Kunzang

Who is Kunzang?

Kunzang, in full Kuntu Zangpo, was a prince of the Rinpungpa Dynasty that wielded power in Tsang.

He was the second son of Norzang, the founder of the power of the family. At the time when his father died in 1466, Tsang was dominated by the arms of the Rinpungpa. Kunzang took over as the senior member of the line, his elder brother Upasika having died early. He received investiture as dsongpon of the Rinpung fief from the formal ruler of Central Tibet, Kunga Lekpa of the Phagmodrupa dynasty. His younger brothers lorded over Shigatse, Kharthog and Nyangkhok. However, his accession marked a temporary downturn in the successes of the Rinpungpa armies. The Phagmodrupa monarch, who had his residence in Nêdong in Ü, generally held an averse attitude to the Rinpungpa. Like his father, Kunzang was a patron of the Sakya sect of Buddhism and established a patron-preceptor relation with the hierarch Kunkhyen Sangye Pal. He upheld a similar relation with Gorampa Sonam Senge, also of the Sakya sect. Kunzang had two sons called Dorje Tseten and Donyo Dorje, of whom the latter took over the leadership of the family at Kunzang's demise, some time prior to 1479.