Lagari Palace Ruins
Located on a high platform at an altitude of 4,010 meters south of Qusong County in Shannan City, Tibet, stands the Lhagari Palace Ruins, a historical site witnessing the rise and fall of the Tubo Dynasty. Situated 70 kilometers from Shannan City, it is the only well-preserved feudal lord's palace ruin in Tibet, often referred to as the "Little Potala Palace." Designated a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 2001, it is considered a living fossil for understanding the history of the Tubo descendants and Tibetan palace architecture. The palace's history dates back to the 10th century, built by the Lhagari Dynasty, descendants of Langdarma, the last emperor of the Tubo Dynasty. It underwent renovations and expansions during the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, existing for nearly 800 years. As a local regime established in southern Tibet by the descendants of the Tubo royal family, the Lhagari Dynasty maintained relative independence. The palace was not only the political center of the dynasty but also the core of religious and cultural transmission, witnessing the unique development trajectory of Tibetan feudal serfdom society. The ruins complex is laid out in a terraced pattern along the mountainside, covering a total area of 130,000 square meters. It consists of three parts: a palace area, a temple area, and a residential area, combining the grandeur of a palace with the practicality of military defense. The core building, "Zaxi Qunzong," is the main palace, three stories high, constructed of earth, stone, and wood. The walls are made of rammed earth and stone, reaching a thickness of 1.5 meters, making them sturdy and heavy. The roof is covered with blue tiles, and the ridge is decorated with auspicious ornaments such as Dharma wheels and golden deer. Tibetan-style carvings adorn the upturned eaves. Although weathered by time, the remaining beam and pillar carvings and murals still reveal the extravagance of its former glory. The ruins of the king's bedroom and council hall on the top floor still exist, and the remnants of painted murals on the walls depict Buddhist stories and scenes of royal life, the colors still faintly discernible. The Lagari Temple, adjacent to the Royal Palace in the temple district, was the royal temple of the dynasty. The ruins of its main hall and scripture hall remain, housing statues of Buddha, Guanyin, and other deities. Fragments of scriptures and ritual implements attest to the central role of religion in the dynasty's rule. The residential area, located around the palace, housed royal servants and artisans. The low-lying adobe houses contrast sharply with the grandeur of the palace, vividly illustrating the class differences of the time. Although the Lagari Royal Palace ruins are mostly in ruins today, they still retain a complete architectural layout. The surrounding Qusong River valley is lush with vegetation, crisscrossed by farmland, and distant snow-capped mountains, creating a magnificent and historically rich highland landscape. An exhibition hall within the ruins displays unearthed artifacts and historical documents, helping visitors understand the rise and fall of the palace over the past millennium. Strolling through it, touching the mottled stone walls, gazing at the remaining architectural components, it's as if you can travel through time and space, listen to the historical echoes of the Tubo dynasty, and feel the magnificent wisdom of Tibetan palace architecture and the profound changes of history.