Gyirong County
Encyclopedia
sKyid-grong is a former district (rDzong) in the south-west of Tibet
and is from 1960 onwards a county of the newly established gZhis-ka rtse prefecture (Xigazê Prefecture
) of the newly established Tibet Autonomous Region
. It is famous because of its mild climatically conditions and its abundant vegetation which is unusual for the Tibetan plateau. The capital lies at Zongga
. Its name in Tibetan, Dzongka means "mud walls".
Up to 1960 one of the main trade routes between Nepal and Tibet passed through this region. Easily accessible from Nepal, it was used several times as an entrance gate for military actions from the site of Nepal against Tibet.
In 1945 Peter Aufschnaiter
counted 26 temples and monasteries which covered the area of sKyid-grong and the neighboring La-sdebs. The most famous temple of sKyid-grong is the Byams-sprin lha-khang, erected by the famous Tibetan king Srong-btsan sgam-po (Songtsän Gampo) as one of the four Yang-´dul temples in the 7th century A.D. During the 11th century the famous Indian scholar Atisha
visited sKyi-grong. sKyid-grong was one of the favorite meditation places of the Tibetan Yogin Mi-la ras-pa (Milarepa
).
The local dialect of sKyid-grong has been researched thoroughly and folk literature of this region was collected and published during the 1980s.
.
Of some importance is the bKra-shis bdam-gtan gling monastery , founded by yongs-´dzin Ye-shes rgyal-mtshan (1713-1793), who was one of the teachers of the 8th Dalai Lama.
Lake Paiku
is in this county. This is a 27 kmk long, slightly salty lake surrounded by snowy peaks 5,700 to 6,000 meters high.
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
and is from 1960 onwards a county of the newly established gZhis-ka rtse prefecture (Xigazê Prefecture
Xigazê Prefecture
Xigazê is a prefecture of Tibet Autonomous Region in China.The administrative center of the prefecture is the city of Shigatse ....
) of the newly established Tibet Autonomous Region
Tibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....
. It is famous because of its mild climatically conditions and its abundant vegetation which is unusual for the Tibetan plateau. The capital lies at Zongga
Zongga
Zongga is a township and seat of Gyirong County in the Himalayas of the southern Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It lies at an altitude of 5624 metres .The village is located some 26.1 miles east of Kungtang and 13.1 miles north of Orma....
. Its name in Tibetan, Dzongka means "mud walls".
Up to 1960 one of the main trade routes between Nepal and Tibet passed through this region. Easily accessible from Nepal, it was used several times as an entrance gate for military actions from the site of Nepal against Tibet.
In 1945 Peter Aufschnaiter
Peter Aufschnaiter
Peter Aufschnaiter was an Austrian mountaineer, agricultural scientist, geographer and cartographer.-Life:...
counted 26 temples and monasteries which covered the area of sKyid-grong and the neighboring La-sdebs. The most famous temple of sKyid-grong is the Byams-sprin lha-khang, erected by the famous Tibetan king Srong-btsan sgam-po (Songtsän Gampo) as one of the four Yang-´dul temples in the 7th century A.D. During the 11th century the famous Indian scholar Atisha
Atisha
Atiśa Dipankara Shrijnana was a Buddhist teacher from the Pala Empire who, along with Konchog Gyalpo and Marpa, was one of the major figures in the establishment of the Sarma lineages in Tibet after the repression of Buddhism by King Langdarma .- Birth :Atisha is most commonly said to have been...
visited sKyi-grong. sKyid-grong was one of the favorite meditation places of the Tibetan Yogin Mi-la ras-pa (Milarepa
Milarepa
Jetsun Milarepa , is generally considered one of Tibet's most famous yogis and poets. He was a student of Marpa Lotsawa, and a major figure in the history of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.- Life :...
).
The local dialect of sKyid-grong has been researched thoroughly and folk literature of this region was collected and published during the 1980s.
Special places
Of outstanding importance are the Byams-sprin lha-khang temple, which was built in the 7th century A. D., and the ´Phags-pa lha-khang temple. The ´Phags-pa lha-khang formerly contained one of the holiest Avalokiteshvara statues of Tibet, the statue of the Ārya Va-ti bzang-po. This statue was brought to India in 1959 and is now kept in DharamsalaDharamsala
Dharamshala or Dharamsala is a city in northern India. It was formerly known as Bhagsu; it is the winter seat of government of the state of Himachal Pradesh and the district headquarters of the Kangra district....
.
Of some importance is the bKra-shis bdam-gtan gling monastery , founded by yongs-´dzin Ye-shes rgyal-mtshan (1713-1793), who was one of the teachers of the 8th Dalai Lama.
Lake Paiku
Lake Paiku
Lake Paiku -- in Tibetan Paiku-Tso or -Tsho -- is at 4,591 meters elevation on the Tibetan Plateau at , 18 km south of the Yarlung Tsangpo Lake Paiku (or Peiku) -- in Tibetan Paiku-Tso or -Tsho -- is at 4,591 meters (15,070 ft) elevation on the Tibetan Plateau at , 18 km south of the Yarlung...
is in this county. This is a 27 kmk long, slightly salty lake surrounded by snowy peaks 5,700 to 6,000 meters high.
Literature
- Roland Bielmeier, Silke Herrmann: Märchen, Sagen und Schwänke vom Dach der Welt. Tibetisches Erzählgut in Deutscher Fassung, Band 3. Viehzüchtererzählungen sowie Erzählgut aus sKyid-grong und Ding-ri, gesammelt und ins Deutsche übertragen. Vereinigung für Geschichtswissenschaft Hochasiens Wissenschaftsverlag (= Beiträge zur tibetischen Erzählforschung, 3), Sankt Augustin 1982
- Aufschaiter, Peter: Land and Places of Milarepa. East and West, 26 (1976):1-2, S. 175-189
- Brauen, Martin: Heinrich Harrers Impressionen aus Tibet. Innsbruck, 1974
- Brauen, Martin: Peter Aufschnaiter. Sein Leben in Tibet. Innsbruck, 1983
- Ehrhard, Franz-Karl: Die Statue des Ārya Va-ti bzang-po. Wiesbaden, 2004
- Huber, Brigitte: The Tibetan Dialect of Lende (Kyi-rong): a grammatical description with historical annotations. Bonn, 2005
- Dieter SchuhDieter SchuhDieter Schuh is a German Tibetologist, entrepreneur and politician.-Life:Born in 1942, Schuh graduated in 1972 at Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms University in Bonn and submitted his habilitation in 1976. Since 1978 he is Professor of Tibetan Studies...
: Das Archiv des Klosters bKra-shis bsam-gtan gling von sKyid-grong. Bonn, 1988