16 
Sarat Chandra Das —A brief account of Tibet 
[No. 1, 
High Asian trade, where merchants from India, China, Kashmir, Nepal, 
and Bhutan meet. Travellers from Tsang, U, Nahri, Amdo, Kham, Hor 
and Mongolia always come to Lhasa. At a distance of half a mile from 
the city, to the west of it, stands the famed palace of Potala, the residence 
of Chanrassig, the Lord of the world, who in human shape is incarnate 
fn the Dalai Lama. Potala is eleven-storied, white in appearance, and 
was erected by King Ssongtsan Gampo. There also stands the Red palace 
-(Phodung Marpo), built by Regent Desri Sangye Gya?atsho, thirteen 
storeys high, containing the image of Lokeshvara, the golden tomb of 
Kongsa Ngapa (5th Dalai Lama), called Dsamling Gyen—the ornament 
of the world. There perpetually reside the successive incarnations of 
the Dalai Lama. To the south-west of Potala, and very close to it, is 
the famous hill called Chagpoiri (sacred to Chhyagna Dorje or Vajra 
Pani), on the top of which is the religious establishment called Chagpoiri 
Vaiduiya Ta-tshang, containing a college for training physicians. To 
the west of Chagpoiri is situated the hill called Dari, sacred to Arya 
Manjusri, on the top of which is situated the castle-like temple of the 
Emperor of China, called Dalha Yungdung Raja. In the suburb of 
Lhasa and Potala is the residency of the Ampan, who is posted in Tibet 
to protect the interests of the Grand Lama. There are also the monas¬ 
teries of Tangyeling, and other religious institutions, the heads of which 
become incarnate successively to defend the kingdom of Tibet. Groves 
and gardens, fountains and wells, lakes and meadows, abound there. To 
the north of the city of Lhasa, at a distance of about a furlong, are the 
battle-field and fortifications which were the scene of Lhabssang’s defeat 
by the troops of Orod-Jungar. The site known by the name of Dasi 
tliang is partly occupied by the Chinese troops under a captain called 
Taloye. Going to the north of this field you reach the great monastery 
of Sera Theg-chhe ling, in which formerly existed four Ta-tshang 
(schools), but now-a-days they are reduced to three, namely, Cliye Ta- 
tshang, Ma Ta-tshang and Ngagpa Ta-tshang, with a total monk popula¬ 
tion of about 5,000. In the grand congregation hall (Tshogchhen) of 
Sera is the great image of the eleven-faced Chanrassig (Chuehig shaZ), 
in the interior of which are sacred inscriptions of Gelongma Pa/mo, Ac. 
In the congregation hall of Chyopa Ta-tshang of Sera are the images of 
PaZ-PacZma Sangtagpo, possessed of miraculous properties, and the club¬ 
like pin (Phurbu) obtained by Dubthob Dali chhya from underneath a 
cave. In the hills behind Sera and 1 )apung aro situated Gophel retoi 
(hill cavern), Tagri retoi, of Surma and Ningma schools, (lie sacred rock 
Kha chhu-ssang, Phurbu chog, east and west Keliu tsliang, Sera-tso, 
Rukhu-Tag (rock), Klmrdo, I)iehhin»g monastery, Nauglnti Pluig, Guru 
Gonpa, Sophug, Panglung retoi and Rigya monasteries and religious 
