Life and works of Alexander Csoma de Körös : $b A biography compiled chiefly from hitherto unpublished dataDuka, Tivadar
History
Life and works of Alexander Csoma de Körös : $b A biography compiled chiefly from hitherto unpublished data
Duka, Tivadar
Kőrösi Csoma, Sándor, 1784-1842
2. The second or Eastern Division of Tibet is Kham-yul or Great Tibet;
the east is bordered by China and subdivided into many small
principalities. Its inhabitants differ much from other Tibetans in
their stature, features, dress, and customs, as well as in the
pronunciation of Tibetan. In physique they are very robust and simple,
but very passionate; not fond of ornaments of any kind. The sect called
Pon or Bon, very numerous here, still practise the ancient religion of
Tibet; have a literature of their own, religious orders, monasteries,
and many superstitious rites. They kill several animals for sacrifice.
3. The third great division is Nári, extending from Tsang to Ladak. The
area of this is very extensive, containing many deserts, and is
sparsely inhabited. The number of families, including Ladak and
Baltistan, does not exceed 50,000. They dwell in tents made of
haircloth, and lead a pastoral life, eschewing agriculture.
The more north-westerly part of Tibet is Belti-yul—Baltistan or little
Tibet—divided among several chiefs. In the mountain defiles on the
south live the predatory people known as the Dardús; they are
barbarians of Afghan or Hindu origin. The inhabitants for the most part
are Shiah Mohammedans. Their language is a dialect of the Tibetan, but
what literature there is, is Persian. The climate is warm; in the lower
part snow never falls.
Lakes in Tibet are few. The principal one is Ma-pham-yu-tsho
(Mansarovara), in Nari; its circumference is one and a half day’s
journey (i.e., about thirty miles).
Medicinal and hot springs are in the provinces of U and Tsang, and to
the east of the Mapham lake.
Four glaciers are enumerated, and called mountains of frozen snow,
namely, the Tisé, Havo, Shámpo, and Pulé.
There are mines in Tibet, but they are not worked. Some gold-dust is
gathered in Nári, Gugé, and Zanskar.
In Tibet there is a great deficiency of wood. In Baltistan and Bhutan
fruit-trees are cultivated. In Khamyul some forests are found. In the
western parts of Ladak and Baltistan grapes come to maturity.
The slopes of the mountains are mostly bare. In the valleys, where
irrigation is practised, some cereals, such as wheat, barley,
buckwheat, millet and pease, are sown. Tibet has no ricefields, but
beans and lentils, turnips, cabbages, onions, &c., are cultivated.
The daily food of a Tibetan consists of gruel prepared from the meal of
parched barley; meat, bread, sour-milk, curds; and tea, prepared in the
Tartar fashion in a churn with butter and milk.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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