Potala Palace

Potala Palace was the winter palace of the Dalai Lama from the seventh century until the modern spiritual leader went into exile in India in 1959. It is located in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. The palace, a symbol of Tibetan Buddhism, contains the tombs of eight Dalai Lamas. Monks continue to occupy, oversee, and maintain the structures.

Since the departure of the Dalai Lama, China has operated the palace as a museum open to tour groups. In 1994 it was named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The nearby Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka were added in 2000 and 2001 as extensions. Jokhang Temple is the most sacred temple in Tibet. Norbulingka was the Dalai Lama’s summer residence.

The walls and gates enclose the White and Red Palaces as well as several other buildings. At an altitude of 12,139 feet (3,700 m) above sea level, it is the highest palace in the world.

Background

Potala Palace is likely named for a mountain in India, the home of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva, or Buddha-to-be, of infinite compassion and mercy. Potala means “pure land” or “high heavenly realm.” The palace complex is built on top of Mar-po-ri Mountain above the Lhasa River valley. The White Palace was primarily used as a residence. The Red Palace contains chapels, tombs, and statues.

Potala Palace was commissioned by Songtsen Gambo, the king of Tibet, for his marriage to Princess Wencheng of the Chinese Tang Dynasty. Gambo united Tibet during the seventh century, stamping out disputes and creating a stable, influential Asian kingdom.

Wencheng was the king’s second wife; she and Princess Bhrikuti, a Nepalese princess the king previously had married, brought Buddhism to Tibet. Gambo had the Ramoche Monastery built to house the Buddha statues Wencheng brought to the Tubo Kingdom of her new husband. She had the Jokhang Monastery built, and the couple planted willow trees that still stand in front of it. Gambo died at the age of thirty-four, while Wencheng lived to about twice that age.

The Tubo Kingdom lasted about two centuries. Later, the region was led by religious figures known as the Dalai Lamas. Buddhists believe these men are the reincarnation of their predecessors; all are manifestations of Avalokiteshvara. After the palace of Gambo was badly damaged, in 1645 the fifth Dalai Lama ordered the crumbling remains be the basis of a newly constructed palace that would serve his purposes as both a residence and center of government. Rather than relocate and build from the ground up, the new Potala was to be constructed on Mar-po-ri because the mountaintop provides strategic security advantages. The structure, which incorporates large portions of the first Potala Palace, was constructed to be a military fortress. The White Palace reconstruction was completed in 1653, and the Red Palace in 1694.

Overview

The Potala Palace complex contains more than one thousand rooms. Among these are the Chogyal Drubphuk and Phakpa Lhakhang, both of which date to the first palace structure. The complex buildings house more than two hundred thousand statues and contain more than ten thousand altars.

The complex is constructed of wood and stone using simple post-and-lintel design. The halls are columned, and inward-sloping walls are of stacked stone. Buttresses reinforce the walls. The structure contains no arches or advanced architectural beams, requiring the columns to be close together.

The granite walls are from 6–15 feet (about 2–5 meters) thick and supported through rammed-earth construction methods reinforced with copper. Some portions of walls are up to 16 feet (about 5 meters) thick. Narrow windows set into thick walls let in light, while reducing the amount of heat that penetrates the interior. The majority of windows face south. The eaves and roofs are of wood, often carved with Buddhist themes and images.

The palace, which is thirteen stories high, is constructed in Himalayan Buddhist style. The overall shape is reminiscent of traditional Tibetan nomad tents. Buddhist beliefs influenced the palace plans in many ways. For example, spaces are meant for spiritual purposes, rather than human needs. No facilities for waste disposal or procurement of water were included, so all water had to be carried up the cliffs and all waste had to be carried down the mountainside. The modern palace has been upgraded with improved utilities.

The central portion of the complex is the five-story Red Palace. Two of the floors were added during renovations in 1922. It includes a courtyard as well as the Maitreya Chapel, the Chapel of the thirteenth Dalai Lama, the Chapel of the fifth Dalai Lama, and the East Sunshine Apartment. The Red Palace includes thirty-five chapels, four meditation halls, shrines, and assembly halls. It is capped by the Golden Roofs. The red exterior walls absorb heat in winter and expel it in summer. The remainder of the complex is known as the White Palace. It surrounds the Red Palace and includes the Eastern Courtyard, School of Religious Officials, and defensive structures.

Potala Palace contains 698 murals painted on walls and along corridors. Many of these depict important events in history, such as the arrival of Princess Wencheng and stories of several Dalai Lamas. Other treasures include painted silks, cloths, and papers, as well as the painted scrolls known as Tangkas.

Roof-ridge ornaments are typical of many traditional Asian structures. The ornaments of Potala Palace’s roof ridge blend symbols of Han and Tibetan cultures, as befits a dynasty that created a single kingdom and united peoples through marriage. The traditional Chinese zoomorphic ornaments are included, as are Buddhist symbols, such as the Dharmacakra or Wheel of Dharma, Dharani pillars inscribed with Buddhist scriptures, and depictions of Indian animals.

Only tour groups may visit the palace, and must secure tickets a day in advance. Most are on spiritual pilgrimages and many have walked long distances to reach the sacred site. They circle the perimeter praying and asking for blessings. Those going inside the palace must climb one thousand steps from the South Gate. Visitors are permitted one hour in the interior public areas of the palace, and are prohibited from taking photos inside. Monks are stationed throughout the public rooms.

Bibliography

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Ciyun, Zhang and Chen Jie. Stories of Ancient Chinese Architecture. Shanghai Translation Publishing House, 2017.

“Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa.” World Heritage Center, 2019, whc.unesco.org/en/list/707/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2019.

Iyer, Pico. “Why Potala Palace Is a Wonder.” ABC News, 9 Nov. 2006, abcnews.go.com/GMA/7Wonders/story?id=4673234&page=1. Accessed 21 Aug. 2019.

“Potala Palace—Symbolic Architecture of Tibet.” Tibet Discovery, 2010, www.tibetdiscovery.com/what-to-see/potala-palace/. Accessed 21 Aug. 2019.

“Princess Wencheng—Bridging the Different Cultures.” University Libraries, WKU, 2015, people.wku.edu/haiwang.yuan/China/tales/princesswencheng‗b.htm. Accessed 21 Aug. 2019.

Tsonam. “History & Architecture: Potala Palace.” Tibet House US, 26 May 2016, tibethouse.us/potalapalace/. Accessed 21 Aug. 2019.

Wei, Clarissa. “Discover Tibet’s Breathtaking Palace in the Clouds.” National Geographic, 29 Aug. 2018, www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/asia/china/tibet-autonomous-region-lhasa-potala-palace-world-heritage/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2019.