The Gyalrong are the people of the deep wooded valleys of the upper Dadu (Barkam, Jinchuan, Xiaojin, Danba), who speak the Rgyalrong languages and hold fortified villages with towers.
They are a Bon heartland: Wikipedia's Ngawa article says Vairotsana visited Gyalrong in the 8th century, and the Bon teachers of Gyalrong are the older layer under the Nyingma and later Gelug houses (the first Gelug monastery in the area dates from 1410, which is later). No lord or lama of Gyalrong is named for 1200. The picture is a string of valley lordships, each with its tower and its Bon or Nyingma temple, sometimes at war and bound by marriage.
Who he is
- Title
- Hereditary valley lords and headmen of the Gyalrong (rgyal mo rong), with Bon and Nyingma lamas
- Since
- not known
- Born
- not known
- Family
- not known
- Confidence
- low
No lord is named for 1200. The eighteen Gyalrong chieftaincies of the Jinchuan, Chuchen and Tsenla kind belong to the Yuan, Ming and Qing (recalled).
Overlord
None; the nearest Song post is Weizhou.
What it holds
- Fortified valley villages with towers (general pattern)
- Terraces, orchards and the high pastures
- Gold-washing and salt-carrying tracks to the Ngawa grass (general)
How it was acquired
By inheritance.
Allies and rivals
The Qiang to the east; the Ngawa herders to the north; the Minyak to the south; Bon and Nyingma lamas as the common religion.
How things stand that morning
Self-governing; no dated event.
Wealth
Barley, orchards, herds, gold and salt trade (general).
Military
Tower garrisons and village levies; no numbers.
Places of note
- Barkam (Maerkang): Valley centre; seat of the later prefecture.
- Jinchuan: Valley centre of the Great Jinchuan (later).
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Wikipedia (Ngawa; Garze) for the region and the 8th-century visit; nothing for 1200.
On the map: Ground is drawn in the province record Gyalrong.
Sources and studies
- Wikipedia, Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (read this session)
- Wikipedia, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (read this session)
- Author's recall of the secondary literature (Petech, Tucci, Stein, Davidson, Smith, Kapstein, Dunnell): not re-read this session, so marked 'recalled' in the text
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.