A Historical Atlas of Tibet by Karl E. Ryavec, and: Sources of Tibetan Tradition ed. by Kurtis R. Schaeffer, Matthew T. Kapstein and Gray Tuttle, and: The Tibetan History Reader ed. by Gray Tuttle, Kurtis R. Schaeffer, and: Tibet: A History by Sam Van Schaik

While the literature on modern Tibetan history is far from comprehensive, contributions to this field of studies have been formative over the last twenty years. With an ever-increasing availability of Tibetan-language source material along with new theoretical insights, the horizons for understanding modern Tibetan history are still expanding.

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Humanizing Horses: Transitions in Perception and Perspective

Religions ◽

10.3390/rel10060375 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 375

Author(s):

Petra Maurer

Keyword(s):

Horse Racing ◽

Medical Sciences ◽

High Plateau ◽

The People ◽

Postal Services ◽

Three Stages ◽

Equine Studies ◽

Tibetan History

In Tibetan history and culture, horses were among the most important animals, if not the most important of all. Horses were the mounts that provided transport, particularly for the nobility and kings, allowing them to travel more quickly and comfortably. Horses were also used for hunting, postal services, and to build a cavalry for warfare. In addition, they played a role in various entertainments, including horse racing, games, and parades. The unusually large number of manuscripts on horses attests to the value of horses in the Tibetan imaginaire compared to other animals that lived in the company of the people on the High Plateau, in Tibet itself, and in Tibetan cultural areas. This article begins with an outline of the uses and benefits of horses in Tibetan culture. It touches upon the animal’s role as the mount of Tibetan kings and debates regarding horses’ mental faculties. Then it presents a survey of the content of various manuscripts on equine studies based on sources from three stages: (1) the earliest Tibetan sources from Dunhuang; (2) translations from Indian texts; and (3) extensive compendia that merges all of the knowledge on horses available at the time of their composition. It analyzes the style and content of books that indicate the approach of the authors to the topic of “horse” and points to their view of horses in relation to Tibetan culture and Buddhism. Moreover, the books’ content mirrors the various functions and applications of horses in Tibet and India. It reveals the purpose of these books in general and illustrates the relation between textuality and orality. The study demonstrates the link between hippology and hippiatry, and the development of equine studies in Tibet. It shows the influence of humans on horse medicine and, moreover, contributes to an improved understanding of the development of Tibetan medical sciences in general.

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A Tantric Couple

Love Letters from Golok ◽

10.7312/columbia/9780231180528.003.0006 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Holly Gayley

Keyword(s):

Cultural Revival ◽

The Public ◽

Ritual Practices ◽

Tibetan History ◽

Public Personae

Chapter Five treats the joint career of Tāre Lhamo and Namtrul Rinpoche from 1980 forward as represented in his hagiography, Jewel Garland. In contrast to the intimate words exchanged between lovers in their correspondence, Jewel Garland portrays the public personae of this tantric couple, whose visionary talents and ritual prowess formed the basis of their many accomplishments promoting the revival of Buddhism in Golok. Tāre Lhamo and Namtrul Rinpoche are depicted side by side traveling throughout Golok to unearth their revelations, bestow tantric initiations, establish ritual practices at monasteries, and construct stūpas and temples. I argue that the writing of Buddhist hagiography is itself constituent of cultural revival and a means to reposition Buddhist masters at the center of society and as the main agents of Tibetan history.

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