Later in 1690 Prime Minister Bsam-rgya-mtsho enlarged the Red Palace as a part of his project to build Dalai Lama V's stupa-tomb. The extension was eompleted in 1693, which was to be followed by new projects sponsored by later Dalai Lamas, including 5 golden roofs and a number of accessory structures.

The Potala assumed its present form and scale in 1936 when Dalai Lama XIII's (1870-1933) stupa-tomb was completed.

The main portion of the Potala contains the White Palace and the Red Palace.

The 7-storey White Palace, Dalai Lamas' winter residence, also housed the former local Tibetan government. There the most spacious hall, the eastern Audience Hall (Sishe Phuntsok) occupies a central area of 717m on the 4th floor. It was there that the Dalai Lamas were enthroned as supreme Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader and the region's temporal ruler.

The 5th and 6th floors bore government offices and rooms for the officials.

Two particular apartments on the top floor, reserved for the Living Buddhas, were known as Eastern and Western Sunshine Apartments for their long access to sunlight.

In constrast with the White Palace, the Red Palace consists mainly of the supreme primates' stupa-tombs and the shrines.

Of the 8 stupa-tomb halls, the most magnificent is that for the cult of Dalai Lama V. To the west his memorial hall, the Western Audience Hall, covers 725m to be the largest hall in the Potala. Of the extensive murals there the most notable one shows the patriarch's audience with Chinese Emperor Shunzhi (reigned 1644-1661) in Beijing.

A tablet overhanging the patriarch's throne bears a Chinese phrase meaning literally "The Source of Lotus Flowers" written by Chinese Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) himself. The phrase is a metaphoric reference to the Buddhist paradies.

The Dharma-raja's Cave (Chogyal Dupup) and several other apartments dating back from the reign of the Tu-bo Dynasty (629-846)are the earliest Potala structures extant. They house a valuable collection of statues, including the sculptural representation of King Srang-brtsan-sgam-po, his consorts Princess Wencheng and Princess Khri-btsun and his prime minister Blon-stong-btsan-po.

As the most elevated hall in the Red Palace, "The Best of the Three Realms" (Sasum Namgyal) accomodates the image of Chinese Emperor Qianlong and the statue of 11-face avalokitesvare cast in more than 10,000 ounces of silver as commissioned by Dalai Lama XIII. The remains of that spiritual leader are preserved in a stupa in the neighboring hall. Construction of that hall, begun in 1933, was not completed until three years later. Thus it is the newest hall in the whole complex.

Previous　Next