English in Tibet, Tibet in English : Self Presentation in Tibet and the Diaspora

by McMillin, Laurie Hovell

• ISBN13: 9780312239220
• ISBN10: 031223922X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2001-11-17
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

This book explores two kinds of self-presentation in Tibet and the Tibetan diaspora: that of British writers in their travel texts to Tibet from 1774 to 1910 and that of Tibetans in recent autobiographies in English. McMillin argues that Tibet and the Anglophone West have had a long, complex, and convoluted relationship that can be explored, in part, through analysis of English language writings. The first part of the book explores how a myth of epiphany in Tibet comes to dominate English texts of travel in Tibet, while the second part considers how Tibetan autobiographers writing in English have responded and resisted Western images of them.

Author Biography

Laurie Hovell McMillin teaches writing at Oberlin College. She has traveled among Tibetan communities since 1982.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	vii
Preface	ix
PART ONE English in Tibet
The Way to Epiphany	3	(4)
The First One There: Bogle's Journey	7	(32)
In One Ear: Turner in Tibet	39	(16)
Manning's Sentimental Journey	55	(16)
Barbarian Translations and Impure Forms: Hodgson, Waddell, Blavatsky	71	(8)
Kipling's Kim, Lamas, and Epiphanies	79	(10)
Younghusband: Arrivals and Departures	89	(24)
PART TWO Tibet in English
New Age Namtars: Tibetan Autobiographies in English	113	(24)
Siblings of the Dalai Lama: Jetsun Pema and Thubten Jigme Norbu	137	(16)
Monks' Tales: Geshe Rabten and Lobsang Gyatso	153	(20)
The Double Life of the Dalai Lama	173	(10)
Reincarnate Lamas: Chogyam Trungpa and Chagdud Tulku	183	(14)
Tibetan Women in the Western Buddhist Lineage: Rinchen Dolma Taring and Dorje Yudon Yuthok	197	(12)
Political Prisoners: Palden Gyatso and Ama Adhe	209	(14)
Resisting Exile: Tashi Tsering	223	(10)
Appendix Transliteration of Tibetan Words	233	(2)
Notes	235	(20)
Index	255