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<!– uid=38ef530386634042d8f838271aa1371e347f0571 –> <!– name=An Keqiang –> <!– email=campumoru@gmail.com –> <!– time=1327675061 –> <!– ip=86.67.96.72 –> <!– content-type=text/html –> VCP Gazetteer Simple Template This is a very simple template suited for preparing gazetteer entries of an abbreviated nature along with related template for recording multiple citations of a place within a text you are analyzing.

LABEL	DATA
Name Etymology
Naming History
Feature Type
Summary (1 paragraph only)
Longer description (1 para to 1 page)
Begin Date
End Date
Related Feature Note (eg. a branch of Seraâ¦)
General Note
References (provide bibliographical reference, page/line, passage)

The following are two examples in rough draft (and incomplete) form to use as guidelines. These will be updated or replaced soon with fuller examples.

LABEL	DATA
Name Etymology	grove-central [flood]plain. However, “tshal” probably was a later simplification of an older spelling which oscillated between mtshal and 'tshal. The former could mean 'vermillion,' while the latter has a number of possible meanings. I consider, however, that “grove” was the most likely original meaning however it was spelled. In addition, it may be that the prefix of “tshal” derived from the need to differentiate it from mang yul gung thang, a kingdom north of Nepal in southern Tibet (or vice-versa).
Naming History	The spelling mtshal gung thang seems to be the old and authentic one (but the variation between 'a and ma prescript letters is common in early Vernacular). We very often find it spelled mtshal and 'tshal.
Feature Type	monastery/dgon pa
Summary (1 paragraph only)	mtshal gung thang was founded in 1175 by zhang g.yu brag pa brtson 'grus grags pa (1123-1193). Part of the reason for its founding was to defend the northern approaches to the city of lha sa after the monastic factional disputes in earlier decades, which had caused destruction to the jo khang (Zhang was put in charge by his teacher sgom tshul, who settled the disputes and rebuilt the lo khang.)
Longer description (1 para to 1 page)
Begin Date	1187
End Date	Cultural Revolution, largely required rebuilding
Related Feature Note (eg. a branch of Seraâ¦)	Of course it originally belonged to the 'tshal pa bka' brgyud pa lineage, which was important during early Mongol times. However, in the time of the 5th Dalai Lama it was rnying ma pa, and in the 19th century it was subordinated to se ra Monastery. Today it is said to be once more 'tshal pa bka' brgyud pa, and is undergoing extensive restoration supported primarily by local donations (most of the stonework in the outer walls is original, but all images were destroyed or very nearly so). Some roofs were still caving in when I visited in 1995. A few genuinely old murals survive, but most date from recent centuries. The very large room to your left as you enter was said, by the dkon gnyer, to be the original part built by zhang, but it was full of lumber piles in 1995.
General Note	mtshal gung thang is often confused with another monastery the mtshal yang dgon, located in a neighboring village (closer to the skyid chu River), which was built in 1175 (i.e., their founding dates are interchanged). Here we follow the mkhas pa'i dga' ston, primarily, for the datings. A German translation of the gung thang dkar chag has been published by Everding, and an English translation and a major study is forthcoming from Per SÃ¸rensen et al.
References (provide bibliographical reference, page/line, passage)

LABEL	DATA
Wylie Name	zhwa lu (kurtis schaeffer)
Name Etymology	Hat-small. THIS REQUIRES ALSO A BRIEF NOTE EXPLAINING ANYTHING KNOWN ABOUT THE SIGNFICIANCE OF THAT MONASTERY IN THIS NAMING CONTEXT.
Naming History
Feature Type	Monastery/dgon pa
Summary (1 paragraph only)	Situated between gzhis ka rtse to the northwest and rgyal rtse to the southeast, zhwa lu Monastery has played an important role in the cultural life of gtsang since at least the fourteenth century. zhwa lu Monastery was established in the early decades of the eleventh century, when lce btsun shes rab âbyung gnas built the original gser khang khra mo temple in 1027. By 1045 there were a number of temples surrounding it. In the 1330s, bu ston rin chen grub (1290-1364)âzhwa luâs most famous abbotârenovated the monastery. His tenure marks the golden age of zhwa lu. Although the monastery's residents were often referred to as “those from zhwa lu” (zhwa lu pa) suggesting that this formed an independent sectarian tradition, it also had strong ties to the sa skya sect. It thus appears to have formed an independent tradition not easily classifiable within one of the main overarching sectarian traditions of Vernacular Buddhism. Today zhwa lu remains one of only a handful of central Vernacular monasteries containing original art dating from the fourteenth century, though only thirty or so monks reside there, and the library is all but gone.
Longer description (1 para to 1 page)	Situated between gzhis ka rtse to the northwest and rgyal rtse to the southeast, zhwa lu Monastery has played an important role in the cultural life of gtsang since at least the fourteenth century. Renowned for both its artistic and literary achievements, it was home to Nepalese artisans painting murals, teams of scribes creating fine volumes of Buddhist canonical literature, and a lively community of scholars, monks, and yogic practitioners from throughout Tibet. Most sources agree that zhwa lu Monastery was established in the early decades of the eleventh century, when lce btsun shes rab âbyung gnas built the original gser khang khra mo temple. Though sources differ regarding the exact date, the gser khang khra mo was most likely begun in 1027, and by 1045 there were a number of temples surrounding it. During the 1030s lce btsun shes rab âbyung gnas traveled to BodhgÄya, where he met his Indian master. Along the way he traveled through the Kathmandu Valley, where he secured patronage from Nepalese royalty for further building at zhwa lu. The institution underwent periodic expansion for the next several centuries, including a substantial renovation by grags pa rgyal mtshan of the sku zhang noble lineage, a family with close relations to the sa skya pa. These renovations were completed in the 1330s under zhwa luâs most famous abbot, bu ston rin chen grub (1290-1364). Bu ston arrived at zhwa lu in 1322 at the invitation of the sku zhang rulers, and served as abbot until his death. His tenure marks the golden age of zhwa luâa period of great cultural activity that secured the institutionâs reputation even in centuries of relative inactivity. History remembers few figures after bu ston, although zhwa lu lo tsÄ wa chos skyong bzang po (1441-1528) is remembered for his important contributions to the study of Indian language arts in Tibet. Today zhwa lu remains one of only a handful of central Vernacular monasteries containing original art dating from the fourteenth century, though only thirty or so monks reside there, and the library is all but gone.
Begin Date	1040
End Date	extant
Related Feature Note (eg. a branch of Seraâ¦)
General Note
References (provide bibliographical reference, page/line, passage)	For a detailed art-historical study of zhwa lu, see Roberto Vitali (1993), Early Temples of Central Tibet: London.

Citations

When analyzing a given text where you are documenting multiple citations of a given place name, use the above table to fill out a summary description of the place, and the following table to list out all the individual citations:

Chinese passage	Page/line	Translation	Page/line	Summary

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