Tridu Songtsen (d. 704), also known as Dusong Mangpoje, was the 35th emperor of the Tibetan Empire. In Tibetan records, he appears under different name forms, including variations that reflect transliteration across sources. He was the great-grandson of Songtsen Gampo and the son of King Mangsong Mangtsen. His mother was Queen Trimalo of the powerful Molu clan.
He ascended the throne in 676 after his father’s death and ruled until 704, for a total of 28 years. His reign marked a crucial stage in the political consolidation, military expansion, and internal restructuring of the Tibetan Empire during the late 7th century.
Tridu Songtsen’s personal Bön spiritual teacher was Benning Gu. This detail reflects the continued influence of pre-Buddhist religious traditions within the royal court during the late 7th century.
Early Accession and Concealed Royal Death
When Tridu Songtsen became emperor, he was still a child. At that time, Tibet was engaged in intense warfare with the Tang dynasty, while internal noble factions were unstable.
After the death of Mangsong Mangtsen in 676, the Tibetan court concealed the king’s death for three years. This decision was made to avoid internal rebellion and external invasion. Only in 679, once political and military threats were stabilized, did Tibet officially announce the king’s death to the Tang court and conduct public funeral rites.
During these early years, effective political power was controlled by the Gar clan. Senior ministers, including Gar Tsenyo and Gar Trinring Tsendro, directed military and administrative affairs. They commanded large armies, suppressed rebellions, and led long campaigns against the Tang dynasty, especially in the western regions and around the Anxi Four Garrisons.
Internal Rebellions and Military Pressure
The early reign of Tridu Songtsen faced serious unrest.
In 677, rebellion broke out in Zhangzhung. In 678, further uprisings occurred among regional leaders. His mother temporarily acted as regent, recalling generals to suppress internal revolts and pausing offensive operations against the Tang dynasty.
This pause allowed Tang forces to organize a major counterattack. Tang generals Li Jingxuan and Liu Shenli led a large army against Tibet. However, Tibetan troops under Gar Trinring Tsendro defeated them in Qinghai and captured Liu Shenli.
Although this victory strengthened Tibet militarily, it also increased the prestige of the Gar clan. Their influence grew across the empire, and they controlled key regional armies. Their power gradually overshadowed the authority of the young emperor.
Meanwhile, territorial expansion continued. In 680, Tibetan forces captured Anrong City in present-day Sichuan and controlled it for over sixty years. In the same period, the Six Zhao polities around the Erhai Lake region submitted to Tibet and formed alliances against the Tang dynasty.
Challenges and Rebellion in Nanzhao
In 689 CE, subordinate polities in the Nanzhao region rebelled against Tibetan authority. This uprising challenged imperial control in the southwest.
In 690 CE, Tridu Songtsen personally led a military campaign to suppress the rebellion. This marked the beginning of his active political and military leadership.
To strengthen diplomatic and political ties in the region, he arranged strategic marriages:
- Princess Tritsun of Nanzhao
- Queen Chimsatsen Motok (མཆིམས་བཟའ་བཙན་མོ་རྟོག་གེ)
Princess Tritsun gave birth to a prince. Queen Chimsatsen Motok gave birth to Tride Tsukten (ཁྲི་ལྡེ་གཙུག་བརྟན་), who would later become emperor. These marriages were both political alliances and instruments for stabilizing frontier relations in Southwest China.
At this stage, the Tibetan Empire stretched:
- East to Tang frontier prefectures
- South toward North India, Ganges
- West to the Anxi Four Garrisons
- North to Turkic territories, Kashgar
Tibet emerged as one of the dominant powers of Inner Asia.
Frontier Wars with Tang China (692–698 CE)
From 692 CE onward, major military confrontations resumed.
Tang general Wang Xiaojie led large-scale campaigns against Tibetan forces in the western regions. Several territories changed hands during these conflicts.
In 696 CE, Tibetan forces under Gar Trinring defeated Tang troops at Mount Suluohan, inflicting serious losses. This victory strengthened the Gar clan’s military prestige.
In 698 CE, Gar Trinring led another campaign in the Tsongkha region and captured a high-ranking Tang general. These victories increased Gar influence inside the Tibetan military establishment.
The Struggle Against the Gar Clan: Restoration of Royal Power
In 699 CE, determined to end aristocratic dominance, Tridu Songtsen secretly conspired with the minister Lunyan. Under the pretext of organizing a royal hunt, he gathered loyal forces. While Gar Tsenyé was absent, the king ordered the execution of more than two thousand of his supporters.
Messengers summoned Gar leaders to appear before the court to answer accusations. Gar Tsenyé refused and mobilized troops. The king personally led the royal army. Gar Tsenyé was defeated and committed suicide. Hundreds of his close allies perished.
This marked the end of decades of Gar clan dominance. For the first time in his reign, Tridu Songtsen fully controlled the central government.
Defection to the Tang Court Under Wu Zetian
After the purge, Gar Trizhé and General Daren Konglé fled with more than one thousand followers, including Gar Tsenyé’s son Mangpojé Datsa, to the Tang court.
At that time, the Tang Empire was ruled by Wu Zetian. She dispatched imperial guards to receive Gar Trizhé at the frontier.
Gar Trizhé received prestigious titles, including:
- Assistant General for State Support
- General of the Right Imperial Guard
- Prince of Guide Commandery
Wu Zetian hosted a formal reception and granted generous gifts of gold and silver. Gar Trizhé was stationed in Hongyan Valley to defend against Tibetan forces, effectively transforming a former Tibetan general into a Tang frontier commander. Not long afterward, he died of illness.
This episode reflects the intense geopolitical rivalry between Tibet and Tang China during the late 7th century.
Direct Rule and Renewed Military Campaigns
Following the purge, Tridu Songtsen took direct command of military operations.
- In 700 CE, Tibetan forces campaigned in frontier territories, suffering heavy casualties but securing victory.
- In 702 CE, Tibetan troops fought four major engagements at Xizhi and defeated Tang forces under Chen Daqi.
- In 703 CE, the emperor led a campaign into the southwestern region of Jiang (associated with Nanzhao). The campaign achieved swift success.
Due to repeated victories and aggressive expansion, he became known in tradition as a ruler of great military momentum.
The Final Southern Campaign
In 703 CE (Water Rabbit Year), Tridu Songtsen personally led another major campaign into Nanzhao territory. Tibetan forces defeated local resistance and reportedly advanced into Dali, the regional center.
To cross the formidable Yangbi River, described as a natural defensive barrier, Tibetan forces constructed an iron chain bridge. This engineering achievement allowed cavalry and supply units to move rapidly across difficult terrain.
During this campaign, Tibetan troops also defeated forces led by Tang general Jiuzhen, demonstrating continued military strength in Southwest China.
Death in 704 and Royal Burial
In 704 CE (Wood Dragon Year), while still in the Nanzhao region, Tridu Songtsen died. Some traditions describe illness; others mention death in battle. His body was transported back to Tibet and buried in the royal necropolis beside the tomb of Mangsong Mangtsen.
After his death, his son Tride Tsuktsen ascended the throne. Because the new emperor was still young, regency governance again became necessary.
Dating the Yangbi Iron Chain Bridge
The Yangbi iron chain bridge was likely constructed between 703 and 707 CE during Tibetan military operations in the southwest.
Historical records differ regarding its destruction:
- The Old Book of Tang states that Tang forces destroyed the bridge in 712 CE.
- The regional gazetteer Dian Zhi records its destruction in 707 CE.
These discrepancies show the complexity of reconstructing early Tibetan–Tang frontier history. Tibetan-language sources provide limited details about this infrastructure, while Chinese records offer important chronological references.
Careful comparison of Tibetan, Chinese, and regional traditions remains essential for understanding the political, military, and engineering history of the Tibetan Empire’s southwestern campaigns.
Tea, Porcelain, and Cultural Exchange During the Reign of Tridu Songtsen
During the reign of Tridu Songtsen, Tibetan records highlight not only political and military events but also key cultural developments. Sources note the emergence of seven capable ministers who helped maintain stability while the king faced illness.
The Introduction of Tea to Tibet
According to Chinese–Tibetan Archives (རྒྱ་བོད་ཡིག་ཚང), tea was first brought to Tibet when envoys were sent to seek remedies for the king’s health. Tea was introduced as a medicinal substance and soon became a court beverage. These texts connect the arrival of tea with the early formation of Tibetan tea culture.
Porcelain Craft and Tang–Tibet Exchange
With tea adoption came the need for refined white bowls. The Tibetan court requested skilled artisans from the Tang dynasty to produce high-quality porcelain vessels.
Craftsmen were reportedly sent to Tibet, introducing ceramic techniques that led to the production of white porcelain locally.
These accounts, also detailed in རྒྱ་བོད་ཡིག་ཚང་ཆེན་མོ། (pp. 171–174), reflect early technological and cultural exchange between Tibet and Tang China. They show that diplomacy during Tridu Songtsen’s reign included craftsmanship and court culture alongside military affairs.
Political and Military Significance
The reign of Tridu Songtsen illustrates several key developments in the Tibetan Empire:
- The transition from regency to direct royal rule
- The destruction of aristocratic military dominance
- Sustained frontier warfare with Tang China
- Expansion into southwestern territories
- Strategic marriage alliances to stabilize internal politics
These events shaped the structure of Tibetan royal authority in the late 7th century and laid the groundwork for subsequent rulers.
