History

The earliest known tribes of Tibet were the Chiang and the Sumpa, who lived in the 2nd century before christ. Before that, people had lived in Tibet for a long time. Excavations around Chamdo unearthed remains of neolithic people of around 50.000. years old.

Tibetan civilisation started around the Yarlung Valley. Legend has it that here a monkey and a she-devil produced the first Tibettians. Around 600 AD, Namri Songtsen began bringing together the tribes of Tibet into a unified empire. However, he did not see the unity he strived for, but his son, Songsen Gampo did. Songsten build the empire into a fearfull entity in Central Asia and moved the capital to Lhasa.

At this time, Tibet became Budhist. Songsten introduced Sanskrit as writing system and under the influence of his Budhist wives from China and Nepal, adapted Budhisme to Bon, the Shamanist religion the Budhists practised until that date.

The next two hundred years saw Tibet become a great power in Central Asia. The empire stretched from Turkstan to Burma, incorporating Kashmir and all of the Hymalaya kingdoms. China was the big competitor in these days, as the growing influence of the Tibettians threatened the traditional Chinese rule over the Silk road oases.

In 763 the conflict of interest culminated in the plundering of the Chinese capital by the Tibettians under Trisong Detson. This was the Golden Age of Tibet. Indian masters were brought for teaching, Temples were founded and Buddhist teaching flourist.