Jokhang Monastery

The Jokhang Monastery, historically known as Rasa Trulnang or Zuglagkang, stands as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Tibet and is considered the spiritual heart of Lhasa. Established around 640 CE by King Songtsen Gampo, the monastery was built to house significant Buddhist statues brought to Tibet by his Nepalese and Tang Chinese queens. Its construction involved numerous Nepalese and Indian artists and craftsmen, and its design reflects a fusion of Tibetan Buddhist, Chinese, Indian Vihara, and Nepalese architectural styles.

History and Significance

The Jokhang was built in the first stage of King Songtsen Gampo's plan to construct twelve temples across Tibet. It was established to house the Jowo Mikyo Dorje, a statue of Akshobhya Buddha brought by his Nepalese queen, Bhrikuti. Later, the statue of Jowo Shakyamuni, brought by his Chinese queen, Princess Wencheng, was also housed here, becoming the temple's most revered image, known as Jowo Rinpoche. The temple's location in Barkhor Square makes it a central point for pilgrimage and daily life in Lhasa, with pilgrims circumambulating the temple along a dedicated walkway.

Over centuries, the Jokhang underwent several renovations and enlargements, with the last major one by the Fifth Dalai Lama in 1610. The temple has witnessed periods of religious persecution, including its use as stables during the anti-Buddhist activities of the late ninth and early tenth centuries. During the Cultural Revolution, it was attacked by Red Guards, leading to a decade of religious inactivity, but was subsequently renovated between 1972 and 1980. In 2000, the Jokhang was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as an extension of the Potala Palace, highlighting its global cultural significance.

Architecture and Features

The Jokhang temple complex covers 2.51 hectares and features a four-story Buddha Hall as its main structure. Its architecture is characterized by Tibetan Buddhist elements, including gilded bronze roof tiles, figurines, and decorated pavilions, along with influences from other cultures. The temple faces west, honoring Princess Bhrikuti. Inside, it is a labyrinth of chapels illuminated by votive candles and filled with incense, containing over 3,000 images of Buddhas, deities, and historical figures, as well as manuscripts and artifacts.

Notable features include the Jowo Shakyamuni statue, which is adorned with a bejeweled crown and sits on a lotus throne. The temple also preserves ancient wooden beams and rafters, some dating back to the seventh and eighth centuries. Two inscribed pillars, the "Forever Following Tablet" and the "Tang Dynasty-Tubo Peace Alliance Tablet," flank the temple's entrances and bear historical treaties and edicts.