Guge Kingdom

Guge Kingdom emerged as the next regional power in the 9th century. King Nomde Wosung established this kingdom at Tsaparang, west of Lake Manasarovar and Mt. Kailash. The Kingdom of Guge played an important role in the rival of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Guge kings were ardent advocates of the religion who sent envoys to India to invite Buddhist masters to Tibet and sponsored the translation of scriptures. The religious revival began in Ngari and extended to the entire Tibetan region. Tholing and Tsaparang are the two ruined former capitals of the ancient Guge Kingdom of Ngari. Within the royal chapels of Tsaparang are sumptuous Kashmiri inspired paintings and statues. A complex of palaces, temples, fortifications, Buddhist pagodas and military tunnels right up the slope of the hill form the ruins of a lost kingdom. The 9th century ruins are etched into the steep sides of an imposing ridge. Tholing Monastery was once Ngari’s most important monastic complex until the Red Gaurds shut them down.