White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-09-06
MASSACRE BOOSTS
RARITY OF BOOKS
Tibetan Classics in Wash
ington Affected.

Washlngton.-"The slaughter OF
thousands of Chinese and Tibetans
In Dangar, in Western China. reported
In news dispatches. brings about a
strange result in Washington ID. ca
library, where 1t has probably en-
HANGED in valLe beyond all previously
estimated prices, set of Tibetan
classics" says bulletin from the
Washington I'd. o. headquarters OF the
National Geographic society.
"Dangar lies close to Choni, In west
ern Kansu Province, near the Tibetan
border" continues the bulletin, land the
great Buddhist Monastery at Chon'
and all its valuable contents were
burned by the same Moslem army
which massacred the inhabitants OF
Dangar. In this monastery were housed
the thousands of wooden blocks 800
years old, from which the best sets
Of the Tibetan classics were once
printed.
Brought From Monastery.
"Two years ago DIR. Joseph f. Rock.
now leading National Geographic
society expedition on the China-Tibe-
tan border, four hundred miles south
Of the rebellion area, was in Choni
and obtained for the library OF con
gress..a complete set of the Choni-,
printed classics in 81 volumes. These
priceless books are now on the library's
shelves in Washington.
"Details of the Moslem rebellion tn
Eansu which lave just reached the
Headquarters of the National Geo
graphic society through provincial pa
pers published in China, indicate that
the massacre at Dangar was only an
incident In the troubles that have
scourged western Kansu since last Oc-
.ober. In the region, $50 miles wide
/ between Dangar and Choni and in
slost Of the surrounding towns and
villages, according to these published
reports, there has been destruction by
massacre, pillage, and fire. Thousands
Of square miles of the once fertile
countryside have been laid waste. Tens
Of thousands Of people, in addition to
those slaughtered, have died and are
dying Of starvation, and the frantic
populaoe are said to be practicing can
nibalism.
Raiders Led by Youth.
1.-THE chief force of Moslen raiders,
according to provincial correspondents.
consists of $4,000 cavalrymen mounted
IN the best horses of the province, and
led by an eighteen-year-old general
Ma Changing (called nffectionately by
ais followers. Ka Sitting, Little Gen.
.rhl'). These hard-riding troopers have
been known to dash 10000 strong. l1n
niles in az hours over mountain
:anges ten to twelve thousand feet
high to avenge the defent of some Of
heir stragglers In one such raid
across the Tibetan border. all the in
labitants Of more than hundred VII
ages, from infants to old men and
J women. are said to have been mas
sacred.
1.-THE region which has been the cen
:er of the MOslem massacres lies about
300 miles west and slightly south of
oeiping (Peking) IN the upper reaches
If the Hwang-Ho or Yellow river near
where that stream crosses from It's
ribetan source Into China. A little to
:he northwest is the Koko Nor. great
.alt lake of Northeastern Tibet. The
region on the Chino side Is land
If deep valleys carved In the soft loess
soil. In happier days the valley lands
md the terraced hills produced much
wheat and many vegetables. and sup
ported numerous villages. The people
ire largely of Tibetan blood.
During his stay of several years
lgo at Choni. Doctor Rock, through
he friendliness of the Prince of cloni
VAS enabled closely to observe the
ceremonies of Lnmaism. His descrip
. ions have been published in the Ma
ional Geographic Magazine He tool
hundreds Of photographs. with detailed
1otes for color. of the monastery build
ngs, the library, the elaborate image.
mil costumes and OF the ceremonial
lances. 1t thus happens that thi!
Unique monastery, now in ashes in re
note western China, still lives pic
.orially In the archives Of the Nationn
Geographic Society in Washington"