RETURN TO TASHILHUNPO AND UGYEN-GYATSO’S VISIT TO THE BONBO SANCTUARY
OF RIGYAL SENDAR.
The bells of the Jo khang were ringing and the great trumpets of
Tangye-ling were summoning the lamas to early morning service, when, on
June 13, I took from the roof of our house a last look at the gilded
spires and red walls of Potala, and started out for Tashilhunpo. I
noticed near our lodgings a number of women drawing water from a well
in rawhide buckets. The water of Lhasa is excellent, and both abundant
and very near the surface, most of the wells being not over four feet
deep; and this is the reason for the belief that the town is over a
subterranean lake.
Arriving at the foot of Chagpori, on the summit of which is the College
of Surgeons of Tibet, I got off my horse and ascended the hill, as I
had promised to visit an old doctor known as Amchi Rivola, who was
afflicted with cataract. On the way up I was met by one of the Amchi’s
pupils, who presented me with a khatag. I was led into a nice room
containing a few neatly-finished tables, on one of which was a cup full
of delicate rose-coloured tea of the most delicious aroma. [322] The
ceiling was covered with silk, and satin hangings hid the walls, on
which hung also pictures of the god of medicine and his attendants.
Amchi Rivola soon made his appearance, a man of commanding looks and
heavily built. He was the Principal of the Vaidurya Ta-tsan of
Chagpori, and physician to the regent. He expressed his pleasure at
seeing me, and said he had heard me most kindly spoken of by the
Lhacham Phala, and he would be greatly pleased if I would postpone my
journey to Shigatse and endeavour to cure his disease, which he thought
curable by an operation, but he knew of no surgeon in Tibet able to
perform it.
I was pained at my utter inability to help him, and told him that I
would willingly prolong my stay at Lhasa if I had any means of curing
him, but I had none whatever, and must take my leave. So saying, I rose
from my seat, and left after the usual leave-takings. [323]
Following the same road by which we had come to Lhasa, we stopped that
night at Netang. On the 15th we reached Palti djong, and on the 18th
arrived at Dongtse at 10 o’clock at night, and put up in Pador’s house.
Early the following morning I went to the monastery, and was promptly
led to the minister’s apartments, where I found him covered with
small-pox pustules, and hardly able to speak. The Lhacham’s son was
also ill with the same disease, but convalescing.
When the minister fell asleep, I went to the Tung-chen’s room. He asked
me if I had not met Phurchung on the road, as he had left for Lhasa
only a week ago carrying my letters and a shot-gun. As to Ugyen-gyatso,
he had returned from Lachan with the luggage that had been left there,
and was now waiting for me at Gyatsoshar, near Shigatse. I remained at
Dongtse until July 3, when, in company with Phurchung and Pador, I set
out for Gyatsoshar, which place we reached the following day, and Ugyen
gave me, to my infinite delight, a package of letters from India.
Ugyen told me that since his return from the Lachan barrier he had been
busy collecting plants. He had also carefully kept a diary from which I
culled the following details, which may prove of interest.
One evening a lama friend had called on him, and asked him if he would
like to meet a Golog from Amdo. These Golog, his friend went on to say,
are a nation of brigands living in Amdo in Eastern Tibet. [324] Their
country is nowhere cultivated, but they breed many ponies, which they
use for making raids on the adjacent peoples. Their chiefs exact
black-mail (chag tal) from all people, and rob all they fall in with,
unless they have passports from the Golog chiefs.
The Gologs have a few lamaseries, the heads of which come from
Tashilhunpo, and are appointed for a term of five years, after which
they return to Ulterior Tibet. Not long ago one of these lamas returned
to Tashilhunpo, after having enjoyed during his sojourn in Gologland
the confidence of the people and chiefs. He had amassed considerable
wealth, and he spent on his return several thousand rupees in
entertaining all the Tashilhunpo monks, and in giving them presents of
money. Two years ago the wife of the Golog chief, near whom he had
lived, came to Tashilhunpo on a pilgrimage, and after visiting the
temple, she expressed a desire to see their former lama, but he was
nowhere to be found, though it was known that he was at Tashilhunpo.
Among the Golog people it is customary to greet one another with a
kiss, and whoever omits the kiss when meeting or parting with an
acquaintance is considered rude and unmannerly.
The lama had kissed this lady hundreds of times in her own country, but
how could he kiss her now before all the monks? and particularly as the
Panchen rinpoche was present at Tashilhunpo; how could he hope to
escape unpunished if he committed an act of such gross immodesty?
The lady, however, before leaving Tashilhunpo, invited him to a dinner,
and as soon as she appeared in the room he shut the door and greeted
her with a kiss on the mouth, and explained to her the reason of his
failing to see her at first, and the embarrassment he had felt in
approaching her in public. [325]
Ugyen’s friend also told him that in the Bardon district of Khams,
[326] when two acquaintances meet they touch each other’s foreheads
together by way of salutation.
The same friend, who had imparted to Ugyen the preceding information,
told him one day this fable: In times of yore, when beasts could talk,
a leopard met an ass, and, though he had a strong inclination to kill
him, he was impressed by his strength, of which he judged by his loud
bray, so he offered him his friendship on condition that he would watch
his den when he went out in search of prey.
One day the leopard sallied forth with a mighty roar by way of prelude
to his day’s work, and forthwith a wild yak rolled down the cliff
overhanging his den, killed from fright at the sound. When the leopard
returned and saw the dead dong, the ass said he had killed it, and
stuck out his tongue, smeared with blood, in proof of his prowess.
The leopard believed him, and promised to help him when the time came.
One day he told him to go and graze in the meadow on the other side of
the hill. When the ass had eaten his fill he brayed twenty or thirty
times in sheer wantonness, and the leopard thinking his friend in
trouble, ran to his rescue, but the ass told him he was only braying
for pleasure. A little while after a pack of wolves attacked the ass,
when he brayed loudly, calling his friend to his help; but the leopard
thought that he was only amusing himself, and did not go to his rescue,
and the ass was torn to pieces by the wolves.
On the 7th of the eighth moon (June 23) a grand military review was
held at Shigatse, when more than a thousand soldiers were present, and
there was a sham fight in the presence of the general. There are two
reviews (mag chyang) every year, one in summer, the other in winter;
and besides these there is one whenever the Amban visits Shigatse on a
tour of inspection.
On June 29 the summer prayer ceremony (or monlam) was celebrated. [327]
All the monks of Tashilhunpo, some three thousand odd, assembled at
Chyag-tsal-gang. A satin wall or gyabyal, 1000 feet in circumference,
was erected, and inside it was a great State canopy, under which the
Panchen rinpoche’s throne was placed. He was unable to be present, but
his stole and mitre were put on the throne, and round it thronged the
lamas in order of precedence and rank. The people of Shigatse were
there, some under tents, others under bowers of cypress and willow
branches, all amusing themselves singing and joking. A mast about 120
feet high was erected, and ropes stretched from it to the great Kiku
building, and on these were hung pictures of all the gods of the
pantheon. At Shigatse, the while, there was racing and military
manœuvres and drill.
The following day was sacred to Dipankara Buddha, and his picture was
made to occupy a prominent place in the exhibition. This representation
of him was about 100 feet high, and skilfully worked in different
coloured satins. On either side of it were gigantic representations of
the Buddha.
All the lamas and nobles of Shigatse with their families made merry
under the great tent in the Chyag-tsal-gang. Sumptuous dinners, cooked
by the best native and Chinese cooks, were served to the great
personages of Tashilhunpo and of the Government. Many persons had
pitched tents near the great one, and were amusing themselves there
with their families and friends. From morning to evening the deafening
music of drums, cymbals, and trumpets never ceased.
No one was absent from the fête save the Grand Lama, who, it was
rumoured, was laid up with small-pox at Tobgyal, where he had gone
after a visit to the hot springs of Tanag. On either side of the great
nine-storied building of Kiku, between Shigatse and Tashilhunpo, were
two huge lions in which men were concealed; these were moved about from
time to time to the great delight of the people.
The next day was the full moon, and was sacred to Sakya Buddha. The
great picture of Dipankara Buddha was removed, and one of Sakya Sinha,
of gigantic size, and surrounded by all the Buddhas of past and future
ages, took its place. This picture was brought out from the lamasery to
the sound of deafening music, and with great ceremony. Ten black
priests (Nagpa), well versed in tantrik rituals, conducted a solemn
religious service, and were assisted by 300 lamas from Tsomaling
chanting hymns.
In the plain of Chyag-tsal-gang the lamas and people again feasted and
enjoyed themselves as on the previous day.
On the morrow (July 2) the picture of Sachya tubpa was displaced for
one of the Buddha who is to come, Maitreya (or Chyamba). It was brought
out and hung up with the same ceremony as was observed on the preceding
days. This day Tashilhunpo was open to women, and crowds of them in the
gayest and richest apparel visited the temples and shrines. Ugyen
estimated the value of the headdress of one lady he saw at 40,000
rupees. In the evening every one went and touched with his or her head
the picture of Chyamba, and thus received his blessing. [328]
During my stay at Gyatsoshar I occupied the little pavilion belonging
to the minister, which I have described previously. [329] The flowers
in the garden which surrounded it filled the air with their fragrance;
the tall poplars, the widespread willows, the fragrant junipers, the
graceful cedars, all contributed to make this place the most favoured
of all the neighbourhood.
My health rapidly improved in these pleasant surroundings and genial
temperature, and I worked diligently at transcribing works of great
interest into the nagari character which had, though written in
Sanskrit, been preserved in the (Wu-chan) script of Tibet. Ugyen
devoted himself to botanizing, extending his excursions to considerable
distances. Finally, to facilitate bringing in his collections, he
bought a donkey and a pony for himself to ride.
July 19 was kept as a great holiday, it being the day on which the
Buddha first turned the Wheel of the Law. The people of Shigatse and
neighbourhood visited the different chapels and sanctuaries and
thronged in every corner of Tashilhunpo.
Two days later the Deba Shikha, of whom I have had so often to speak,
gave a garden-party to a number of his friends in the garden
surrounding the house in which I was living at Gyatsoshar. There were a
dozen men and women; the former amused themselves the whole day at
archery and quoits, [330] in both of which they exhibited considerable
skill. The same day Ugyen started on a botanizing trip, which took him
as far as Sakya.
On July 26 I returned to Dongtse, and was pleased to find that the
Minister had recovered from the small-pox. I found the Tung-chen busy
preparing for the ceremony of consecrating a new house of the Seng
chen, [331] as the minister is called, now nearly complete, and built a
little to the north of the Tsug-la khang temple. In the room given me
were some five or six hundred balls of butter of about two pounds
weight each, and a number of bags of tsamba and wheat flour.
I had only been here four days when I was requested by the Chyag-dso-pa
of Gyantse to visit him and see if I could not do something for the
complaint from which he had now been suffering for some time. The
invitation was so pressing that I could not refuse; so I set out at
once, and was most kindly received by him and his family. I remained
here until August 13, when a letter reached me from the minister, who
was still at Dongtse, asking me to rejoin him there at once. This
letter of the minister, though written in Tibetan, was in the Roman
character, which I had taught him to write the preceding winter. [332]
As I rode back to Dongtse I was greatly struck by the beauty of the
vegetation; the little pools were frequently covered with lilies, and
wild-flowers were in full bloom.
The minister asked me if I would go to Tobgyal and see the Grand Lama,
who was desperately ill. He had received a letter from him asking for
some consecrated pills (tsé-ril); I could take this medicine along with
me, and at the same time he would inform the Panchen that I was a
skilful physician and might be able to cure him.
Hearing of the desperate condition of the Grand Lama, I naturally
hesitated to undertake this commission, and so asked for time for
reflection. The next day, however, I told the minister that I could not
venture to wait on the Grand Lama unless he expressed a wish to see me;
or, at all events, unless I was accompanied by the minister himself. He
finally decided that he would send the tse-ril by a confidential
servant, and hint in his note accompanying them, that perhaps Indian
medicines might prove beneficial.
On August 25 and 26, the final ceremonies of consecrating the new house
built by the minister (and which had been going on for the last five
days) were begun. The last ceremony is called the chin-sreg. [333] The
mask of the god of death (Shinje gyalbo), his weapons and armour were
hung on a stake stuck close to the fireplace. Then bundles of
sandalwood were arranged in six heaps, and melted butter poured over
them to feed the flame; and a lama, chanting hymns, sat opposite each
fire. Sesamum and barley were scattered about. At the termination of
the first day’s ceremony, a dinner was served to all the guests and
monks.
The chin-sreg ceremony on the 26th was similar to that of the day
before, and wound up with a long service. In the afternoon the Seng
chen (the minister) took his position on a raised seat under a spacious
awning spread on the roof of the tsug-lha-khang, and ordered all the
lamas, carpenters, masons, coppersmiths, gilders, etc., to assemble,
when he distributed presents to them. To the lamas and monks he gave
silver coins, khatag and blankets; and to the head labourers, rugs
(tumshi), felt hats (khamba), and homespun cloth (gyantse).
On the 28th news reached us that two of the Grand Lama’s physicians had
run away, another had gone mad, and the fourth was without hope or
ability to do anything more for the illustrious patient, who had had a
severe hemorrhage.
On the 31st the dreaded event took place, a letter was handed the
minister announcing the Grand Lama’s death. He had died on the day
previous at Tobgyal, or, as it is the custom to say, “He had left this
world for repose in the realm of bliss (Deva-chan).”
A notice was issued to the people to assume signs of mourning; the
women were forbidden to wear their headdresses or any other jewellery,
and amusements and ornamenting of houses were prohibited. The people
showed signs of deep distress at the untimely death of the Panchen;
some attributing it to the sorrow he had felt at the disloyalty of his
people, others said he had left this world on account of the
discourtesy of the Dalai lama in not inviting him to his consecration.
At Dongtse, where I was, the minister was having performed as a
termination to the ceremonies attending the consecration of the new
building, a grand religious dance in the courtyard of the Choide. A
great crowd, all in their holiday attire, was assembled on the roofs
and balconies of the temple. The dance had but commenced; the
minister’s page, who impersonated the herald of the gods, had twice
fired off a gun, and had proclaimed the arrival of the four guardian
deities of the world; the devils and goblins had gone through their
part of the performance, when the news of the death of the Grand Lama
was made known to the minister. At once the dance was stopped, and the
dancers and the crowd rapidly dispersed.
On September 3 it was reported to me that the Chinese commander of
Shigatse had flogged several of the Grand Lama’s servants for not
having told him of the gravity of their master’s illness. One of the
physicians of the Panchen had been severely beaten, and the other
medical attendant was found dead shortly after the Grand Lama had
breathed his last. I thanked God I had not consented to the minister’s
proposal to go and attend the Grand Lama!
On the 6th Ugyen returned to Dongtse from his trip to Sakya, and from
his journal I take the following facts, which may be of interest:—
He had started, as previously stated, on July 21, and on the 23rd
crossed to the left bank of the Tsang-po near Tashi-gang, and camped in
the valley of Tang-pe. Thence he and his companion, a Mongol lama by
the name of Chos-tashi, went to the Tanag district, where a fine
quality of pottery is manufactured. [334] They could not get lodgings
anywhere, so afraid were the people that they might introduce small-pox
among them, coming as they did from the infected city of Shigatse.
On July 26 they crossed the Tanag Tong chu by an iron suspension
bridge, and, travelling westward, stopped for the night in the lamasery
of Tubdan. Leaving Tubdan on the 28th, the travellers reached, after a
march of twelve miles in a northerly direction, the famous hot springs
of Burchu-tsan. A circular wall of stone encloses a portion of the
springs, and here the Grand Lama takes his baths. The place where he
camps is surrounded by a low turf wall. The Grand Lama had recently
taken the baths, but it was supposed that the water gods (or nagas) had
in some way or other been offended, as the water had but aggravated his
complaint. To propitiate these lu a hundred lamas had been employed
here until within a few days conducting religious services. In and near
these springs are numerous black snakes which, though they are said to
be venomous, do no harm to either man or beast. They enter houses in
the neighbouring villages, but no one ever thinks of hurting them.
The next day they crossed the Jeh la and stopped for the night at the
village of Keshong, but again they could not get lodgings. On the 30th
they reached the old village of Shendar ding, [335] near which is
situated the famous Bonbo monastery of Rigyal Shendar. Ugyen visited
this lamasery the following day, and represented himself as a Bonbo
from Sikkim on a pilgrimage to the sanctuaries of Bonbo Shenrab mivo,
the chief deity of this religion. He expressed a desire to give a
general tea (mang ja) to the monks, presented the manager five tanka
for the purpose, and it was arranged that the entertainment should take
place on the morrow.
In the mean time he was shown about the temple. In the congregation
hall the priests were reading the Bonbo scriptures. In the chapel of
the upper story he noticed among the images of the various gods of the
Bon pantheon that of Sakya Buddha.
The next day the mang ja took place. There were about thirty monks
(dabas) present, [336] and, on inquiring why there were so few, Ugyen
was told that a large number of monks who are natives of Khams Gyarong
had gone to the Chang-tang [337] to look to the interests of the Bon
church there.
Ugyen, in company with the head priest (om-dse), then visited the
gloomy chapels of the monastery, only lighted by torches and butter-fed
lamps, where he saw a number of curious pictures and tapestries on
which were represented various terrifying gods. After this he was
presented to the high priest, Je Khädub rinpoche, who received him most
kindly. He was a man of sixty-eight years of age, but strong and
hearty. He explained to Ugyen various points of the “black water”
(chab-nag) mysteries of Bonism, and lent him some books to read, a
number of which Ugyen made copies of. [338]
The Rigyal Sendar monastery is said to have been erected on the site of
an ancient Bon temple, called Darding sergo tamo, and was built several
hundred years before Tashilhunpo; and was sacked by the Jungar Mongols
in the 17th century. When they demolished the chapel, the Bon high
priest hurriedly concealed the sacred treasures and scriptures, written
in silver on dark blue tablets, in the deep recesses of a cavern, and
hence the sacred writings of the Bonbo are now in a confused state. The
church furniture and other requisites of worship in the monastery are
extremely ancient. Among them are the huge tambourines (shang), and
gigantic cymbals made of the finest bell-metal, paintings representing
the Seven Heroic Saints (Pao-rab dun), numerous old tapestries, and
several volumes of scriptures written in silver and gold on thick
dark-blue (card) boards. The roof of the great hall of congregation is
supported by forty-two pillars, six feet apart, and all around the
monastery are fine-looking chorten, mendong, and cairns, which visitors
are allowed to circumambulate from right to left, instead of from left
to right, as do Buddhists. When questioned respecting the reason for
this custom, the priests replied that salutation, circumambulation, and
the chanting of mantra being intended by the sages as processes to
sanctify the body, speech, and mind, they did not at all benefit the
divinity. It is, therefore, immaterial how and which way one salutes
and circumambulates the sacred things, but it is the established usage
of the Bon community to circulate from right to left. [339]
The Bon monastery of Shendar is now in the joint possession of the four
powerful members of the family of Shen-tsang. Though they are laymen,
having wives and children, yet being the descendants of Shenrab Mivo,
the illustrious founder of the Bon religion, they are venerated as
lamas. The mother of the two leading members of this family was the
elder sister of Sikyong, the late Rajah of Sikkim. The late Panchen
rinpoche was the nephew of these brothers, in consequence of which they
are addressed by the people as Ku-shang, “Royal Maternal Uncle.” The
late Grand Lama was of pure Bonbo stock, and the two families from
which he sprang are known by the names of Shen-lug and Tu-lug. People
inquire with wonder why the vice-regent of Buddha in the flesh should
have been born in the family of Shenrab Mivo, the heretic. Some
disaffected Tibetans were even in the habit of ridiculing this Grand
Lama by calling him the offspring of Bon heretics.
In the monastery are two sections of monks, called respectively the
Tibetan Association (Bod kham-tsan) and the Khams Association (Khamba
kham-tsan), the latter being the most numerous. The officers consist of
one priest for the grand congregation (Om-dse), two discipliners
(Chos-tims), two church directors (Gekhor), two general managers
(Chi-nyer), and two chapel-keepers (Ku-nyer).
While conducting service the monks dress like the Gelugpa monks of
Tashilhunpo. They wear tall mitre-shaped yellow caps, and a yellow
cloak covering the bodies. The ordained monks hang the chab-lug, or
badge of celibacy, [340] from their waist-bands like the Buddhist
monks, and wear red serge boots. They are not allowed to wear anything
that is blue, green, black, or white. During their residence at the
monastery they wear the church costume, composed of the sham-tab and
tongu, [341] and red boots made according to the Bon fashion. When they
enter the congregation hall for service they leave their boots at the
door. The cost of the tea drunk during the services is borne for the
most part by the Shen-tsang family. The monastery is maintained by a
small endowment, supplemented by the donations and subscriptions paid
by the Bon community of Chang. [342]
The monks of the Khams Association, numbering about forty, go annually
during the summer to conduct religious services in the houses of the
Bon people of Chang. In the winter they remain in the monastery. During
divine service the monks are allowed to drink as much tea as they like,
there being no restriction in this respect, as in the great Buddhist
monasteries.
The lamas here are divided into two sects, which differ slightly in
their vows. In the one called Shen-tang srung-lug, a man may take vows
when sixty years of age; while in the other, called Shen-tsang lug, he
must take the vows of abstinence and piety as soon as he has finished
his final clerical examinations. The high priest, or Je Kadub rinpoche,
Yung-drung gyal-tsan by name, administers vows and ordains monks.
The rules of moral discipline, called tsa-yig, written on a broad sheet
of pasted daphne paper, are posted in a conspicuous position in the
monastery. When an ordained monk is found guilty of violating these
rules, and particularly those of chastity, he is immediately punished
and expelled from the monastery. Such punishments are, however,
commutable into fines, such as the payments of money to the lama who
ordained him, and providing entertainment and presents for the other
monastic authorities and the members of the congregation.
The marriage ceremonies of the Bonbo are the same as those of all other
Tibetans; so also the funeral rites, although some communities throw
their dead into rivers and lakes. [343] After death the body is kept in
the house twenty-four hours, after which it is removed to the temple or
monastery. On the fourth day the ornaments and clothes worn by the
deceased are placed before the gods, and prayers offered to them to
take charge of his soul. At the end of the ceremony the corpse is
removed to the cemetery, where it is cut into pieces to be devoured by
vultures and dogs. [344]
Ugyen left Shendar ding on August 5, and stopped at noon at the hot
springs of Langpag, where the Tashi lama has a temple-like house in
charge of an officer. The water is so hot that meat can be cooked in it
in half an hour.
Proceeding thence they came to Non chu, where he saw the Non chu lama
rinpoche, who made many inquiries about Calcutta, the railways,
telegraphs, and telephones of which he had heard travellers speak. He
himself, he said, had invented a telephone, and was just then engaged
in making a new instrument with which he would be able to communicate
with people at a distance by means of strokes of a hammer. [345] He was
also most curious to know about illuminating gas.
The next day Ugyen again called on the lama, who asked many questions
about the resources of India, its government, commerce, laws, etc., and
as Ugyen replied he noted down all he heard.
Taking leave of the lama the same day, the travellers reached Rag-tso
ferry, where they crossed the Tsang-po in a rudely constructed boat, in
which men and animals were ferried across. They halted for the night at
Tondub ling, in the district of Jerong. They were unable to gain
admittance to any house, and had to pass the night in a sheepfold.
The next day they came to Phuntso ling, where there is a lamasery with
five hundred inmates. This was formerly the seat of the Taranath lama,
and from here he went to Urga in Mongolia. Ugyen visited the cave where
Taranath once lived as an ascetic. He also saw the printing-house of
the Phuntso ling lamasery, which contained printing blocks for many
valuable historical works.
Two roads lead to Sakya from this place, one viâ Tondub ling, the other
by way of Lhartse. The travellers followed the latter, which is the
shortest, arriving at Lhartse on August 10. Shakar djong, [346] Ugyen
learnt, can be reached from Lhartse in a day. The monks of Shakar are
noted for their wealth, much of which is acquired by buying gold.
Lhartse castle (djong) is on a fine eminence overlooking the Tsang-po.
It is the chief place of trade of Upper Tsang. Its monastery used to
contain one thousand lamas, but now the number is considerably smaller.
Some distance from Lhartse is the famous monastery of Namring, whose
monks are noted for their great learning.
Proceeding by way of Tana and Lasa, Ugyen and his companions reached
Sakya on the 14th, and put up in a house belonging to the chief of the
ulag department. There is a good market in this town, but with the
exception of meat, all articles of food are dearer than at Shigatse. No
good tsamba could be bought, and straw and hay were very dear, a tanka
for a basketful of not over five pounds weight.
Sakya is a notorious place for thieves and all kinds of bad characters,
and the cattle have to be locked up at night in the stables and
sheep-pens.
The next day, being the anniversary of the birth of Peme Chyungnas
(Padma Sambhava), a grand religions dance took place in the courtyard
of the temple, in the presence of the five surviving members of the
royal Khon family of Sakya, who sat on chairs on a raised daïs under a
large Chinese umbrella, with attendants carrying the gyal-tsan or
banners, and the sceptre.
Eighty gaudily dressed dancers (chyampa) danced the day long to the
music of clarionets, trumpets, kettle-drums, tambourines, and cymbals,
stopping only occasionally to partake of tea. When they finally stopped
they carried off with them on their shoulders quantities of khatag
flung to them by the audience.
This dance, called the “club dance” (phurpai kil chyam), was performed
in celebration of the birth, from a lotus flower in the lake of
Dhanakosha, of the sage Uddayani. Two Timpon and a dozen policemen kept
the great crowd in order with their whips.
When the ceremony of the day was over, the heir apparent of the Sakya
Panchen took his seat in the maidan in front of the great temple, and
gave his blessing (chyag wang) to all who approached. Ugyen visited the
same day the famous library, where he saw many manuscripts written in
gold, the pages some six to eight feet long and three or four feet
broad. [347] On the board which covered these volumes were painted in
gold and silver the images of innumerable Buddhas. There were also many
books in Chinese, dating back to the early years of the Christian era.
The next day another kind of dance, called the dsa-nag, or “black hat”
dance, was performed in the court of the residence of Gong-sa. There
were about eighty dancers. Seventy kept up the dance continually, while
the ten remaining took refreshments. They danced with much grace, the
movements of their arms and hands being especially curious.
On August 17 Ugyen left Sakya, and travelling by way of Lhadong,
Shong-mar-tse, the Pa la and Chiblung, reached Dobta on the 20th. [348]
This latter locality he found very poor, the people living in great
squalor. The country is rocky and barren, yet the peasants have to give
half the produce of their fields to the Sikkim Rajah.
Leaving Dobta, Ugyen came to the Tsomo tel-tung, or “Mule’s Drink
Lake,” which he went around, keeping it to his left, an heretical
action according to Buddhist ideas.
Stopping at Naring for the night, he then passed through Tagnag and
reached Targye on the 24th. [349] Near here is the Dora chu-tsan (“Hot
Springs”), in the neighbourhood of which he saw several carpet looms,
on which excellent rugs, called tum-shi, were being made by women, who
showed great taste in designing patterns.
Leaving Targye the travellers passed without any incidents through
Kurma, Kyoga, Labrang-dokpa, and Luguri Jong, [350] and reached
Shigatse about noon on August 29.
Ugyen remained at Shigatse for seven days, drying the plants he had
collected on his journey, and observing the different incidents which
took place after the death of the Grand Lama.
The day after the Grand Lama’s death, he and a friend had gone to
Tashilhunpo to perform their devotions, but were refused admittance. No
outsider was admitted into the lamasery, the inmates of which were now
not allowed to see any one or leave the monastery.
As they were coming back they passed in front of the palace of
Kun-khyab ling, and saw a large pack of hounds and mastiffs, which the
Panchen kept for hunting; for, though his sacred character forbade him
shooting animals, he could indulge in this other form of sport.
While in the palace of Phuntso phodang, the lama’s favourite residence,
and where they were allowed to enter, an officer from the Labrang
attached seals on everything belonging to the deceased, and on all the
doors of the principal rooms in Kun-khyab ling.
The next day there was a report that the lama had come to life again,
and every one was thanking the gods; the tsamba vendors on the
market-place were throwing handfuls of their ware heavenward as
offerings to the gods who had restored their Grand Lama to them.
The Dingpon of Shigatse said, in the hearing of Ugyen, that last year,
when the Government of Lhasa had consulted the oracle of Lhamo
sung-chyongma, it had foretold great calamities for Tibet. These were
inevitable, in view of the perversity of the people who no longer had
faith in the gods, but let themselves be led by demons in human shape.
Witchcraft was steadily increasing, he said, and in every village there
were those who said they were in communion with devils. An edict had
been issued forbidding witchcraft and fortune-telling. It was found
that under the castle of Shigatse itself there were fifteen witches
(paonal jorma). These had been brought to trial, and had been submitted
to an examination which required them to describe the contents of
several chests filled with a variety of things. Four alone were able to
answer, the others were flogged and then released on condition that
they should give up imposing on the public credulity and would furnish
bonds for their good behaviour.