Wencheng Princess

Author: Tan Li, Huang Zhi Long
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-01-01
Features: In the early 7th century, during the Zhenguan era of Emperor Taizong of Tang, the policy of "fostering culture and reducing military activities, light punishments and low taxes, and friendly exchanges with neighboring states" was promoted. Songtsen Gampo of Tibet wished to marry into the Tang dynasty and sent envoys to request a marriage alliance. When Songtsen Gampo's military request for marriage was again rejected by Emperor Taizong, he dispatched his trusted minister, Lhut?n Dzongpa, to Chang'an to apologize and request the marriage. Li Xueyan, the daughter of Li Daozong, the Minister of Rites of the Tang dynasty and the Prince of Jiangxia, was a lively, intelligent, and outstanding noblewoman. Emperor Taizong, selecting a princess from among the imperial relatives, immediately chose Xueyan and enfeoffed her as the "Princess Wencheng" to marry into Tibet. The entourage of Princess Wencheng endured countless hardships, with their convoy carrying abundant dowries and a 12-year-old statue of Sakyamuni as offerings, heading towards Tibet. Upon arrival in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, Princess Wencheng was warmly welcomed by the people. During the grand wedding ceremony, the people competed to touch the princess's clothes with their foreheads, tearing them into pieces and revering them as sacred objects for peace. Tibet faced an extreme drought, and Gung, along with a sorcerer, took the opportunity to incite the famine-stricken people to riot, accusing Princess Wencheng of being a female demon. With his immense authority, Songtsen Gampo forced the sorcerer to claim that a demon had possessed Princess Wencheng's attendant, Lhamo, who was then forced to leave Lhasa. Princess Wencheng prepared to seek Lhamo in the rural areas of Yalong. Before her departure, she requested Songtsen Gampo to open the granaries to relieve the famine-stricken people. She cured the people's illnesses and was hailed as the "White Tara and Living Bodhisattva." Songtsen Gampo's army besieged the ancient fortress of Sui, and Gung, realizing he could not defeat Songtsen Gampo, sacrificed his own head to save his lineage. Songtsen Gampo pardoned the lives of over a hundred clans of Gung. On the journey back to Lhasa, Songtsen Gampo fell ill due to overexertion, and his condition worsened. He passed away at a young age, only 34. Princess Wencheng lived with him for ten years but had no children. After Songtsen Gampo's death, he was buried in his hometown of Yalong. Princess Wencheng continued to live in Yalong, and twenty years later, the Tang envoy Shangkai was sent to Tibet on the orders of Emperor Gaozong of Tang to request Princess Wencheng's return to Chang'an to live out her remaining years. Princess Wencheng realized that she had been married to Tibet for the sake of the close ties between Tang and Tibet, and that once she had embarked on this long journey, she could only proceed with unwavering resolve. This novel depicts a moving and poignant love story that unfolded during the prosperous Zhenguan era of the Tang dynasty. The marriage between Princess Wencheng and Songtsen Gampo created an immortal chapter in the friendship between the Han and Tibetan peoples. Their love story, with its captivating artistic charm and profound cultural significance, has taken root in the hearts of the Han and Tibetan people and has been passed down through the ages.