The Changqing Alliance: Solidarity as a Family

Blood soaks the grass and trees, white bones spread everywhere, babies are crying, ghosts are grudging.Over a thousand years ago, “The Army Wagons” by poet Du Fu in Tang Dynasty depicted the tragic scenes of war between the Tubo and Tang. In history, Xizang region had a long history of war and strife, and the relationship between Han and Tibetan have been continuously thawed and intermingled over the years. After eight alliances, Tang Dynasty and Tubo finally formed the amity like “uncle and nephew”, producing an oriental story in resolving disputes throughout history.

The Tubo and Tang Dynasty had endured a protracted conflict that lasted for nearly 200 years in the Western Regions of China. In the long history of the Tang-Tubo relationship, hostility and friendship went hand in hand. Understanding was enhanced through exchange of envoys, intermarriages, and even wars, which eventually led to long-lasting peace between the two sides.

In 823 A.D., Tang and Tubo reached an agreement, historically known as the “Changqing Alliance”. A Monument was erected at the gate of Jokhang Temple, inscribed with the most famous sentence“Be Like Nephew and Uncle”. In other words, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty was the “uncle”and the leader of Tubo Kingdom was the “nephew”, likewise, Tang and Tubo became like a family.

The “amity between uncle and nephew” linked Han and Tibetans with the traditional ties of kinship and further strengthened the interaction and connection between various ethnic groups. The monument of the Changqing Alliance has also become a landmark symbolizing ethnic unity. Next to the monument is a willow, which was said to be planted by Princess Wencheng when she married to Songtsen Gampo. So it is also called “Princess Willow”. Both are the symbols of the friendly relations between the Han and Tibetan ethnic groups, and with various ethnic groups in China.