but is "flanked by the masters of theKalachakra".[15]
Tsulaklakang is the main temple. It has an Assembly Hall called as 'Tshomchen' in Tibetan and well preserved. The structure has three floors and has well-preserved murals and images of the fifteenth century.[16]
The ground floor has at the entry itself four images of Four Guardian Kings. At the entrance to the main Assembly hall, there is a protector shrine called Gonkhang. The impressive 48 pillared hall is decorated with numerous silkTankhas, images ofSakya protectors, frescoes of frightening scenes of charnel grounds and several original paintings and sculptures, in 15th century Tibetan style. The Sakya protectors depicted are: Panjurantha (Gompa Gur), Six-ArmedMahakala,Sri Devi andEkajati. The inner sanctum in the Main Chapel has idols of Buddhas of the Three Times with a bronze statue ofShakyamuni Buddha as the main deity at the centre. This image is 8 metres (26 ft) in height and is made from about 14,000 kilograms (31,000 lb) of copper.[4] The three Buddha images are also flanked by images ofManjughosha andMaitreya in standing posture. The entire interior chapel walls are painted with scenes from theSutras of the Auspicious Acon(Bhadrakalpikasutra). In the Vajradhatu Chapel (Dorje Ying Lhakhang) on the west, SarvavidVairochana's statue made in clay is deified and is surrounded by four meditational Buddhas. A gold-inscribed manuscript ofKangyur dated 1431 is also on display here. The Royal Chapel (Chogyel Lakhang) depicts clay images of the ancient kings. Images ofAtisha,Kamalashila,Padmasambhava,Shantarakshita,Manjushri, eleven-facedAvalokiteshwara,Vajrapani andShakyashri ofKashmir are also seen in this chapel. The large statue ofMaitreya at the centre of this chapel is said to be a later addition. The south wall of this chapel depicts aReliquary of Prince Rabten Kunzang Phak (founder of the temple) in a recessed chamber and also many volumes of canonical texts.[4][16]
The upper floor has five chapels. It houses clay images of Sakyapa lineage. The prominent images seen here are: the three-dimensional model of mandala palace of the deityCakrasaṃvara, yogic poses of eighty fourMahasiddhas of ancientIndia, Maitreya Chapel and a sacred small image ofTara. TheTsongkhapa Chapel on the same floor has images of Tsongkhapa, Dalai Lama VII,Shakyamuni,Buton Rinchen Drub,Sakya Pandita,Padmasambhava and the Sakyapa lamas of theLamdre lineage. Neten Lakhang is another Chapel, which has Chinese-style images of Sixteen Elders, aside from images of the Five Aspects ofManjushri and the Four Guardian Kings.[17]
On the top floor, is the Zhalyekhang chapel, which has 15mandalas of 8 metres (26 ft) diameter painted on the walls, associated with meditational deities. Images ofJowo Shakyamuni, Maitreya, Manjushri, Tsongkhapa with his disciples,Amitayus,Tara,Sitatapatra and Padmasambhava are depicted.[18] The chapels on this floor also contain images ofAmitabha Buddha,Dakinis and esoteric murals.[4]
Zhacang is the residential quarters of the monks. There is separate hall for each sect.[4]
Murals on themes of "Esoteric and Exoteric Buddhism", and the story of the Buddha are found in profusion in the monastery.[3][4]
Gyantse Fort or Gyantse Dzong (Jiangzi Dzong) built on the rugged hills surrounding the Gyantze town (once the third largest town in Tibet) has an arresting presence behind the town. The fortress is dated to 1268 and a castle was also built inside by local Prince Phakpa Pelzangpo (1318–1370) who was influential with the Sakyapa overlords. Buddhist guru Butan Rinchen Drub of Zhalu resided here at the invitation of the prince and made it his religious seat. Later, in the 14th century, the palace was moved from the fort to the Gyantse town where Kunga Phakpa had built a larger complex of buildings and monasteries. During this period, he also built a temple on the hill top called the Sampel Rinchenling. However, this is seen only in ruins now except for some murals made in genuineNewari and Gyantse Tibetan styles.[13][17]
The most popular festival celebrated in the monastery is held on 15 April. It is known as the Saka Dawa festival to commemorate Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism; this day is said to mark his birthday and also the day of his death. On this occasion, five hundred Lamas chant sutras when local people attend. Horse racing and archery festivals are held in the middle of fourth lunar month.[2][4]
Pelkhor Choede in Gyantse town is located about 230 kilometres (140 mi) to the south ofLhasa and 100 kilometres (62 mi) to east ofShigatse. The monastery is a short walk from the heart of the town. TheFriendship Highway that connectsKathmandu,Nepal to Lhasa passes throughGyantse.[2][4]
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