9/23(Tue) 문성공주
Wencheng Gongzhu (文成公主, Princess Wencheng) was a Tang dynasty imperial princess most famous for her marriage to Songtsen Gampo (松贊干布), the ruler of the Tibetan Empire (Tubo/吐蕃) in the 7th century.
She is a key historical and symbolic figure in Sino-Tibetan relations.
#Wencheng_Gongzhu
#문성공주
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#SongtsenGampo
#TibetanEmpire
1. Background
Dynasty: Tang (7th century, reign of Emperor Taizong, r. 626–649).
Status: She was not a biological daughter of Emperor Taizong, but an imperial clan member granted the title gongzhu (princess) for the purpose of diplomatic marriage.
Marriage: In 641 CE, Emperor Taizong arranged her marriage to Songtsen Gampo, consolidating peace and alliance between Tang China and the Tibetan Empire.
2. Political Role
The marriage helped end armed conflict between Tang and Tibet, turning the relationship toward diplomatic alliance and cultural exchange.
It was part of the Tang dynasty’s broader “heqin (和親)” policy, using princesses for marriage alliances with powerful frontier states.
3. Cultural Significance
Wencheng is credited with bringing to Tibet:
Buddhist texts and images, contributing to the foundation of Tibetan Buddhism.
Han Chinese technologies such as agricultural techniques, medicine, astronomy, tea culture, and papermaking.
Architectural and artistic influences, including designs that inspired the Jokhang Temple (大昭寺) in Lhasa.
Alongside Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti Devi, she is remembered in Tibetan tradition as a queen who helped establish Buddhism in Tibet.
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4. Legacy
In Tibetan and Chinese sources, Wencheng Gongzhu symbolizes Sino-Tibetan friendship and cultural synthesis.
Modern Chinese historiography highlights her as proof of ancient cultural unity between Tibet and the Tang dynasty.
In Tibetan religious memory, she is revered as a manifestation of the bodhisattva Tara (specifically the White Tara), linking her to Buddhist cosmology.
In short: Wencheng Gongzhu is not only a historical figure in diplomacy but also a cultural bridge, remembered for transmitting Buddhism and Tang civilization into Tibet.
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#Tibet族
#장족
