The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-10


Is likely to come from the ornaments or
Central Asia. IN common with Lhassa, the
monastery completely dominates the small
village OF khamba, which lies nslghln-
cantly at its foot. IL contains accommoda-
ton for thousand men, and is or consld-
cradle Importance as the cnleI IOItIesS
threatening our communications with our
own territory by the usual OAK route
though II would Of course, be Undered IN
tenable in half an hour by modern artillery
Orientals are not given 10 the expression OF
an appreciation of landscape charms, but
Chandra Das, the invaluable secret emls-
sary OF the Indian government twenty
years ago. records with amazement the
distant view OF the Hmalayas 70 be OBJ
tained from the summit Of the hll- ar.
Claude White has recently sent home phO-
tographs which abundantly bear out this
praise 1t IS difficult 10 conceive any sight
or earth more magnihcenty impressive
than the long levels Of the flat plains OF
Thibet reaching out in the perfectly clear
air. checked here and there by some steep
rock with its lonely monastery perched
upon IL, and ultimately ringed in by the
gigantic heights Of Kanchentanga, and
even Everest nearly one hundred miles
away IN the diamond purity of the high,
still air.
Tashe Lhunpo is the second most i'm
portant town in southern Thibet. In many
ways II is Of greater interest than Lhassa
itself. for the sacred city IS but OF recent
growth compared with Tashe Lhunpo. IN
deed IL was from this place that Lhassa
was colonized, and IL was the fifth Tashe
Lama who. in 1856. exchanged the rugged
rocks beneath which his own capital was
built for the open, wooded plain In the CEN
ter of which I4hassa lies From that mo-
ment Lhassa became the temporal head OF
the kingdom. Not its position and wealth
alone made Lhassa the capital OF the
quaintly-named eastern province Of L. The
Chinese Emperor's grant confirmed the
claims which the original immigrants put
forward, and from that day TO this Tashe
LhunpO has had to be content with
second place in the affairs Of the kingdom
OF Thibet. 1t still retains the nominal
spiritual supremacy, and the Dalai Lama
as England knows him better, the Grand
Lama''-continues to be the junior reincar-
nation OF the two chief human manifesta-
tons of Buddha.
Tashe Lhunpo-or Shigatse, as IL is more
often called III maps, though the two lie in
a little dist3nce from each other-lies TO the
west Of the road to Lhassa from Chumbi
valley. IT IS not likely that the expedition
will turn aside to visit 1t. Nesting
among the spurs of mountain, the town
presents none Of the magnificence Of
against the hill and find a goat-like foot
hold on lodges Of rock above the collection
Of low, one-storied huts and houses in
which the civil population lives. On the
right, as one faces the town, half way up
the fact of the cliff on a prominence, Is the
famous square, squat building which 70
the true Buddhist distinguishes this most
holy city from it's neighbor and rival,
Lhassa-
THE HOLY CITY.
Lhassa itself. the center and object OF so
much interest and so many vain Pilgrim
ages, lies two hundred miles. the crow
flies, from the nearest point Of British ter
ritory 1t is a comparatively small town Of
about twenty thousand inhabitants. shell
tered from the inclemency OF the weather
on every side by the huge ring of noun
tains which have 10 be climbed before even
a sight OF the Forbidden City is reached.
In the center of this fat circle--which may
perhaps be four miles acrOss-the city lies,
q pretty collection of green gardens and
low ochre-roofed houses, with water flow
ing through the streets. But no traveller
would have the leisure TO note the mean
houses which encircle the great rock rising
up in the midst OF the fiat-lying city, abrupt
from the plain. There before him at last
would lie the shrine to attain to which so
many lives have been wasted and so much
treasure spent.
Imagine a saddleback formation sheer
on three sides and steer. on the fourth,
four or five hundred feet in length.
covered from end TO end with the sacred
buildings OF this holy of HOLES. From
either side a well-paved roadway zigzags
upwards from the city, and on the left
there Is fat-terraced and guarded space
upon which the mummery of Buddhism
takes place from time to time. All the
masonry on either side Is white. Only in
the middle, like great saddle OF crimson
upon q saddle-cloth OF white, rises the dull
red Potala Palace Of the Grand Lama.
Tier after tier OF windows, white or red,
reach almost from the ground TO its height.
Beneath it, Just where the northern zigzag
sweeps up from the plain Of the city. rises
the Pillar. Stones play as important a
part in the early superstition of the East
as they do in Europe.
vENERATED MASCOT.
The Black Stone of Mukden is perhaps
the most venerated mascot in the world.
and Asoka seems to have attached especial
Importance to the various pillars which he
set up in India during the period in which
the older religion was forcibly driven out
by the Buddhist sympathies OF the
Emperor. And the Pillar OF Lhassa, stand
Ing there at the foot OF the sacred rock,
plain for all TO see. is nothing less for
northern Buddhism than IS the black stone
IN the wall OF the Kaaba at Mecca for
Mohammedans, the goal and shrine of all
that their religion means 10 millions.
Such. then. in brief, is the aspect of the
city which has in the past caused such
curiosity. 1t may be that in the space of
ten years II will be less difficult to reach
Lhassa than to penetrate TO Klondike. But
IL would indeed be n shOrt-sighted policy
on the part Of the Indian government &c
weaken in any way the seclusion of Thibet.
II would even be a prudent course to assist
the men of BOotiva-for the name Of Thibet
IS almost wholly of foreign use, and would
hardly be understood even In Climate
safeguard against foreign attack. or even
visit the few avenues Of approach which
are still left between the outside world and
the strange lonely capital OF this en-
chanted land. Indeed, the whole story
reads less like a page from solid and con-
temporary history than some half-forgot-
ten legend OF ones childhood And that
n may remain secluded. except from the
friendly offices OF the Indian government,
must surely be the hope of everyOne-and
there must be few who wholly escape-to
whom the fascination of this lonely noun
1t -. -