Tsantang Lakhang, also known as “Tsantang Yuyi Lakhang“, “Yuyi Lakhang” or “Tsantang Temple,” is a early Buddhist temple built during the period of Tubo Kingdom, with an elevation of 3576 meters.
The term “Tsantang” means the flat land where the king stayed, and it is said that the first Tibetan king, “Nyatri Tsenpo” of Spu Gyal clan arrived at this place from the southwest direction of “Lari Gangtok Mountain.”
The original roof of Tsantang Lakhang was made of turquoise-like glazed tiles, surrounded by lush green grass, hence its name “Yuyi Lakhang,” meaning “a turquoise-like Buddhist temple.”
Located approximately 1.5 kilometers southwest of Nedong district in Shannan City, it stands opposite to Tradruk Monastery and is one of the famous “Three Buddhist Temples” in the Yarlung River valley.
About 500 meters west of Tsantang Lakhang, at the foot of the mountain, there is a tall pagoda called “Tsekung Pagoda” or “Tsaku Pangba,” with a square tower base and a circular top and spire, believed to be the Clothing Mound of Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo.
Architecture
Tsantang Lakhang is relatively small in scale, consisting mainly of a main hall, a small scripture hall, and three connecting corridors, surrounded by a wall. The dimensions of the Lakang are 44 meters east to west, 24.5 meters north to south, 1 meter thick, and 3 meters high.
Upon entering, there is a small courtyard, with the main hall in the center. The main hall has two floors, with a wide three-bay scripture hall in front, flanked by two small side halls. This section of the architecture is considered later additions in terms of style.
The rear hall of the scripture hall serves as the entrance to the main hall, with a width of three bays. The upper part of the door is painted with the Tryadhva-buddhah, while the left side depicts Drom Tonpa, Atisa, and the three figures of Tsongkhapa,Gyaltsab Je, and Khadrub Je. On the right side, there are images of Padmasambhava, Trisong Detsen, and a Bodhisattva. The right wall of the scripture hall depicts historical legends of Tibet, the left wall shows a mural of the future world defeating demons, and the front wall features Yamaraja and Dharmapāla.
Inside the main hall, eight pillars are evenly arranged in front of the eaves, each consisting of two columns standing side by side. The base stones are carved like lotus petals.
Though not spacious, the main hall’s architectural structure differs from typical main halls. It has no columns inside. Instead, at the upper corners, “beveled beams” are placed along the walls, supporting “false beveled beams,” which in turn support “crossbeams,” on which the ceiling is laid. Apart from a central painting of intertwined circles representing victory, the other eight sides depict lotus flowers.
The main hall houses statues of the Tryadhva-buddhah and eight great bodhisattvas. At the corners in front of the hall, there are statues of guardian deities, with the backlit areas of all statues gilded with copper, except for the central Shakyamuni
Buddha statue, which has a winged lion biting a leaf above its backlit area. The other bodhisattvas have flame-shaped backlit areas. The central statues and guardian deity images in the backlit areas are the most exquisite.
On the rear wall behind the Tryadhva-buddhah statues, more images of the Tryadhva-buddhah are painted, while the side walls depict thousands of buddhas. The statues in the main hall are solid and simple, reflecting the early Ming Dynasty artistic style.
Outside the main hall is a left-turning corridor, with walls adorned with Vajrayana Buddha images. The exterior walls display a thousand buddhas holding alms bowls. Beyond the corridor, there is an outer corridor, where the left wall features an image of the venerable Subhūti with white hair.
Brief
According to the records of “Naidong County Annals” and “Naidong County Cultural Relics Annals”, Tsantang Lhakang was built by the consort of “Songtsen Gampo”, “Angchung Bek who also known as Mugang Yungpal, (she is the one after the Nepalese Princess and Princess Wencheng)”.
Some other documents, such as “Situgujizhi”, record that Tsantang Lhakang was built by the consort of “Murug Tsenpo (763 AD – 804 AD)” , the “Ngangchu Yangtshul Gyamug during the Tubo period, with a history of more than a thousand years.
In the 1950s, Tsantang Lhakang underwent a large-scale renovation.
In 1962, Tsantang Lhakang was listed as a district-level cultural relic protection unit by the Tibet Autonomous Region government.
Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the subsequent ten-year “Cultural Revolution”.
In the early 1980s, the local government implemented a new religious policy, and the local villagers began to prepare for the reconstruction of the temple.
In 1988, Tsantang Lhakang began to be rebuilt, and the architectural style and size were basically restored to their original appearance.
Tsantang Lhakang was originally a sub-temple of Ganden Chokhor Ling Monastery, so the butter lamp master here was appointed by Ganden Chokhor Ling.
Today, Tsantang Lhakang holds a prayer ceremony on the tenth day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar, during which monks from Ganden Chokhor Ling Monastery participate.
Value
Tsantang Lakhang is one of the early Buddhist temples built during the period of Tubo kingdom. Its historical significance is undeniable. The temple was constructed in a style completely different from the local Tibetan architecture, showcasing the exceptional craftsmanship of Tibetan artisans with its glazed walls and hip-and-gable roof. It holds special importance for studying the history of Tibetan-Chinese relations and Tibetan architecture.
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