Princess Wencheng (; ) was a member of a minor branch of the royal clan of the Tang dynasty who married King Songtsen Gampo of the Tibetan Empire in 641. She is also known by the name Gyasa or "Chinese wife" in Tibet. Some Tibetan historians consider both Princess Wencheng and Songtsen Gampo's other wife Bhrikuti to be physical manifestations of the bodhisattva Tara.

Chinese accounts of Princess Wencheng

Life 
According to Chinese accounts, in the spring of 634 on an official state visit to Imperial China, Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo fell in love at first sight and had relentlessly pursued the princess's hand by sending envoys and tributes but was refused.

Allegedly, in 635/636, royal Tibetan forces were deployed, attacking and defeating the peoples of  Tuyuhun who strategically lived near the Lake of Koko Nor in present-day Qinghai, impeding a trade route into Imperial China. News of Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo's attack on Songzhou quickly spread from the ground to the Royal Courtiers, and Emperor Taizong dispatched his Militia and defeated Songtsen Gampo's army, causing Songtsen Gampo's retreat. He then sent a written expressed apology to the Tang Emperor. The Tang Emperor upon seeing Songtsen Gampo's sincerity, then agreed to marry the princess to the Tibetan king.

In 640 AD, Songtsen Gampo sent Lu Dongzan, an eloquent and witty minister, to be an envoy to Chang'an, offering thousands of taels of gold and hundreds of rare toys to propose marriage to Emperor Tang.

Tibetan sources (and Chinese sources not aligned with the PRC government), by contrast, say Songtsen Gampo sent an envoy to Luoyang, the Tang capital demanding (rather than requesting) a Chinese bride and insisting he would lead 50,000 battle-hardened Tibetan troops to the sparsely defended capital and slaughter the inhabitants if he was not given this tribute.

Route to Tibet 
The route 'from Dongdao Kang District' is more reasonable, because from Chang'an to Baoji, Tianshui, Wenxian, Songpan, Jinchuan, Danba, along the Yutong River Valley (now Luding Dadu River), to Kangding, Muya, along the Its river valley, or westward and along the river valley, reaches the Jinsha River Valley, passes through Dengke, Yushu, passes through the Tongtian River Valley, passes through the Tanggula Mountain Pass, and passes through the Heihe River to Lhasa. This is also the transportation route from the mainland of the Central Plains to Lhasa. Objectively, this route can avoid the dangerous pass of the Hengduan Mountains in the east and the blockage of the Kunlun Mountains in the north. Huang Xianming said in the article "A Preliminary Exploration of Princess Wencheng's Human-Tibetan Route" that when the Tubo envoys came to Chang'an to ask for marriage, they all travelled in this way.

Legacy 
According to the Tibetan history, the Songtsen Gampo's and Princess Wencheng's union brought hopes of promoting a harmonious, matrimonial relationship between the peoples of Tibet and China.

Princess Wencheng's life is depicted in novels such as the Maṇi bka' 'bum and the famed historiographies of Rgyal rabs Gsal ba'i Me long.

Tradruk Temple in Nêdong commemorates Princess Wencheng: a thangka embroidered by the Princess is kept in one of its chapels.

Two traditional days, the fifteenth day of the fourth month and the fifteenth day of the tenth month of each Tibetan year, are marked by singing and dancing in honor of Princess Wencheng.

Historical relics such as the statues of Songtsen Gampo with Princess Wencheng are still worshiped and displayed for all to see along the trail of their wedding trip as well as in the Potala Palace at Lhasa.

Legend has it that Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wencheng and Princess Chizun took more than three years to build the Jokhang Temple together. The seated statue of Sakyamuni brought by Princess Wencheng is enshrined.

Chinese claims of influence 
Allegedly, Princess Wencheng brought with her promises of trade agreements, maps on the Silk Road and a substantial amount of dowry which contained not only gold, but fine furniture, silks, porcelains, books, jewelry, musical instruments, and medical books.

Also, Princess Wencheng allegedly arrived with new agricultural methods. This possibly included the introduction of seeds of grains, and rapeseed, other farming tools and advice on how to increase Tibetan agricultural productivity in the region.

Chinese sources credit Princess Wencheng for introducing Tibet with other skills in metallurgy, farming, weaving, and construction. However, at least one of these is questionable because the Tang Historian Du Fu notes Tibet's metallurgical skills in terms suggesting they surpassed those known to Tang China. The Tang Annals report that Songsten Gampo wrote to Emperor Taizong in 648, requesting paper, ink, and other writing utensils. This has been taken by some modern Chinese sources to mean that the princess was involved in the request, and thereby introduced the methods of Chinese ink and paper production to Tibet. However, archaeological evidence indicates that papermaking technology was known in Tibet before the princess' arrival, likely spreading through southern trade routes.

When Princess Wencheng entered Tibet, the tea drinking style of the Han people in the Tang dynasty was very flourishing. Because Princess Wencheng liked to drink tea, she brought many famous teas to Tibet with her. Over time, she developed a habit of adding some milk and sugar to tea when having breakfast. This practice of Princess Wencheng gradually led to the imitation of officials and dignitaries in the palace, and Princess Wencheng often rewarded ministers with milk tea and entertained relatives and friends. At the same time, in order to increase the taste and fun of drinking tea, the princess also added pine nuts, ghee, etc., and added sugar or salt according to people's preferences, so the ghee tea was made.

With the deepening of economic and trade exchanges and cultural exchanges between Tang and Tubo, Tubo culture has gradually been integrated into the life of the Tang people. For example, polo, which originated in Tubo, was a popular sports event in the Tang dynasty.

Tubo women's dress-up, such as the He Mian, the bun and the rosary, also had a certain influence on the Tang dynasty.

Princess Wencheng is revered in China for being one of the brides who brought Chinese culture to the peoples beyond their borders - expanding their civilization with culture and knowledge.

Legend 
According to legend, Rishan and Yueshan (Riyue Mountain) were transformed by the precious mirror of Princess Wencheng. Princess Wencheng walked to the dividing line between Tang and Tubo, and threw the Sun and Moon Mirror given by her parents behind her to cut off the endless thoughts of her relatives.

Legend has it that when Princess Wencheng and her party went to Lhasa by way of Chaya, they made a short stop in the beautiful Renda. In order to commemorate this place that made the princess feel relaxed and happy, the princess showed 9 Buddha statues including the Great Sun Tathagata on the Danma Cliff with her extraordinary good fortune and merit. The princess also plans to build a temple here. However, although there are towering mountains in this area, there is not a single tree. The princess used her magic power, just like Sun Wukong, the great sage of the sky, pulling out a few hairs from her head and blowing it on the mountain. On the cliff rock, a large forest miraculously grows. So the local people cut down the trees and built the Renda Hall. At the same time, the princess also taught the locals to open up wasteland and farm fields, divert water for irrigation, and use water mills. Later, the local people regarded the statue of Renda as a magical creation of Princess Wencheng, and regarded it as a sacred place. Good men and women from far and near came to the Renda Hall to worship the Buddha, burn incense and kowtow, to pray for peace in the world, good weather and happiness for the people.

In Chinese literature 
In the first narrative, which is from Chinese classical literature, Princess Wencheng was treated as an insignificant figure and the text paid much more attention to the ceremony of the “peace-making marriage” than to the princess's individual traits. In the second narrative, which is from Tibetan ancient literature, the princess was portrayed as the incarnation of “Green Tara”, a tantric deity in Tibetan Buddhism, and supposedly possessed goddess qualities and magical powers. The third narrative, which was shaped by the nationalist discourse during the first part of the 20th century, depicted a new image of Princess Wencheng, gradually transforming her into a “transmitter of technology.”

In popular culture 

Since the 2000s, the Chinese state has been presenting an opera in Tibet which tells the story of Princess Wencheng. According to some observers, this opera whitewashes Tibet's history and its historical relationship with China.

The work "Princess Wencheng" was written by Zhang Minghe, a famous Chinese lyricist. From when Princess Wencheng first entered the Tibetan area to the life of the Tibetan people, to her being praised and sung by the Tibetan people.

Footnotes

References and further reading 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

7th-century Chinese women
7th-century Chinese people
7th-century Tibetan people
628 births
680s deaths
Year of birth uncertain
Buddhism-related controversies
Controversies in China
Controversies in Tibet
Annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China
Politics of Tibet
Tang dynasty princesses
Empresses consort of Tibet
Tang–Tibet relations
Tibetan independence movement
문성공주(, 623년경 ~ 680년)는 당나라의 공주로 토번이라 일컫는 티베트 송첸캄포 왕의 첩이였다. 640년 토번으로 공녀로 보내졌다. 독실한 불교신자로, 송첸캄포의 정실 왕비 '브리쿠티 데비'와 함께 티베트에 불교를 소개했다고 전한다.

생애

결혼 과정 
634년 손챈감포왕은 20만 대군으로 당나라를 정벌하여 당나라 수도 장안을 점령하였고 당나라는 토번과 굴욕적인 평화협정을 하여 티베트 군은 장안을 유린한 후 물러선다. 손챈캄포왕은 가르통첸을 보내어 당 태종에게 공녀를 보낼 것을 강요하였다. 당나라는 돌궐의 공격에도 굴복하여 돌궐에 형양공주를 공녀로 보냈었고 토욕혼에도 홍화공주를 공녀로 보내기로 했는데 토번의 요구에 당 태종은 굴욕을 느꼈고 공녀 보내는 것을 거부하였다. 손챈감포는 당태종의 거부에 대노하였다. 손챈감포는 또한 638년 작은 충돌을 이유로 토욕혼을 공격하였고 당나라의 당태종에게도 당태종의 공주를 공녀로 보내지 않으면 당나라를 완전히 정복하겠다고 선포했다. 실제로 손챈감포는 25만의 군사를 이끌고 송주(지금의 쓰촨성 쑹판 현)까지 진격했다. 당태종의 군대는 손 쉽게 쓰러지게 되었고 손챈캄포의 25만 대군은 장안을 유린하고 당나라 여인들을 끌고 갔다. 손챈감포는 640년(정관 14)는 다시 가르통첸을 보내 당나라 공주를 공녀로 보내지 않으면 가만두지 않을 것이라고 선포했고 결국 당태종은 당나라의 멸망을 염려하여 문성공주를 토번에게도 공녀로 보내는 굴욕을 받게 되었다. 이후 당태종은 이전 돌궐의 공격에도 굴복하여 평화협정을 했던 것보다 더 불공정한 평화협정을 토번과 할 수 밖에 없었고 당태종은 5명의 공녀를 손챈캄포에게 더 보냈고 조공을 하였다. 문성공주가 공녀로 팔려가는 것은 염립본이 그린 〈보연도〉라는 그림으로 남아 있다. 문성공주는 토번의 첩이 되었다.

문성공주는 당나라 공주이며 토번의 첩이 되었다. 손챈캄포에 공녀로 보내질 당시 공주는 스물 세 살로 외모가 아름다웠으며 총명하고 재주가 뛰어나, 천문과 지리에 정통하고 점을 칠 줄 알았으며 불교예도 조예가 깊었다. 문성공주는 자신이 토번에 공녀로 보내져야 한다는 사실에 처음에는 실망하였으나 토번의 대군이 장안을 유린하고 많은 당나라 후궁들을 끌고 간 것을 보고 문성공주가 공녀로 보내지지 않으면 당나라 멸망까지 이를 수 있다는 것을 문성공주는 잘 알고 있었다. 문성공주는 수 많은 당나라 여인들을 대리고 공녀로 보내지면서 사서오경과 아상가의 《유가사지론》, 《예림삼백육십법보감》(藝林三百六十法寶鑒), 《공예 육십법》(工藝六十法)을 비롯한 방대한 양의 서적과 석가모니 불상 등을 가지고 가기로 했고, 토번의 풍토에서도 견딜 수 있는 순무 종자 등도 챙겼다. 또한 토번에 없는 곡물, 과일, 채소 종자와 누에 종자 등도 포함되었으며 의약품과 공구 등도 있었다. 공주는 유모와 당나라 여인들까지 공녀로 보내졌다. 당태종은 예부상서 강하왕(江夏王) 이도종에게 공주를 호위하도록 했고 641년(정관 15) 문성공주는 가르통첸과 이도종의 호위 하에 토번으로 향했다. 장안에서 토번까지 가려면 큰 강을 건너야 했는데 강의 물살이 완만해지는 시기가 겨울이었던 터라 공주 일행은 한겨울에 길을 떠나야 했다. 청해에 다다른 공주는 다음과 같은 시를 남겼다.

공주 일행이 토번의 변경인 하원에 도착하자 손챈감포는 라싸 근방까지 마중나가 영접을 하였다. 그는 공녀로온 문성공주에게 토번의 옷을 입히고 토번의 머리를 하게 하였다. 손챈감포에 의해 문성공주는 백해(지금의 칭하이성 찰릉호)에서 첩이 되었고 이도종은 당나라로 돌아갔다. 토번의 백성들은 명절에 입는 옷차림을 하고 춤과 노래로 공주를 열렬하게 환영했다.
손챈감포는 당나라를 굴복시켰다는 것을 대내외적으로 널리 선포하기 위해 포탈라궁을 지었다. 또 손챈감포는 불교 신자인 공주의 영향으로 불교를 제창하고 대소사(大昭寺)라는 절을 지었다. 대소사를 지을 때 공주는 문을 서쪽으로 내어 서역에서 경전을 구하는 것을 상징하게 했다고 전한다. 대소사 앞에 당나라에서 가져온 버드나무를 심었는데 사람들은 이를 당류(唐柳), 또는 공주류(公主柳)라고 불렀다. 건축 외에도 공주는 토번에 당나라의 여러 문물을 전파했는데 토번 사람들에게 농업 기술을 전수하여 농작물의 수확량을 크게 늘려 주었으며 토번의 부녀자들에게 길쌈을 가르쳐 야크 가죽과 털이 아닌 얇고 가벼운 옷을 입을 수 있게 했다. 공주가 당나라의 장인들에게 만들게 한 물방아로 토번 사람들은 수력을 이용할 수 있게 되었으며, 공식적인 역법이 존재하지 않았던 토번은 공주의 소개로 당의 천문역법인 육십갑자를 사용하게 되었다. 손챈감포는 토번의 귀족 자제를 장안으로 보내 학문을 배우게 했다.

일화 
문성공주가 공녀로 보내질 때 태종은 그녀에게 고향이 그리워지면 보라고 일월보경(日月寶鏡)을 하사했다. 토번으로 가던 도중 츠링산(赤嶺山) 근방에서 고향 생각이 난 공주는 일월보경을 꺼내게 했는데 대의를 생각하여 보경을 보지 않고 산 아래에 던져 깨뜨렸다. 후세 사람들은 공주를 기리기 위해 산의 이름을 르웨산(日月山)이라고 바꾸었다.

각주

같이 보기 
 송첸캄포
 가르통첸

외부 링크 
 

생년 미상
680년 사망
당나라의 공주
중국의 화친공주
티베트 사람
7세기 중국 사람