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Tradruk Monastery is situated 7 km southwest of Tsedang. Monastery belongs to Gelukpa sect and founded in 7th century. It was the winter palace of Songten Gampo and his wives. Tradruk is one of the twelve geomantic temples in Tibet. These temples were built for holding down the huge ogress, Sinmo. Sinmo is a rock ogress and the mother of Tibetan race. She tempted a monkey and their children become progenitors of 6 Tibet clans. She is supine and temples are built on her body parts. Tradruk is the temple on her left shoulder.
According to the legend there was a lake inhabited by a dragon here. Songsten Gampo defeated it by calling a falcon and it also drank the water of the lake. So the temple had been built here. “Druk” means dragon, so the story explains the name.
Temple’s area is 4667 m2. There are still some remnants from Songsten Gampo era in the temple. The most important treasure here is a tangka of White Tara embroidered with thousands of pearls (2 million and 9 thousands said our local guide Chun Dun) which is made by princess Wen Cheng herself. She made only three tangkas, one in Potala Palace, and the other in Shigatse. The room with the tangka is on the upper floor and there was an important statue of Padmasambhava and a decoration from yak butter and flour. I don’t think it would last for long.
The upper floor was like a roof top, surrounded by several rooms. People were chanting in some of them. We also saw some flowers raised by monks here. Some of them were washing clothes, too. This place is where I learned the purpose of the strange device I saw here. It is like a satellite dish but shiny and it is used for focusing the sunlight and heat the water.
There are several dark shrines inside the temple. Their light source was yak butter. With the scent and colors, the ambiance was so impressing. Monks allowed us to take photos in here, so I have more reliable sources than my memory.
Written Oct 22, 2009
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This is the first palace and the temple we’ve been to in Tibet. It was a last minute add-on because it was forbidden to visit Samye Monastery. We heard that it was because of the riots during Olympic Games.
Palace had been built in 2nd century B.C. during the rule of first king, Nyatri Tsenpo. According to Bön legends, it is the first building of Tibet. It has been used as a summer palace by 33rd king Songsten Gampo and his Chinese wife princess Wen Cheng. After he had moved his palace to Lhasa, palace became a shrine and turned into a monastery under the reign of 5th Dalai Lama.
Yungbulakang Palace is where the first Buddhist texts (Sutra) had fallen onto. No one could read them. It is said that it was a story to make people believe. I think the plan worked. Tibetan people are the most devoted believers I have seen.
The palace is located on a hill and even it is so small, it seems huge when you look up. It is a three storey building. You can reach the palace by walking or hire a donkey, horse or yak to ride. On the way to the palace, there were people selling boiled potatoes with chili pepper, prayer flags, yak butter… Butter is for offering in the temple. There was a stupa in front of the palace. Inner parts were in dark colors, there were pictures or statues of important sacred characters except rebels. Local people offering them butter, money, etc. Under the butter candle light, the rooms have a magical effect. Unfortunately I don’t have any photos from the rooms. It was disrespectful to take photographs in sacred places and we’ve been warned several times before coming here. There was an old monk sitting on a sofa in one of the rooms, accepting offers. I wish I took his photo at least. Everything I saw was amazing for me that day.
We circumambulated the stupa after leaving the palace, and then climbed the back hill. There was a narrow road behind the palace and the upper hill was covered with prayer flags. Our two guides, Turkish and Nepali, both hung up their own prayer flags and we had some nice photographs here.
Palace had been destroyed during Cultural Revolution and reconstructed in 1980s.
Written Oct 22, 2009
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This is the first palace and the temple we’ve been to in Tibet. It was a last minute add-on because it was forbidden to visit Samye Monastery. We heard that it...
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The city of Zetang is located at an altitude of , and is one of the largest in Tibet, and the capital of the Lhoka prefecture, meaning that it exercises direct control over the affairs of 13 counties....
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The gate of Tibet for Buddhism
Tsedang or Zetang was the first city I've seen in Tibet. I walked the streets by myself and the photos on this page are the result of that glimpse. The palace where the Buddhist scripts fallen onto...
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