[1400년 전의 혼례길, 당번고도를 가다] 제1편 - 당의 문성공주, 토번으로 시집간 까닭은? (KBS_2006.12.03.방송)

The long and arduous journey of over 3,000 kilometers from Xi'an, China, to Lhasa, the Tang Dynasty's ancient capital, Tangbei! 1,400 years ago, this route marked the wedding journey of Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty to Tibet. Songtsen Gampo, the king of Tibet, the ancient kingdom of present-day Tibet. He was the first to unify Tibet and conquer its neighboring kingdoms, threatening the then-powerful Tang Dynasty. In 634, Songtsen Gampo sent an envoy to the Tang Dynasty to request Princess Wencheng's hand in marriage. However, Emperor Taizong of Tang rejected Songtsen Gampo's request, and in return, Tibet attacked and captured Tuyuhu. Songtsen Gampo led an army of 200,000 men to attack Songzhou, a strategic point on the Tang Dynasty's border. Unwilling to wage war, Emperor Taizong of Tang ultimately granted Songtsen Gampo's proposal. ▷ A Fateful Encounter between Tang and Tibet Amidst the low hills that spread out in all directions, several lakes emerge. Passing through Ering Lake, Princess Wencheng meets her destined partner, King Songtsen Gampo. Princess Wencheng has come to the unfamiliar land of the Tibetan Plateau for her wedding, and Songtsen Gampo welcomes her. The two spend the night in seclusion at Karje Monastery. ▷ Tianzhu, the Path to Liberation Tianzhu, a traditional Tibetan funeral ritual, in which the body of the deceased is cut into pieces and scattered across the mountains to become food for vultures. Tibetans, believing in reincarnation, believe that if a sacred bird, an eagle, devours a deceased person's body, they will ascend to heaven or be reborn into a wealthy family. They believe that the soul remains even after the body dies, and that by donating the body, the soul can attain liberation. The Tibetan custom of Tianzhu continues to this day. ▷ Om Mani Padme Hum - A Wish-Fulfilling Mantra Nina Temple's roof is unique compared to other temples. Atop the roof are a massive pile of stones: mani stones. Mani stones are inscribed with the six-syllable Buddhist mantra, "Om Mani Padme Hum." Reciting "Om Mani Padme Hum" itself builds virtue and grants wishes. Nina Temple's roof is adorned with 250 million mani stones, the largest in the world. Pilgrims visiting the temple place these stones. The villagers of Nina Temple create mani stones by coloring them and inscribing Buddhist scriptures on them. #Tuban #Tibet #Princess Wencheng