Eastern Tibet: Bridging Tibet And China

by Baumer, Christoph

• ISBN13: 9789745240643
• ISBN10: 9745240648
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-11-30
• Publisher: Antique Collectors Club Ltd

Summary

The first study dedicated solely to the culture of Eastern Tibet, the cradle of Tibetan culture. The thoroughly researched text is the result of fieldwork conducted by both authors over a period of several years. The brilliant and inspiring images

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations	p. vii
List of maps	p. ix
Photo credits	p. ix
Acknowledgements	p. x
Foreword	p. xi
Introduction
Pilgrimage through time	p. 1
In the field of conflict between Tibet and China-An overview	p. 7
Kham and Amdo: A geographical definition	p. 7
The formation of the landscape	p. 8
A melting pot of different ethnic groups and cultures	p. 10
Under Chinese rule	p. 11
Outlook for the future	p. 12
The cradle of Tibetan civilization	p. 15
Mythical ancient clans	p. 15
The neolithic culture of the Eastern Tibetan Qiang-an early bridge between China and Tibet	p. 16
The immigration of the Indo-European Da Xia and China's first advance into Amdo	p. 20
The mysterious Kingdom of Women	p. 21
Qiang religious beliefs	p. 23
The Tuyuhun Kingdom	p. 27
The Tibetan Snow Lion and the Chinese Dragon struggle for Eastern Tibet	p. 31
The Pugyel Kings conquer Azha	p. 31
Tibet's state ideology, legal code and administration-the work of the Eastern Tibetan minister Gar Tongtsen Yulsung	p. 33
The creation of the Tibetan script	p. 37
Tibetan expansion to the East	p. 40
A shamanistic sacrificial ritual in Amdo	p. 42
The spread of Buddhism in Eastern Tibet	p. 46
Nestorian Christians in Tibet?	p. 57
Archaeological discoveries at Dulan's necropolis	p. 60
The decline of national unity	p. 65
Political fragmentation and religious diversity	p. 69
Kingdoms in Eastern Tibet	p. 69
The monastic state of Tsongkha	p. 69
The Tangut Empire	p. 70
King Gesar of Ling	p. 74
The Bonpo Kingdom of Beri	p. 75
The Kingdom of Dege	p. 76
The renaissance of Buddhism	p. 77
The revival of Bon	p. 84
Aba-a microcosm of Tibetan religious practice	p. 86
Losar-New Year's festival at Nangzhig	p. 89
The doctrine of emptiness: the Jonangpa school	p. 93
Tsongkhapa-the reformer from Amdo	p. 101
The Litang horse festival	p. 105
The fate of a Gelug monastery in Kham	p. 110
The development of Sino-Tibetan styles of art	p. 112
The power of writing and painting	p. 121
Mani stones-signs in nature	p. 122
Wind and movement carry the mind-prayer wheels, lungta paper, and prayer flags	p. 126
Paper as a 'carrier of writing'	p. 127
A visit to one of Tibet's last papermakers	p. 131
Dege Parkhang-Tibet's only intact, traditional printing press	p. 134
A visit to Dege Parkhang	p. 136
Thangkas-contemporary rules and concepts of a traditional painting technique	p. 140
The largest thangka in the world comes from Amdo	p. 146
Nomads	p. 153
The art of nomadic survival	p. 153
The Golok-nomads, pilgrims and robbers	p. 159
Labrang Tashikyil Monastery-the meeting point of four ethnic groups	p. 162
Wilhelm Filchner and Albert Tafel-two German pioneers in Golok territory	p. 164
A winter pilgrimage to Amnye Machen-pages from the author's journal	p. 167
Between independence and heteronomy	p. 173
Mongolian invasion and Islamic immigration	p. 173
The rule of Lhasa	p. 175
Jesuits in Lhasa	p. 177
The partitioning of Kham	p. 182
The ecumenical Rime movement and the monastic university Larung Gar	p. 185
The first Chinese invasion and Tibet's declaration of independence	p. 189
South-west Kham lost to British India	p. 191
The recapture of Kham by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama	p. 193
Missed opportunities before the storm	p. 194
The second Chinese invasion	p. 196
Robert Ford-Radio operator in Tibet's service	p. 197
Swiss Catholic priests between the Mekong and the Salween	p. 200
The Khampa War	p. 204
The struggle for Chaktreng	p. 205
The reconstruction of the monasteries	p. 209
Three famous contemporary Amdopas	p. 211
The Fourteenth Dalai Lama	p. 212
The Tenth Panchen Lama	p. 214
The Thirty-Third Menri Gyalwa	p. 216
A Glimpse into the future	p. 219
Endnotes-Text	p. 222
Endnotes-Plate captions	p. 227
Bibliography	p. 228
Index	p. 237
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