The Yungdrung Choling Palace is one of three royal residences in central Trongsa, perched on the valley's north side above the Mangde Chhu river, at about 1,250 meters altitude. It was constructed around 1839 by Ugyen Phuntsho, the penlop (governor) of Trongsa.

Early history and the kudung of Pema Lingpa

The palace is noteworthy as it houses (or once housed) the kudung, or mortal remains, of the Buddhist Tertön Pema Lingpa (1450-1521), a common ancestor of Ugyen Phuntsho and the Wangchuck dynasty. Even in death, Pema Lingpa's kudung traveled widely. In his paper The Historical Anecdotes of Kheng Nobilities, Lham Dorji describes in detail the movement of the kudung over many centuries and its associated lore. According to the authoritative website "Bhutan Cultural Atlas," the kudung was ultimately brought to Yungdrung Choling to fulfill a prophecy by the seventh sungtrul reincarnation of Pema Lingpa, Ngawang Choki Lodre (1819-1842), who feared Trongsa's independence would be lost if the remains were surrendered to the central government. 

The present whereabouts of the kudung are a matter of some debate, but most likely they reside at Yungdrung Choling. Lham Dorji notes that "It is accepted in the official dominion that the kudung is in Punakha Dzong in [the] Machen Lhakhang" (Dorji, p. 42). However, the Kuensel Online, a reliable news source, notes the following regarding a visit to Yungdrung Choling by the Royal Family: "Upon His Majesty The King's Command in 2009, a monastic institution was established and two monks were appointed as the macchhen zimpon and soelpon to look after the Kudung" (Kuensel, Dec 22, 2016). This seems to affirm that the kudung is still at Yungdrung Choling. Supporting this view, the "Bhutan Cultural Atlas" notes that the role of the macchhen zimpon and soelpon includes offering three meals daily to the kudung.