English: Identifier: cu31924089999209

Title: Travels of a consular officer in eastern Tibet : together with a history of the relations between China, Tibet and India Year: 1922 (1920s) Authors: Teichman, Eric, Sir, 1884-1944 Subjects: Publisher: Cambridge, England : University Press Contributing Library: Cornell University Library Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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Text Appearing Before Image: De-ge Gonchen (meaning literally "The Big Monastery of De-ge") is the capital of the old Kingdom of De-ge¹, the largest and most important of the former independent States of Kam, and consists of a large Sajya monastery and two Tibetan castles, residences of the King, packed together in the mouth of a narrow ravine. The Chinese, who occupied De-ge in 1909 and were driven out this spring, made it the centre of a district which they called at various times Teko, Tehua and Kengching. The principal building in the monastery is the printing establishment, where an edition of the lamaist scriptures, well known throughout Tibet, and other religious and historical works are published².

¹ De-ge is the correct spelling: it often appears as Derge or Darge on foreign maps; the e is pronounced short and the g hard. The meaning of the Tibetan words seems to be "Happy Land."

² The lamaist scriptures are, it appears, only printed at De-ge Gonchenin Kam and at Trashllumpo in Central Tibet. There used also to be a Peking

Text Appearing After Image: CASTLE OF THE RAJAH OF DE-GE AT DE-GE GONCHEN

We were received at De-ge Gonchen by the former Rajah, Dorje Senge^, and a Tibetan General called the Drentong Dabon, the latter a well-educated Tibetan of aristocratic family from the Shigatse neighbourhood, who had visited India and was well acquainted with foreign customs and ideas. The Tibetans are at present administering De-ge through the ex-Chief and his officials; but the former seems to have no power of his own, and nothing can be done with- out the authority of the Dabon.

The Chinese magistrate made good his escape from De-ge Gonchen before the Tibetans arrived. The staff of the yamen, however, and some other civilians were captured, and fifteen of them are still here. In response to our representations the Dabon has agreed to release them, and they will accompany us when we leave to-morrow. We shall thus again be en- cumbered with a large train of Chinese refugees.

The main road between De-ge Gonchen and Kanze, usually followed by the Chinese, runs up the gorges of the Zi Chu to Kolondo, crosses a big pass called the Tro La (Chinese Chiu-erh Shan), and descends thence across the Yilung grass-lands to Rongbatsa and Kanze. The Dabon has, however, arranged for us to travel by another route, which is, it appears, the road usually taken by Tibetan travellers. As this trail seems to lead through a part of central De-ge un- known to European geography, it should be more interesting than the main road.

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