The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-07-03
SECRETS
OF THIBETANS
RUSSIAN SPENDS A YEAR IN THE
SACRED MONASTERIES IN THE
CITY OF LHASSA.

"A Russian subject, G.. D. Zoubikov, |
has just returned to st. Petersburg
from Thibet, where he spent a
year in Lhassa visiting the sacred
monasteries, NJ. Zoubikov is a member
of the Buddhist sect known as Bouriats
and being familiar with the Thibetan
language, found no difficulty in passing
for a Lama. He brought back many
photographs illustrating the life of the
| country and will publish book.
In the summer of 1900 NJ. Zoubkov
entered Thibet from the north as a
member of caravan of seventy pill
grims, including many Lamas. He
approached Central Thibet by the
Boumza mountain road, which led
through a treeless alpine landscape
with snow-capped mountains extending
east to west in parallel chains. A thin
nomad population was found. Only
within sixty or seventy miles of Lhassa
was an agricultural community reach
ed. The climate is harsh and dry.
Snow falls occasionally from December
to March rain from May to August;
April, September, October and Nov
ember are dry. The mean annual tenn
perature is AZ, 81 and 80 degrees Fab
renheit for morning, noon and night,
respectively; for December Il, "a and
q degrees; for July 60, e. and Go de-
,grees.
The population which has at times
been estimated at $4,000, 900, is probably
one tenth that number. 1t is decreas-
ing through disease, especially small
poX, and on account of the large num-
Der of celibate priests.
The sons of Chinese soldiers and mer-
chants temporarily resident in Thibet
are counted Chinese, the daughters
Thibetans. Other foreign residents
are Indians, from Cashmere, Mongo-
lians and Nepaulese, the latter being
skilled artisans, architects, sculptors
and jewellers. The Cashmere Moham-
medans are traders They usually
convert their Thibetan wives.
Almost all the land in Central Thibet
belongs to the Dalai Lama. Only high
officials in Lhassa have hereditary
homes. The Thibetan houses are of
brick and stones, but have chimneys
only in the kitchen. The other rooms
have holes to let the smoke escape and
are cheerlessly cold.
The common people wear white, the
wealthy red, officials yellow and SOL
diers blue clothing of homespun. Jewels
are worn in great abundance by the
women. Barley, meal, soup, the raw
flesh of the yak and of sheep, butter,
sour milk and vegetables are the prin-
cipal articles of food. Wheat spirits
sell for cent bottle. The men
smoke tobacco and the priests take
snuff.
The people of Central Thibet are pas
sionately attached to their religious OBJ
servances, which are purely formal.
prayers are regarded as of magic po-
tency and figure in all ordinary and eX-
traordinary affairs of life. Medicine is
in small popular favor. Morals are
primitive and marriage ties are loose.
Both polygamy and polyandry are COM
mon.
Agriculture and stock raising are the
J principal employments. Wheat, barley
, peas, beans, cattle, sheep, yaks, horses,
asses and mules are the main products.
Labor is cheap, men being paid 2 or
3 cents a day, while women usually la
Dor for their keep" Even a Lama
receives only 10 cents for whole days
prayers.
Lhassa is small, having at most only
10000 regular inhabitants. 1t is, how
ever, an important trade center The
native traders are all women.
NJ. ZOublkov minutely describes va
rious monasteries and temples, includ-
ing three near Lhassa, where $4,000
monks are mainly engaged in learned
pursuits. At one of these, Brabun
nearly 5000 boys, young men and even
gray bearded patriarchs, are studying
theology, the total number of resident
monks being 5000.
Since the fifteenth century all power
civil and spiritual has been nominally
in the hands of the Dalai Lama, but
China maintains a Manchu residente
and an army The Lama is elected by
the Manchu residente, who with staff
picks the name of one boy from three
placed in an urn. The boy is educated
by council of learnei men and as