UNIQUE ILLUSTRATIONS IN TIBETAN BUDDHIST SUTRAS

The illustrations for Tibetan sutras are coloured in two ways:in black and white or colours-the monotone illustrations accompanying Tibetan characters and usually engraved on woodblocks.The illustrations are often showed on the cover pages or two sides of the head pages of sutras; they are frequently displayed at two frames and in the middle of end pages.In this paper,I am going to introduce the     

11th Panchen Erdeni:Good at Buddhist Activities

At 18:30 on the evening of June 15, horns were blown as the 11th Panchen Erdeni stepped out of the Sunlight Hall of the Tashilhungpo Monastery in Xigaze into the Dorgyia Courtyard, where he was seated on the throne prepared for him.When all of the 500-odd monks present had taken their own seats, the young Buddhist master led them to recite the Sutra of Tara and eight other sutras.The sutra recitation lasted about 90 minutes. The young master, seated on his throne from beginning to end, never stumbled while the monks recited with closed eyes and lowered heads, obvi-     

THE THREE MASTERS OF JO OLDRUM

The ＂three masters of Jo Oldrum＂ refers to Guru Jo Olgyal Palden Atisha and his two disciples： Drumdompa Gyaiwarongne and O1 Lepal Sherab who lived in the 10th Century. In Thangka and frescos, Guru Atisha sits in the middle, and his two disciples on either side. Such works are commonly found in the shrines of Tibetan monasteries. All three were initiated into the Sect of Kadam in Tibetan Buddhism during the 10th Century.     

News in Brief

11th Panchen Lama First Visited Ngari The llth Panehen Lama, Panchen Erdeni Choskyi Gyalpo, came to Ngari Prefecture for the first time to hold religious and social activities. Since he arrived on Aug. 13, he had worshipped the holy mountains and lakes, visited the tomb of Kong Fansen, chanted sutras for all living beings, visited two local farm household and gave head-touching blessing to the local Buddhists.     

Tragedy at Gasherbrum Peak——-Mourning Hero Renna

The journey to Gasherbmm （K4） in 2005 should have been the culmination of 12 years of tireless work and success since the foundation of the Tibet Mountalneering and Exploration ＇learn. All the people involved were expected to conquer the 11th highest peak in the world, thus beeoming the first team in world mountaineering history to successfully climb the 14 peaks each over 8,000 meters and return safely without casualties.     

Living Customs of Sherpa People

Most Sherpa people believe in Tibetan Bud-dhism. There are twomonasteries in Lixingand Chengtang respec-tively with the name of Gongbasaba andLagang. Most people follow either theSaga or Geju Sect, although there are alsofollowers of the Gelug Sect and NyingmaSect. The disciples of the Sagya andGagyu sects can marry and form families.They do not live in the monastery butfarm monastery's lands, and go to themonastery to burn joss sticks, lay offer-ings and chant sutras. Even the peoplewh…     

Serfs' Wrath——Recollection of the Clay Sculptures

In 1974, in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of Tibetan Autonomous Region, the Tibetan Revolution Exhibition Hall invited more than 10 teachers from the sculpture department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and Luxun Academy of Fine Arts to create a group of sculptures with the motif of serfs' life under serfdom and their resistance.Around 40 teachers devoted themselves heart and soul to the large group of clay sculptures (consisting of over 100 full-length figures) named "Serfs' Wrath".     

1OTH ANNIVE RSARY OF THE ENTHRONEMENT OF TH 11TH PANCHEN ERDENI

Acelebration ceremony was held on December 8, 2005 in Tashilhungpo Monastery to mark the 10th anniversary of the enthronement of the 11 th Panchen Erdeni. Though in deep winter, the monastery was filled with warmth, The Dorgyia Courtyard was freshly adorned with a T pagoda composed of fried dough, dried nuts, qingke barley and wheat rising seven meters high. Jiang Zemin＇s horizontal board inscribed with the words ＂Safeguarding the Country and Benefiting the People＂ hung high on the western side of the courtyard,     

Restituting Church Buildings and Negotiating Church Factions： Missionary Mapmakers and the Making of Local Networks （1712-1716）

At the turn of the 18th century, the Kangxi emperor initiated a large project to map the vast territories of the Qing. The land surveys that ensued were executed by teams of Qing officials and European missionaries, most of them French Jesuits first sent to China in 1685 and actively supported by the French crown. Early 18th century Jesuit publications foster a much-heralded claim that these missionary-mapmakers drew on their status of imperial envoys during the surveys to locally advance the position of the Catholic church. This article strives to explore the format/on of such local networks by these missionaries as they passed through the cities and towns of the Chinese provinces. On the basis of archival material, details emerge of contacts with local Qing administrators and Chinese Christians, and of attempts to purchase and recover local churches. This is then discussed against the background of the Rites Controversy, in an attempt to evaluate how such local networks relate to the rivalry between missionaries of different orders. The article emphasizes that there was （and perhaps is） no such thing as ＂pure science＂ by underscoring that important technical achievements such as the Qing mapping project are often shaped by complex networks and historical contingencies.     

BRINGING THE WISHES OF PEOPLE IN TIBET TO BEIJING——Record on Members of National Committee of CPPCC from TAR in the 5th Session of 12th CPPCC National Committee

<正>Spring has come once again,and as the flowers begin to bud,Beijing welcomes members of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference(CPPCC)from the Tibet Autonomous Region(TAR)to participate in the 5th session of 12th CPPCC National Committee.These CPPCC members bring the proposals they have worked out based on their comprehensive investigations collected before their arrival in Beijing.The proposals are a compilation of the wishes and voices from the various different sectors of Tibet,and they aim to propel the initiative to develop the Tibet Autonomous     

Lzvzng Customs of Sherpa People

Most Sherpa people believe in Tibetan Buddhism. There are two monasteries in Lixing and Chengtang respectively with the name of Gongbasaba and Lagang. Most people follow either the Saga or Geju Sect, although there are also followers of Gelug Sect and Nyingma Sect. The disciples of the Sagya and Gagyu sects can marry and form families. They do not live in the monastery but farm monastery＇s lands, and go to the monastery to burn joss sticks, lay offerings and chant sutras. Even the people who are not followers of the Gelug Sect adore the Dalai Lama and Panchen Erdeni.     

THE STORY OF KONGSA YEDOG

Kongsa Yedog, originally named Yexei Dorje, was born into a common farming family in Gyangze County of the Xigaze area in 1916. In his teens, he was taken into the Tashilhungpo Monastery by his monk uncle to study Tibetan language and sutras, studying together with several older male apprentices under an old lama. One year later, Yexei Dorje passed the examinations to become a real Zhaba of the monastery. One morning, the atmosphere in Tashilhungpo Monastery was hushed, and the curious Y…     

BUDDHA＇S BLESSING WITH MERCIFUL RAIN - A Record of the Visit of the 1 lth Panchen Lama to Yushu

Editor＇s comments： After the Yushu earthquake of April 14th with a magnitude of 7.1, the 11th Panchen Lama sent a consolatory letter with his donation of 100 thousand Yuan to the people of all nationalities in Qinghai Province in conjunction with his requirement that all monks in the Tashilunpo Monastery （which is his home monastery） to pray for the victims of the disaster. On April 20th he held a religious convention in the Xihuangsi Temple in Beijing to release the souls of those people who lost their lives during the catastrophe from purgatory.     

Serfs＇ Wrath——Recollection of the Clay Sculptures

In 1974, in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of Tibetan Autonomous Region,the Tibetan Revolution Exhibition Hall invited more than 10 teachers from the sculpture department of the Cen-tral Academy of Fine Arts and Luxun Academy of Fine Arts to create a group of sculptures with the motif of serfs‘ life under serfdom and their resistance.     

Road Network In Xigaze

In the 13th century, the SagyaRegime put an end to the separatesituation in Tibet, under which theTibetan political and cultural center. Mis-sives and envoys between the SagyaGovernment and the Central Govern-ment were sent via the mountain postroads. It took dozens of days to walkfrom Lhasa to Xigaze, a distance of only228 km. In 1779, the 6th Panchen Erdeniwent to Beijing for the 70th birthday ofQing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong. It tookhim several months to walk from theTashilhungpo Monastery to the TarMonastery in Qinghai, and altogether a     

SALIENT FEATURES AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NEW GESHI SYSTEM

The new system was introduced on the basis of the traditional way of studying the sutras of Tibetan Buddhism. It is a brand-new Geshi award system,which fully respects and carries forward the traditional system in terms of sutra studies and Geshi title promotion. In terms of content, the way to study them and the way the tests are given, the new system basically follows the traditional practice of various sects of Tibetan Buddhism. Hence it is well received among the eminent monks of Tibeta…     

The Education System of Three Major Monasteries in Lhasα

Ⅰ. The Education System of Monasteries Under the Yellow Sect of Lamaism The rise of the Yellow Sect (or the dGe-lugs-pa Secti) in Tibet in the 15th century was closely related to its mature system of monasteries and sound organization of personnel. In the 13th and 14th centuries, previously thriving sects of Tibetan Buddhism, such as the Sa-skya-pa Sect2     

News in Brief

Tibet to Hold ! ITH Mountaineering Assembly The llth Tibet Mountaineering Assembly is going to be held from Sep.26 to Oct.7. It is aimed to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Qomolangma by human beings. The organizers will also hold several mountaineering activities for amateurs to learn mountaineering skills. i,hasa Issued China＇s Firstlmrism Law Lhasa issued the offprint of the Tourism Law of the People＇s Republic of China in August, which is the country＇s first tourism law. Deliberated and approved by the 12th Standing Committee of the National People＇s Congress （NPC）, the law will be put into force on October 1, 2013. Overseas Chinese Painters X＇isited Tibet Nearly 20 overseas artists from 11 countries and areas including the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, France and Italy set out for the journey of ＂Famous Chinese Painters to Tibet＂ on August 16. In the next ten days in Tibet, they produced art works and had seminars with local artists. 2013 Tibetan Thangka Industrial Dexelnpment Forum Ileid in Lhasa The forum was held in the Mass Art Gallery in Lhasa on August 15, attracting the relative experts, scholars and painters in Tibet to have an in-depth discussion about Thangka＇s industrial development pattern and path, and the inheritance and protection in the new media age. Grand Tibetan Musical Yarluag Zangbo Premiered Musical Yarlung Zangbo premiered at the Yarlung Theatre in Lhoka Prefecture on August 15, 2013. The musical showed the time-honored history and culture of Lhoka and also highlighted the Yarlung Cultural Festival from August 15 to 21. Tibet Invests 100 Million Yuan to Build Sehool Bathrooms Almost 100 million Yuan has been invested in building bathrooms for primary and middle school students in Tibet since 2012. It is expected that 109 bathrooms, which make use of solar energy by installing solar power water heaters, will be finished until the end of 2013. Nachen Bridge, connecting the North Circular Road and the 318 National Highway after completion, has realized its closure of the main part structure and is expected to open to traffic within the year. The scenic zone Nanyigou, located in Nyingchi Prefecture, has adopted a tourist quota policy to allow a limit of up to 2,000 per day since August in order to support Chinas bid to build ecological shelter. The 2013 Shoton Festival of Tibet has wrapped up on August 12th. During the seven days＇ festival this year, a total number of 1.38 million tourists have visited Tibet, reaching an all-time high. The Xiahe Airport in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province opened on Aug. 19.