Jokhang Temple/Jokhang Monastery

General Survey

The Jokhang Temple, or Jokhang Monastery or Tsuklakang, lies on Barkhor Square in Lhasa. It is considered as the sister temple to a smaller temple, Ramoche. The king Songsten Gampo built the Jokhang Temple to welcome his Chinese wife princess Wencheng, a Buddhist from Tang Dynasty.

Although today it is known as the Jokhang, meaning the 'House of the Buddha', it was called the 'Tsuklakang' (Tsulag Khang), ' House of Religious Science' or 'House of Wisdom during the Bon period of Tibet. This term had its various connotations. Tsuklak refers to the 'sciences' such as geomancy, astrology, and Bon refers to the divination which formed part of the pre-Buddhist shamanistic religion. Now most Tibetans consider it as the most sacred and important temple in Tibet. To some degrees, it is pan-sectarian, though presently it is under the control of the Gelug school.

Also, it is probably the most popular tourist attraction in Lhasa, along with the Potala Palace, now the spiritual centre of Lhasa. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace".

History of Jokhang Temple

King Songtsän Gampo might built the Jokhang temple in 642. At that time, it was referred to as the Rasa Tulnang Tsuklakang or the House of Mysteries, the Magical Emanation at Rasa. All important Buddhist statues and images, bought as part of their dowries by Bhrituti and Wencheng, the Nepalese and Chinese wives of Songsten Gampo, were housed here.

The Bönpo king, LangdharmaIt boarded up the temple. In the 11th century, the famous Buddhist Master Atisha taught here, and from then on, people has considered it as the most important temple in Lhasa ever since. For centuries, pilgrims flocked here, segardin git as a key center of Buddhist. Though the Mongols sacked the temple for several times, it survived anyhow, and now covers an area of about 25,000 sq. meters.

Architecture
 

The Jokhang Temple has four stories in total. The roofs of the temple are covered with gilded bronze tiles. Basically, the architectural style is featured by its Indian vihara design, with a blend of Nepalese and Tang Dynasty styles. Many icons are contained here. For example, there is a rooftop statues of two golden deer flanking a Dharma wheel. The interior of the temple is a dark and atmospheric labyrinth of chapels. Each chapel is dedicated to various gods and bodhisattvas. Many votive candles illuminate them, thickening them with the smoke of incense. The third floor contains an image of Palden Lhamo, fierce protector of both Lhasa and the Dalai Lama.

The original elements remain after all the rebuilding of the temple. Carbon dating shows the wooden beams and rafters are original. Also, the Newari door frames, columns and finials date from the 7th and 8th centuries.

In the old section of Lhasa, the Jokhang Monastery lies quietly on Barkhor Square. It is the most famous place for a Pilgrim Circuit in Lhasa. It attracts thousands of pilgrims to visit the site. Those pilgrims circle the temple, stepping a route known as the "kora". The lane is marked by four large stone incense burners placed at the corners of the temple complex. Finishing their circumambulation, those pilgrims then head to the main hall, which houses the Jowo Shakyamuni Buddha statue that is also the only most venerated object in Tibetan Buddhism. Other famous statues includes the statues of Chenresig, Padmasambhava and King Songtsan Gambo and his two foreign brides, Princess Wen Cheng and Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal. Unfortunately, during the "cultural revolution", many of the statues were destroyed. People then recreated them, using the broken pieces of the original statues. Besides, there are many statues of various Bodhisattva, many of them in yab-yum pose, in the chapel to the south of the main hall. There is also the stumps of willows in front of the Jokhang. The willow is known as the Jowo Utra. It is said that Queen Wen Cheng planted the tree when the temple was consecrated.

The north and south entrances to the temple are flanked by two doring or inscribed pillars. The pillar on the south side, recording advice on hygiene measures to prevent smallpox, was erected by the Chinese in 1793 during a smallpox epidemic. The other pillar records the Sino-Tibetan treaty of 822 concluded by King Ralpacan and includes the following inscription.