Valley of the Kings (Tibet)
Riwo Dechen monastery, Qonggyai, near the Valley of Kings | |
Valley of the Kings Shown within Tibet | |
| Alternative name | Chongye Valley |
|---|---|
| Location | Qonggyai, Shannan, Tibet, People's Republic of China |
| Coordinates | 29°0′36″N 91°40′48″E / 29.01000°N 91.68000°E |
| Type | valley |
| History | |
| Cultures | Tibetan Empire |
The Valley of the Kings (Tibetan: བོད་རྗེ་པང་སོ, Wylie: bod rje bang so) or Chongye Valley is a valley in Qonggyai County, Tibet, within the People's Republic of China. It is the location of eight tumuli, which are believed to be the burial mounds of eight to ten Tibetan rulers.
"According to Tibetan tradition all the kings from Drigum onwards are buried at ‘Phyong-rgyas, but as the site now presents itself, there are just ten tumuli identifiable as the tombs of all the kings from Songtsen Gampo to Ralpachen, including two princes . . . ."
Other sources, however, have indicated that there are actually nine mounds rather than eight or ten. The monarchs believed to be buried at the site include Songtsen Gampo (the founder of the Tibetan Empire), Mangsong Mangtsen, Tridu Songtsen, Gyangtsa Laban, Tride Tsuktsen, Trisong Detsen, Mune Tsenpo and Ralpachen.