A history told in layers
The history of the Jokhang is partly documented and partly traditional. The best-known story, found in later Tibetan histories, tells of a 7th-century king, two foreign queens and a temple built to house sacred images. Modern scholars treat the broad outline as plausible while noting that the sources were written down long after the events and that details vary. This article presents the traditional account first, marks where accounts differ, and then turns to what is known about later changes.
Songtsen Gampo and the setting
Songtsen Gampo is remembered as a king who ruled in the 7th century and expanded the Tibetan realm. By tradition, he established a royal base in the Lhasa valley. Tibetan histories associate his reign with the introduction of writing and with early support for Buddhism, though the extent of Buddhism at court in his lifetime is debated, and the broader account of how Buddhism reaches Tibet is a matter of continuing study.
The area was known by an earlier name in many accounts, with Lhasa, “place of the gods”, used later as the temple’s importance grew. Traditions also say that the site chosen for the temple had been a lake or marsh, which was filled in for building. The historical status of this tale is unclear, and it is best read as a story told to express how the temple’s location was sanctified.
The two queens
Tradition names two foreign wives of the king: Bhrikuti, a princess from Nepal, and Wencheng, a princess from Tang-dynasty China. They are credited in later accounts with bringing Buddhist images and encouraging the building of temples. Popular accounts differ in the details, such as which queen is credited with the Jokhang’s location, and some scholars question how far these narratives reflect events as opposed to later retelling. It is safest to say that both queens are central figures in the tradition of the temple’s origins and that the sources do not agree on every point.
Their images are still honoured in the Jokhang and in the Potala today, and visitors may see statues identified with the king and his queens. These are devotional images and not portraits.
The Jowo Shakyamuni image
The statue now called the Jowo, a depiction of the Buddha as a young prince, is traditionally said to have come with Wencheng. Another statue is said to have come with Bhrikuti. According to some accounts, the two images were later exchanged or moved because of security concerns or political changes, and the statue in the Jokhang today is held by devotees to be the original Jowo. Historians point out that the earlier history of these images is hard to verify. The significance of the Jowo for devotees is covered in a separate article, so here it is enough to note that its story is bound up with the temple’s founding.
Early temple and later expansion
The Jokhang is often described as founded in the 7th century, but what was originally built and how large it was is uncertain. Over the following centuries, the temple was repaired and expanded. Records and traditions point to additions associated with later rulers, with religious teachers and with the Gelug school’s leaders after the 17th century, among them chapels, halls and decorative work. Not every attribution can be checked, and parts of the structure that visitors see today are the result of many phases.
Architectural historians often highlight the temple’s mix of influences, with features that reflect Indian, Nepalese and Tibetan styles. Some of the oldest wooden elements, such as carved beams and doorways, are regarded by researchers as early, though dating is disputed. For general background on Buddhist architecture, the broader overview on this site may help.
The Jokhang and Lhasa’s growth
As the temple became a pilgrimage destination, a settlement grew up around it, and the circuit now known as the Barkhor developed as a path of devotion. This gradually turned the town into a pilgrimage and trading centre. In time, the temple took a central place within the religious life of Lhasa, and the larger monasteries and the Potala Palace rose in importance in the following centuries. By the time the Fifth Dalai Lama’s government was established in the 17th century, the Jokhang was already an old and venerated shrine.
The modern period
The 20th century brought significant disruption to religious sites across Tibet, and the Jokhang was affected, along with other temples in Lhasa. Accounts of damage and repair differ in detail and in emphasis, depending on the source, and this site does not attempt a definitive account. Later restoration was carried out under official programmes. In 2000, the temple was added to the UNESCO World Heritage listing as an extension of the Potala Palace inscription, which had taken place in 1994.
Today, the Jokhang is both a protected cultural monument and a temple where worship continues daily. Access arrangements for visitors, including ticketing and restrictions, change over time, so check current official sources and your government’s travel advice before planning.
Reading the sources with care
When a guide, sign or book states a precise date for the Jokhang, treat it with some caution. A few practical habits help:
- Look for phrases such as “traditionally” or “according to later histories” and treat them as meaningful.
- Expect different numbers and attributions from different sources.
- Remember that restoration may mean that visible features are newer than they look.
- Where accounts differ, hold both and do not assume that one is simply wrong.
Visiting with the history in mind
For a visitor, the history adds context to what can be seen: the circuit outside, the pilgrims prostrating, the central image and the carved elements within. Dress modestly, be quiet and ask before photographing, since restrictions are common. Lhasa is at about 3,650 metres, and altitude sickness awareness and medical advice before travel are sensible. Conditions for foreign visitors to Tibet can change quickly, and nothing here is travel or medical advice.