Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-12-07
PHOENIX. ARIZONA, DEC. :. 1902
The British to Open Tibet.


A late dispatch from London says
that the British government has def
nitely determined to open Tibet to the
commerce of the world. If n peaceful
mission with that end in view is net
successful. force will be used.
The news is of prime Importance.
For centuries Tibet has been sealed
book to European civilization. Its high
priests. or lamas, have ever denoune-
ed the foreigner as an incarnated deH-
il; and they preach that so long as
Tibet remains isolated from the rest OF
the universe. so long shall she be
great. A few missionaries and explorers
have wandered across the corners OF
this great tableland. clamOered up
some Of its snowolad mountains, and
visited a few of its stone cities; yet
the greater part of its $4,000 square
miles. an area equal TO Germany
France and Italy combined, is still un-
known t the outside world. on the
maps Of the world there Is no other
EQGA white DdAtll is NlAA7 81 III N~''NN'
of Asia.
From the accounts Of travellers I'll
bet would seem 10 be a land where
religion is supreme. The people obey
their priests with almost slavlsh ODE
dience. and accept the most marvellous
teachings with utter credulity The
lamas possess most of the wealth OF
the country. and consequently they
have reason tc fear the foreigner and
the intellectual rebellion against their
dominion which Christianity would Ger
tainly awaken.
There are so many lamas In Tibet
that the land IS practically priest rid
den. At the head of the hierarchy are
the grand lamas. who all claim to be
Buddha reincarnate. Every lamasery
has such a priest god, and there is one
called Chang Eia Foo. who lives at
Picking Beneath these high priests
there are hundreds Of lsmas who pro-
TESS tc be reincCrnated spirits Of
Puddha saints Then there are lamas in
whom are supposed 10 dwell the found
ers Of monasteries. and lamas in whom
good men live their lives over again.
The priests constitute such large
portion OF the population that many Of
them are compelled to go about the
country begging from door to d-or.
Unlike some protested Christians
who expect their Sunday piety to last
through the week. the Tibetans pray
Incst OF the time. Whether they are a
work or at pleasure, whether squatting
on the floor Of their houses or en-
journey, they continue their supplica-
tons In order that religion will not
prove too inconvenient. these pious
people have prayer flags aud prayer
wheels, by which prisons are rendered
automatically. \ prayer wheel, for ex-
ample. Is a sort of spool, covered with
oabalistic Inscriptions. which a lama
has written and sold and should the
faithful be walking along the street
or conversing with a boon companion
he can keep saying his prayers by
constantly turning the wheel. Prayer
flags are likewise covered with suppl
cations. which are believed to prove eff
ficacious when waved in the air.
When Henry Savage Lander, the
British explorer. visited Tibet he
found men and women walking around
= lake whom he first thought de-
1irious. Some travelled over a serpen-
tine course. Others walked backward.
StllI others stopped and bowed at ev-
cry step. Others crawled along on
their knees. Each. he learned, was do
ing penance for some sin. The circum-
ference Of the lake is fOrty-six miles
and yet he found men who had made
the circuit several times in the pre-
vious fortnight. One journey around
the lake, he learned, would explate a
petty theft A trip twice around, with
a saIaam after each step. would shrive
one of murder, whereas three journeys
around it's shores would purge the sim
ner of killing his father or brother.
In Tibet all roads lead toward
Lhasa. the forbidden capital, and the
residence of the Dalai Lama. 1t is the
mystic treasure city of Buddha, where
in are kept the countless sacred relics.
images and other paraphernalia
wrought and adorned in pure gold and
studded in precious gems. To get
within it's gates and witness some Of
the mysterious lamanistic ceremon-
ials, for centuries yelled from Euro
pean eyes, has been the coveted goal
of the most intrepid travellers of re-
cent times. Sarat Chandra Das, the
learned Indian surveyor. in the interest
of the English government. disguised
IS a priest, entered the city and sue
Ceeded in making numerous illustra-
tions CT It's buildings and inhabitants.