Namri Songtsan sent troops into the Gyiqoi River Valley

A very primitive record of the ancient history of Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region exists dating from around the 1st century. Forefathers of the Tibetan race passed down segments of history orally. During the Tubo Kingdom, historians began to write them into their works.

Legend has it that the Tibet Plateau was dotted with various tribal clans, which are known as the "12 small states" or "40 small states" in Tibetan history books. According to these books, where these small states contained small towns that became formidable tribes via repeated wars and ensuing peace. Of these large tribes, the most powerful ones included the Yarlung Tribe in the Shannan River Valley, the Zhangzhung Regime in Ngari, and the Supi Tribe north of the Yarlung Zangbo River. At that time, the Lhasa River Valley was known as the "Gyiqoiko," with present-day Lhasa called "Gyixoiwotang" (meaning fertile land downstream from the Gyiqoi River).

The Gyiqoi River Valley was then ruled by two princes: Dagyiwo and Chibangsum of the Supi Tribe. In the early 7th century, Nangri Songtsan, leader of the Yarlung Tribe, sent his troops northward, crossing the Yarlung Zangbo River. With the coordination of the Nang clans under the rule of Chibangsum, they seized Chibangsum to rule the whole of the Gyiqoi (Lhasa) River Valley. Namrisum had his headquarters set up at Gyiamargang in Maizhokunggar, and built several palaces built in the narrow gully, which ran from south to north. Songtsan Gambo, his son and later king of the Tubo Kingdom, was born in the Qamba Mingcholing Palace at Gyiamargang.

 King Songtsan Gambo moved his capital to Gyixoiwotang

Internal fighting broke out within the Yarlung Tribe when Songtsan Gambo was 13 years old. His father was poisoned to death, and the regime was about to fall. Songtsan Gambo succeeded as the king, and fought and annihilated the rebels. He also conquered the Dagbo, Gongbo, Nangbo, and Supi tribes, thus unifying the Tibetan plateau and founding the Tubo Kingdom, with the capital set up in Gyiqoiwotang (present-day Lhasa). It was at that time he was donned "Songtsan Gambo," meaning "strong-minded king."

Legend has it that when Songtsan Gambo reached Gyixoiwotang during his expedition, as it was summer, he took off his military uniform and took a dip in the rippling Gyiqoi River. He was delighted to see the crystal clear water and emerald mountains, including the Red and Tie Hills surrounding the area, and decided this was the best place to launch his strategy of controlling all of Tibet.

Indeed, this was a strategically advantageous area, with Qinghai in the north, Shannan in the south, Zhangzhung in the west, and Dorkang in the east. It was richly endowed with natural resources and was much, much better than Yarlung. Thus the decision of moving the capital to Gyiqoiwotang was made.

In 633, Songtsan Gambo led his men from Maizhokunggar westward to Gyiqoiwotang. Songtsan Gambo examined the desolate plain and decided to intercept the northern section of the Gyiqoi River and divert the water in the direction of Shannan. The area around the Red Hill became lush, and Songtsan Gambo built palaces, monasteries, military barracks, and civilian housing there. A spectacular stone palace, the predecessor of the Potala Palace, was built on the top of the Red Hill.

Guests of the Feast of Scholars described the palace in this way: "Three walls were built around the Red Hill. Inside the walls were pillboxes, totaling 999 in number. At the summit of Red Hill was built a palace, thus bringing the total number of palaces up to 1,000. These palaces were adorned with gold, silver, pearls, and tassels as majestic as the Heavenly Palace itself."

 The Holy City fell with the fall of Tubo Kingdom

After 200 years, the Tubo Kingdom experienced increasing internal conflict. Various royal families, monks, lay officials, Buddhist forces, and anti-Buddhist forces were locked in a life-and-death struggle. When the anti-Buddhist forces managed to kill Chanbo Zhangya (who had been in charge of monks) and later Tubo King Chiribajun, Darma Wodongtsan, Chiribajun's brother, came to the throne.

Darma Wodongtsan began his term by banning Buddhism in Tubo. Even before this, Darma Wodongtsan had banned Buddhism in Lhasa. The Jokhang Monastery was closed, statues of Sakyamuni were buried underground, and lamas with the monastery were forced to resume their secular lives and were ordered to either slaughter cows and sheep, or go hunting in the mountains. This Tubo King, historically known as Lang Darma, was in power for five years, until Lama Lhalung Begyi Dorje killed him.

Upon Lang Darma's death, his two sons Wesum and Yundain became locked in a fight for power. Wesum was the son of his father's second wife, and Yundain the son of his father's first wife. Yundain controlled Lhasa and Wesum Shannan. They fought for many years, touching off a mass revolt and leading to the fall of the Tubo Kingdom. Lhasa, as the capital of the Tubo Kingdom, declined along with the Tubo Kingdom. The Potala Palace, which had been damaged by a thunderbolt during the period of Trisong Detsan, was razed to the ground during the war.