The Treasury of Lives

Gonpo Dargye (mgon po dar rgyas), born in the sixteenth century, was the Sixth Sakyong (sa skyong) of Chone (co ne), a semi-independent kingdom in Amdo. He succeeded his father, Wangchuk (dbang phyug), as Sakyong in 1538, the earth-dog year of nine the sexagenarian cycle. He was from the Ga (dga') clan. 

Gonpo Dargye enacted new militarily policies, bringing a number of communities in the vicinity of Chone under his power. These communities included Yardagyang (yar mda' rgyang), Gampotang (sgam po thang), Gonli Ngotsang (dgon li ngo gtsang), Khyage (khya dge), and Gonang (go snang). The domain of the Chone kingdom thus expanded as far as the territory of Hezhou (河州, Tib. ka ju), now known as Linxia (Ch. 临夏市).  

In 1538 he sponsored the production of wood blocks for the printing of various Buddhist texts while also commissioning paintings. He constructed a large castle (mkar) named Dzongnang (rdzong nang), which was used as the center of his administration.

In 1551, Gonpo Dargye visited the Ming Emperor Jiajing (明世宗, r. 1521-1567), accompanied by local Tibetan allies. He received substantial rewards, and the official title of Qianshi (佥事). He was ordered by the Ming Emperor to quell a local Mongol rebellion, although details on this are not known.

Gonpo Dargye was succeeded by his son Kelzang Wangchuk (co ne sa skyong 07 bskal bzang dbang phyug) in 1573.