Talk:Thang Tong Gyalpo

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A fact from Thang Tong Gyalpo appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 16 January 2009, and was viewed approximately 1,203 times (disclaimer) (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:

Did you know... that Tangton Gyelpo, a 15th-century Nyingma yogi, physician, treasure finder, and founder of Tibetan opera, is known for building numerous iron chain suspension bridges in Tibet?

A record of the entry may be seen at Wikipedia:Recent additions/2009/January.

Wikipedia

Suspention bridges?

I don't mean to be rude, but what is a yoga master doing building suspention bridges? [[User talk:Anikin3]] (talk) 11:29, 16 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

He was a polymath who also built temples and ferry crossings, started the Tibetan opera, wrote texts, etc. In any case, what's wrong with a yoga master building bridges? Cheers, John Hill (talk) 01:40, 1 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Travel through and across the river gorges of the Himalayas was extremely perilous. Thangtong Gyalpo built these bridges to ease travel and pilgrimage through the region. These bridges benefited many people and one of the reasons Tibetans consider him a great Bodhisattva is for building them. Interestingly according to Manfred Gerner's book, Chakzampa Thangtong Gyalpo - Architect, Philosopher and Iron Chain Bridge Builder, it seems these bridges were more advanced than suspension bridges in Europe at the time - and European engineers may have been inspired by detailed drawings of Tangtong Gyalpo's bridges made by European travelers and published in Europe. Chris Fynn (talk) 16:42, 2 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The link for the PDF is no longer live. I found another here: PDF of biography. Im happy to know of this source. Thank you. AD64 (talk) 23:12, 7 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Combine with Tangton Gyelpo

This article needs to be combined with the article Tangton Gyelpo as they are simply different romanisations for his name. An anyone help with this, please? I am not sure how to go about it. Many thanks, John Hill (talk) 01:36, 1 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]

OK I've taken nearly all of that article and merged it here. Chris Fynn (talk) 16:31, 2 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks so much, Chris. I think it looks great now. I am, however, still trying to find a typical image of him (free of copyright) showing him holding a section of chain in his hand (which is a device used to remind people of his bridge-building activities), but have so far been unsuccessful. Please keep your eye out for one we can use. Cheers and thanks again, John Hill (talk) 22:41, 5 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The current image is Thang Tong Gyalpo's form as visualized in the practice of the drub thob thugs thig a cycle of teachings which is supposed to have been concealed by Thang Tong Gyalpo and was revealed as a terma by the first Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. Chris Fynn (talk) 11:15, 7 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]

PS I have just downloaded the huge book in pdf form Chakzampa Thangtong Gyalpo - Center for Bhutan Studies that you included. Looks like great reading and a valuable source for adding more to this article as well as many other articles. What a great find! Now i will have to find time to read it all! Best wishes, John Hill (talk) 22:49, 5 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Some additional information

can be found here RangjungYesheWiki. For example the seventeen "Drubthop Chakzampa Tulkus". Gerner cancelled them because Tibetan scholars claimed to have recognized the 12th of that line. Greetings to you, Austerlitz -- 88.75.74.108 (talk) 20:14, 11 March 2009 (UTC) The name of his tradition is given by Gerner as Chakzampa (lCags zam pa), zam pa meaning bridge according to nitartha. The meaning of lCags I have not found yet.[reply]

Austerlitz -- 88.75.74.108 (talk) 20:25, 11 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Adding relevant material

Hi folks. I'm over working on the Niguma biography and have come across some material on Thang Tong Gyalpo (as one of her students) that I've added here. Mostly citations, at least thus far. Best, AD64 (talk) 23:42, 7 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

"several of which are still in use today"

If some of his bridges are still in use, which are they? Pictures? I will delete the phrase unless there are some examples. 24.108.58.49 (talk) 03:58, 17 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I don't have the names of the bridges easily available, but can do some research to find them. I saw two or three of them while on a trip to Tibet a few years ago. Let me see also if I can round up some photos to use. It could take a little time though. AD64 (talk) 17:12, 17 October 2016 (UTC)[reply]