Lhasa Buddhist Center Settlement

Timeline

1. 640–700Lhasa River valley · LhasaSongtsen Gampo built a palace on the Red Hill in Lhasa and constructed the Jokhang Temple at the Wotang Lake (later filled in) to enshrine the 12-year-life-size statue of Śākyamuni brought by Princess Wencheng, while the Ramoche Temple enshrined the Buddha statue brought by the Nepalese princess, establishing the holy city's religious core.
2. 755–800Lhasa · LhasaTrisong Detsen invited masters such as Śāntarakṣita and Padmasambhava to propagate the dharma; after the completion of Samye Monastery, Lhasa's status as the tsenpo's residence and Buddhist center was further consolidated, with monastic and lay settlements expanding around the Barkhor Street of the Jokhang.
3. 800–842Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street · LhasaIn the early 9th century the Lhasa Buddhist center settlement reached its peak, with the Jokhang becoming the pilgrimage core of all Tibet and frequent traffic of merchants and envoys. Ralpachen built a nine-story palace, further expanding the city's scale.
4. 842–1000Lhasa · LhasaLangdarma's persecution of Buddhism once set back Buddhist activity in Lhasa, but core sacred sites such as the Jokhang were preserved. After the Buddhist revival movement of the 10th century arose, Lhasa was reestablished as the faith center of the snowland, with the pilgrimage tradition continuing unbroken.