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The Derge Parkhang (also known as the Derge Sutra Printing House) is one of the most important cultural and religious institutions in Tibet. Located in the town of Derge in the Sichuan province of China, within the traditional Tibetan region of Kham, the Derge Parkhang is renowned for its preservation and printing of Tibetan Buddhist scriptures, texts, and artwork. It has played a vital role in the survival of Tibetan literary, religious, and artistic traditions.
Founded in 1729, the Derge Parkhang was commissioned by Derge King Tenpa Tsering, the ruler of the Derge Kingdom, a powerful and influential kingdom in eastern Tibet. The establishment of the Parkhang was an attempt to preserve and propagate the literary and religious heritage of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as Tibetan culture.
The printing house has produced over 70% of Tibetan Buddhist texts in use today, including sutras, commentaries, medical texts, and historical records.
The Parkhang houses over 320,000 wooden printing blocks, each intricately hand-carved with Tibetan script. These blocks are used to print important Buddhist texts, including the Kangyur (the translated words of the Buddha) and Tengyur (commentaries by Indian and Tibetan scholars).The preservation of these wooden blocks has been a meticulous process. Many of them have been in use for centuries and are still functional today.
The Derge Parkhang is famous for its traditional Tibetan woodblock printing techniques. Skilled artisans and monks continue to hand-print the texts by pressing ink-covered blocks onto handmade paper, a labor-intensive process that has remained unchanged for hundreds of years.
This traditional craftsmanship is regarded as a living heritage of Tibetan culture. The work is done manually, and the rhythmic sound of the printing process, coupled with the sacred atmosphere, makes the place feel deeply spiritual.
In addition to Buddhist scriptures, the Derge Parkhang also produces thangkas (Tibetan Buddhist paintings), mandalas, and other religious artworks. These products are highly valued for their spiritual significance and artistic quality.The Parkhang is a center for learning, where monks, scholars, and artisans come to study and preserve Tibetan literature, art, and spiritual practice.
The Derge Parkhang is a revered site for Tibetan Buddhists, and many pilgrims visit it as part of their spiritual journeys. The printing house is not just a repository of texts but is considered a sacred site in itself, where the physical production of scriptures is seen as a merit-making act.
The Derge Parkhang’s influence extends far beyond its immediate region. Texts printed at Derge have been distributed across the Tibetan plateau and even beyond, preserving the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism for generations of practitioners. Monasteries, universities, and practitioners around the world have historically depended on Derge’s printed texts for religious study and practice.
