The Jonang Order was founded by Kunpang Tukje Tsondru (1243-1313) who built a monastery in an area called "Jonang". Kunpang Tukje Tsondru is notable in that he consolidated 17 tibetan Kālacakra traditions into one tradition which he passed on to subsequent Jonang lineage holders, thus the history of the Jonang Order is intimately connected with the Kālacakra Tantra.

A few generations later the Shentong/Zhentong Mahāmudra lineage was also transmitted to members of the Jonang Order which also became a core transmission of the Jonangpas. In the 17th century as the political infleunce of the Jonangpas grew, they were subjected to extreme persecution from the ruling Gelugpas ostensibly on the grounds that the Shentong philosophy was heretical. All but eradicated it was recently was it discovered that a few Jonang monasteries on the eastern fringe of Tibet had in fact survived into the present century.

Below you find a chart showing the various Dro lineage holders as reported by the Jonang Order with external links to biographical information.