Yumbu Lakang Palace
( 2005-10-27 )

Best time to go: Summer

Yumbu Lakang, reputed as the first palace in Tibet history, is also the oldest extant building in Tibet. Lying 12 kilometers southwest of Tsedang Town of the Lhoka Prefecture, it sits atop a small hill east of the Yarlong River and faces west.

"Yumbu" means female deer, describing the resemblance of the mountain shape around, and "Lakang" means holy palace, so Yumbu Lakang means "the palace on the back legs of the doe" in Tibetan language.

Many believe the soaring building was built in the 2nd century BC especially for the first Tibetan king -- Nyatri Tsenpo -- who many believed descended from the heaven.

Legend says that in the fifth century, a Buddhist sutra fell from the sky onto the roof of Yambu Lakang. Nobody could read the book. However a sage predicted it would be interpreted between the 7th and 8th centuries, so the sutra was well kept in the palace.

Youmpu Lhakang became famous after Songtsan Gambo and Princess Wencheng spent their summer holidays there, making it their summer palace. After Songtsen Gampo transferred his capital to Lhasa in the 7th century, Yumbu Lakang became a chapel and was converted into a Gulugpa monastery during the reign of the 5th Dalai Lama (17th century).

Actually, Yumbu Lakang actually consists of three parts: a tower, some chapels, and some monk living quarters. Tibetan kings and their ministers are enshrined in part of the main chapel. Upstairs is a small chanting hall, which houses Sakyamuni and Chenrezi. A mural gallery above tells of Nyatri Tsenpo's arrival from the sky and stories about him as well as Tibetan history.