Amdo

Quick Facts: Who was Amdo?

Subject:

Amdo

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A traditional, geographically vast region of Tibet encompassing areas now in Qinghai and surrounding provinces.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Amdo (Tibetan: ཨ་མདོ་, Wylie: a mdo; Chinese: 安多; pinyin: Ānduō), also known as Domey (Tibetan: མདོ་སྨད་), is one of the three traditional Tibetan regions. It encompasses a large area from the Machu (Yellow River) to the Drichu (Yangtze). Amdo is mostly coterminous with China's present-day Qinghai province, but also includes small portions of Sichuan and Gansu provinces. In the 7th century, Amdo became a part of the Tibetan Empire until its dissolution in the 9th century. A local Tibetan theocracy called Tsongkha ruled the region from 997 to 1104.

Career & Major Achievements

In the 13th century, Mongol forces conquered the area, which led to the beginning of a priest and patron relationship. From the 14th to the 16th century, the Ming Dynasty controlled some border areas of Amdo while Mongol presence remained significant. In the 1720s, the Yongzheng Emperor of Qing dynasty seized Amdo from the Dzungars and began forming the modern boundaries of Qinghai. He allowed most of the area to be administered by a series of local Tibetan rulers associated with the Ü-Tsang government through monastery systems but not directly governed by the Dalai Lama's Ganden Phodrang. From 1917 parts of Amdo were occupied by warlords of the Ma clique, who joined the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) in 1928.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

By 1952, Chinese Communist Party forces had annexed central Tibet and defeated both Kuomintang and Tibetan forces, solidifying their hold on the area roughly by 1958. Tibetans in Amdo traditionally engaged in agriculture and pastoralism. The region is the home of many Tibetan Buddhism spiritual leaders, such as the 14th Dalai Lama, the 10th Panchen Lama Choekyi Gyaltsen, and the great Gelug school reformer Je Tsongkhapa. Amdo is one of the traditional regions of Greater or ethnographic Tibet. The other regions are Ü-Tsang, also known as political or central Tibet, to the southwest and Kham to the south.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1104: 1104 Milestone — A local Tibetan theocracy called Tsongkha ruled the region from 997 to 1104.
2. 1917: 1917 Milestone — From 1917 parts of Amdo were occupied by warlords of the Ma clique, who joined the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) in 1928.
3. 1952: 1952 Milestone — By 1952, Chinese Communist Party forces had annexed central Tibet and defeated both Kuomintang and Tibetan forces, solidifying their hold on the area roughly by 1958.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Amdo

True or False: “The Amdo region was directly governed by the Dalai Lama's Ganden Phodrang throughout its entire history.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): During the 1720s, while local Tibetan rulers were associated with the Ü-Tsang government through monasteries, the area was not directly governed by the Dalai Lama's Ganden Phodrang.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Amdo