Gyantse

File:Txu-oclc-10552568-nh45-16.jpg

In 1904, the British expedition to Tibet reached Gyantse on 11 April. The town's garrison had already fled, and the expedition's members entered the town bloodlessly through the front gates, which were opened for them, and occupied Gyantse. After the town was occupied, several British officers visited the Palcho Monastery and seized several statues and scrolls. During the occupation, the town's inhabitants continued to go about their business, and the expedition's medical officer, Herbert James Walton, attended to their medical needs, including performing several operations to correct the common problem of cleft palates. The expedition's officers spent time exploring the town and carrying out fishing or hunting trips in the surrounding countryside. Eventually, the expedition concluded a treaty with the Tibetan authorities, which stipulated that a British trade agent and garrison would be stationed at Gyantse.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

In 1919, Sir Walter Buchanan, a member of the Royal Geographical Society, travelled into the Chumbi Valley and visited the British garrison at Gyantse, describing it as "small" and noting that it consisted primarily of Indian troops.Sir Walter Buchanan, A recent trip into the Chumbi Valley, Tibet, The Royal Geographical Society, 1919. During the reign of the 13th Dalai Lama, a military academy was established by the British in Gyantse to train Tibetan Army officers.Wang Jiawei et Nyima Gyaincain, [http://lt.china.com.cn/ch-xizang/tibet/historical_status/english/e0603.html The Tibetan Army's First Eastward Invasion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927001825/http://lt.china.com.cn/ch-xizang/tibet/historical_status/english/e0603.html |date=27 September 2013 }}, in The Historical Status of China's Tibet, China Intercontinental Press, 1997. During World War II, the British continued to maintain a garrison in Gyantse, though it was eventually disbanded by 1947.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1512014/Hank-Baker.html Hank Baker’s obituary notice], telegraph.co.uk, 4 March 2006.Sanderson Beck, [http://www.san.beck.org/20-7-TibetNepalCeylon1800-1950.html Tibet, Nepal, and Ceylon, 1800-1950].BBC Radio 4 23 September 2013 11a.m http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03bdbq2

The town is strategically located in the Nyang Chu valley on the ancient trade routes from the Chumbi Valley, Yatung and Sikkim, which met here. From Gyantse, routes led to Shigatse downstream and also over the Kora La (Pass) to Central Tibet.Dowman (1988), p. 269 The fortress (constructed in 1390)Vitali (1990), p. 30. guarded the southern approaches to the Yarlung Tsangpo Valley and Lhasa.Allen (2004), p. 30. The town was surrounded by a wall 3 km long.Buckley, Michael and Strauss, Robert (1986), p. 158.

In 1952, Gyantse had a population of perhaps 8,000 people,Richardson (1984), p. 7. about the same as in 2008.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7279789.stm "Tibet: Transformation and tradition." BBC News 5 March 2008.] It is 3,977 meters (13,050 ft) above sea level, and is located 254 km southwest of Lhasa in the fertile plain of the Nyang river valley and on a side branch of the Friendship Highway, which connects Kathmandu, Nepal to Lhasa. Gyantse was the third largest city in Tibet before being overtaken by Qamdo.

Gyantse is notable for its restored Gyantse Dzong or fort, and its magnificent tiered Kumbum (literally: '100,000 images') of the Palcho Monastery, the largest chörten in Tibet. The Kumbum was commissioned by a Gyantse prince in 1427 and was an important centre of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. This religious structure contains 77 chapels in its six floors, and is illustrated with over 10,000 murals, many showing a strong Nepali influence, which have survived almost entirely intact. They are the last of its kind to be found in Tibet. Many of the restored clay statues are of less artistry than the destroyed originals - but they are still spectacular.Dowman (1988), p. 270.Mayhew (2005), p. 167.

File:Tibet-gyantse-1994.jpg

File:Gyantse with Kumbum & fort - Edited.jpg on left and fort above. 1993]]

File:Gyantse Fortress.jpg

The town was nearly destroyed by flooding in 1954. After rioting in 1959, local industries were dismantled and artisans fled while others were placed in workcamps. Some 400 monks and laypeople were imprisoned in the monastery. During the Cultural Revolution, the fort, the monastery and Kumbum were ransacked. Precious objects were destroyed or sent out of Tibet. The chorten was spared.

The main building of the Pelkor Chode or Palcho Monastery and the Kumbum have been largely restored but the dzong or fort is still largely in ruins. During the 20th century, the Chinese government established the "Anti-British Imperialism Museum" in Gyantse, which exhibits the state narrative on the 1904 British expedition.Mayhew (2005), p. 168. The sculpture that forms the centerpiece of the museum are two "Tibetan" warriors, but they were based on photos taken by Lt. G. J. Davys in Chumbi Valley of non-Tibetans doing fake battles, and the armor were worn backwards.Harris (2012), p.130-135

Gyantse has an elevation-influenced humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification: Dwb).

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| location = Gyantse, elevation {{convert|4040|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010)

| metric first = Yes

| single line = Yes

|collapsed = Y

|Jan record high C = 17.0 |Jan record low C = -23.9

|Feb record high C = 17.3 |Feb record low C = -20.4

|Mar record high C = 22.1 |Mar record low C = -16.2

|Apr record high C = 23.2 |Apr record low C = -12.6

|May record high C = 25.9 |May record low C = -7.6

|Jun record high C = 28.7 |Jun record low C = -2.3

|Jul record high C = 28.2 |Jul record low C = 0.2

|Aug record high C = 25.4 |Aug record low C = -1.0

|Sep record high C = 24.6 |Sep record low C = -3.6

|Oct record high C = 21.9 |Oct record low C = -11.6

|Nov record high C = 18.9 |Nov record low C = -14.0

|Dec record high C = 16.1 |Dec record low C = -21.4

|year high C = |year low C =

|year high F = |year low F =

|Jan high C = 5.9

|Feb high C = 7.6

|Mar high C = 10.7

|Apr high C = 13.9

|May high C = 17.7

|Jun high C = 21.1

|Jul high C = 20.5

|Aug high C = 19.7

|Sep high C = 18.9

|Oct high C = 15.4

|Nov high C = 10.6

|Dec high C = 7.3

|Jan mean C = -3.8

|Feb mean C = -1.1

|Mar mean C = 2.6

|Apr mean C = 5.7

|May mean C = 9.6

|Jun mean C = 13.2

|Jul mean C = 13.0

|Aug mean C = 12.1

|Sep mean C = 10.8

|Oct mean C = 6.6

|Nov mean C = 0.8

|Dec mean C = -2.9

|Jan low C = -13.1

|Feb low C = -10.1

|Mar low C = -5.8

|Apr low C = -1.9

|May low C = 2.1

|Jun low C = 6.1

|Jul low C = 7.4

|Aug low C = 6.6

|Sep low C = 4.2

|Oct low C = -1.1

|Nov low C = -7.6

|Dec low C = -11.4

| precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 0.3

|Feb precipitation mm = 0.5

|Mar precipitation mm = 1.7

|Apr precipitation mm = 7.7

|May precipitation mm = 16.9

|Jun precipitation mm = 37.7

|Jul precipitation mm = 89.3

|Aug precipitation mm = 89.2

|Sep precipitation mm = 34.7

|Oct precipitation mm = 3.5

|Nov precipitation mm = 0.5

|Dec precipitation mm = 1.8

|Jan humidity = 30

|Feb humidity = 30

|Mar humidity = 33

|Apr humidity = 40

|May humidity = 46

|Jun humidity = 54

|Jul humidity = 67

|Aug humidity = 70

|Sep humidity = 62

|Oct humidity = 45

|Nov humidity = 38

|Dec humidity = 38

|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 0.4

|Feb precipitation days = 0.7

|Mar precipitation days = 1.2

|Apr precipitation days = 4.0

|May precipitation days = 6.6

|Jun precipitation days = 10.9

|Jul precipitation days = 18.8

|Aug precipitation days = 18.5

|Sep precipitation days = 10.7

|Oct precipitation days = 2.1

|Nov precipitation days = 0.4

|Dec precipitation days = 0.3

|year precipitation days =

|Jan sun = 272.2

|Feb sun = 251.5

|Mar sun = 276.2

|Apr sun = 273.1

|May sun = 295.9

|Jun sun = 273.4

|Jul sun = 224.6

|Aug sun = 224.6

|Sep sun = 244.3

|Oct sun = 294.0

|Nov sun = 283.6

|Dec sun = 280.9

|year sun =

| Jan percentsun = 83

| Feb percentsun = 79

| Mar percentsun = 74

| Apr percentsun = 70

| May percentsun = 70

| Jun percentsun = 66

| Jul percentsun = 53

| Aug percentsun = 56

| Sep percentsun = 67

| Oct percentsun = 84

| Nov percentsun = 89

| Dec percentsun = 88

| year percentsun =

|Jan snow days = 0.8

|Feb snow days = 1.1

|Mar snow days = 2.2

|Apr snow days = 5.9

|May snow days = 3.2

|Jun snow days = 0.2

|Jul snow days = 0.1

|Aug snow days = 0

|Sep snow days = 0.3

|Oct snow days = 1.4

|Nov snow days = 0.7

|Dec snow days = 0.5

|year snow days =

|source 1 = China Meteorological Administration{{cite web |url=http://data.cma.cn/data/weatherBk.html |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网 – WeatherBk Data |publisher=China Meteorological Administration |language = zh-hans |access-date=27 September 2023}}

{{cite web|url=https://experience.arcgis.com/template/e724038fda394e9d9b7921f10fd1aa55/page/%E7%BA%AF%E8%A1%A8%E6%A0%BC%E7%BB%9F%E8%AE%A1-(%E5%AF%B9%E6%AF%948110%E5%8F%98%E5%8C%96)/?org=UQmaps |script-title=zh:中国气象数据网|publisher=China Meteorological Administration |language = zh-hans | access-date =27 September 2023}}

}}

{{Reflist}}

• Allen, Charles. (2004). Duel in the Snows: The True Story of the Younghusband Mission to Lhasa. John Murray (publishers), London. {{ISBN|0-7195-5427-6}}.
• Buckley, Michael and Strauss, Robert. 1986. Tibet: a travel survival kit. Lonely Planet Publications, South Yarra, Australia. {{ISBN|0908086881}}.
• {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Gyantse|volume=12|page=751}}
• Das, Sarat Chandra. 1902. Lhasa and Central Tibet. Reprint: Mehra Offset Press, Delhi. 1988. {{ISBN|81-86230-17-3}}
• Dorje, Gyurme. 1999. Footprint Tibet Handbook. 2nd Edition. Bath, England. {{ISBN|1-900949-33-4}}. Also published in Chicago, U.S.A. {{ISBN|0-8442-2190-2}}.
• Dowman, Keith. 1988. The Power-places of Central Tibet: The Pilgrim's Guide. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London and New York. {{ISBN|0-7102-1370-0}}
• Harris, Clare. 2012. The Museum on the Roof of the World: Art, Politics, and the Representation of Tibet. University of Chicago Press. {{ISBN|978-0-226-31747-2}}
• Mayhew, Bradley and Kohn, Michael. (2005). Tibet. Lonely Planet Publications. {{ISBN|1-74059-523-8}}.
• Richardson, Hugh E (1984). Tibet and its History. Second Edition, Revised and Updated. Shambhala Publications, Boston. {{ISBN|0-87773-376-7}}.
• Vitali, Roberto. Early Temples of Central Tibet. (1990). Serindia Publications. London. {{ISBN|0-906026-25-3}}.
• von Schroeder, Ulrich. (1981). Indo-Tibetan Bronzes. (608 pages, 1244 illustrations). Hong Kong: Visual Dharma Publications Ltd. {{ISBN|962-7049-01-8}}
• von Schroeder, Ulrich. (2001). Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet. Vol. One: India & Nepal; Vol. Two: Tibet & China. (Volume One: 655 pages with 766 illustrations; Volume Two: 675 pages with 987 illustrations). Hong Kong: Visual Dharma Publications, Ltd. {{ISBN|962-7049-07-7}}
• von Schroeder, Ulrich. 2008. 108 Buddhist Statues in Tibet. (212 p., 112 colour illustrations) (DVD with 527 digital photographs). Chicago: Serindia Publications. {{ISBN|962-7049-08-5}}
• Palin, Michael (2004). Himalaya with Michael Palin. (DVD Volume 4)

File:Gyantse Tibet.jpg|A view of Gyantse from the top of its fortress

File:Old Gyantse and the Gyantse Dzong.jpg|Old Gyantse and the Gyantse Dzong

File:Musilin Restaurant of the Hero City.jpg|"Musilin Restaurant of the Hero City"

File:IMG 1719 Gyantze.jpg|A street in Gyantse old town

File:Gyantse fort from Kumbum roof.JPG|Gyantse fort from Kumbum roof. 1993

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 135-S-07-03-20, Tibetexpedition, Gyantse, Festungsmauer.jpg|Fortress wall. Gyantse. 1938.

Bundesarchiv Bild 135-S-18-10-29, Tibetexpedition, Tempelfest, Gebetsmauer.jpg|Huge thangka on thangka wall.

File:Palden Lhamo, Gyantse Gompa. 1993.jpg|Palden Lhamo, Gyantse Gompa. 1993

{{Towns in Xigazê}}

Category:Populated places in Shigatse

Category:Gyantse County

Category:Township-level divisions of Tibet