Takdra Lukhong Monument

Takdra Lukhong Monument, its full name: “Nganlam Takdra Lukhong Monument of Meritorious Deeds,” also known as the “Outer Monument” to distinguish it from the “Inner Monument” (Tibetan “Dorje Namgyal”) of the blank stele at the Potala Palace.

Located on the south side of Beijing Middle Road, at the northeast corner of Potala Palace Square, facing the Potala Palace across Beijing Middle Road.

Introduction

During the reign of Tibetan King Trisong Detsen (755-797 AD), he dispatched high ministers Nganlam Takdra Lukhong and Shang Gyalsig to lead an army that captured the Tang dynasty capital of Chang’an (present-day Xi’an) in the first year of Guangde (763 AD) under Emperor Daizong of Tang.

Shortly thereafter, Trisong Detsen erected a monument to commemorate General Takdra Lukhong’s capture of Chang’an.

This stele is the earliest surviving Tibetan inscription, providing significant historical material for studying the political system of Tibetan slavery, the relationship between Tibet and the Tang dynasty, and the development of Tibetan script.

It was declared a third batch of Tibet Autonomous Region cultural relics protection unit in 1996.

The Stele

Takdra Lukhong Monument is a square-shaped column, wider at the base and narrower at the top, with a three-tiered pedestal and a capstone.

The stele stands on a square base measuring 22.25 square meters and 1.92 meters high. The pedestal, located in the center of the platform, is 1.32 meters high, and the stele itself is eight meters tall.

The north, east, and south faces of the stele are inscribed with Tibetan script. The north side has 68 lines, the east side 16 lines, and the south side 74 lines.

The stele is well-preserved; despite over 1200 years of exposure to the elements, most of the inscription remains legible.

The inscription praises Takdra Lukhong’s talents and achievements. In recognition, Trisong Detsen awarded him slaves, land, pastures, and various privileges for his descendants.

The Inscription

The north, east, and south faces of the stele are inscribed with Tibetan script.

The north face has 68 lines of Tibetan script, the east face 16 lines, and the south face 74 lines.

The south inscription praises Takdra Lukhong’s loyalty to Trisong Detsen, his outstanding military achievements, and his lasting contributions to the Tibetan state, stating that the stele was erected “for eternal remembrance.”

The north inscription contains an oath by King Trisong Detsen, praising Takdra Lukhong’s accomplishments and promising that neither he nor his descendants would be executed for any offenses, unless they were disloyal to the king.

The east inscription continues from the north, detailing the privileges granted to Takdra Lukhong and his descendants, emphasizing the king’s generosity and the expectation that Takdra Lukhong and his descendants would remain loyal to the Tibetan kingdom.

There are currently three translations of the inscription, included in Wang Yao’s “Tibetan Epigraphy Collection,” Li Jisheng’s “A Corpus of Early Tibetan Inscriptions,” and the collaborative work of Li Fanggui and Ge Wainan, “Studies of Ancient Tibetan Inscriptions.”