Source: CCTV.com

08-01-2006 17:14

Towards the end of the 9th century, the original Potala Palace built by King Songtsan Gampo was reduced to ruins. This heralded a period of division and separation in Tibetan history, which was to last for more than 400 years. In 1645, the Fifth Dalai Lama had the Potala Palace rebuilt on its original site. To convey a sense of peace and joy, he had the walls of the palace painted white. The place therefore got the name 'The White Palace'. From then on, the Potala Palace would become the seat of the Dalai Lamas and the political centre of Tibet.

As a sign of the warming ties between the Central government and the local government in Tibet, the Qing Dynasty emperor Shunzhi acknowledged the 5th Dalai Lama as commander of all Buddhist sects. This effectively established the Dalai Lama's temporal and religious position in Tibet.

The Potala Palace was designed and constructed along the lines of a mandala, an imaginary palace that is the visual expression of the worldview of esoteric Buddhism and a support for the meditating person. In other words, the Potala Palace itself is a huge mandala. Therefore, it is not just a magnificent building; it is in itself a deity that has a profound influence on those who see and visit it. As for those privileged to be living within its walls, they are expected to lead a life of sacrifice, rejecting all secular pleasure.

 

Editor:Wang