The Dorjéling Armoury in the Potala According to the Fifth Dalai Lama’s gsung ’bum

Although the government established through the alliance of the Gélukpa (Dge lugs pa) and the Khoshud in 1642 took its appellation from the Ganden Palace (Dga’ ldan pho brang/Ganden Phodrang) at Drepung (’Bras spung), the symbolic seat of power of this government was the Potala, at the same time fortress, administrative centre, earthly copy of the celestial palace of Avalokiteśvara, and official residence of the Fifth Dalai Lama. Less known, however, is that the Potala also came to symbolise military readiness. It acquired this new martial function in 1667, when an armoury, called Dorjéling (Rdo rje gling), was set up at the base of the White Palace. The Fifth Dalai Lama memorialised its establishment with a poetic text, which is included in volume nineteen (ma) of his collected works. This paper examines this text, which provides information both on the contents of the armoury and on the logic employed to justify the creation of spaces dedicated to military preparedness within a palace that was fast becoming one of the most revered sites in the Tibetan sphere.

Armour and Weapons in Tibet from Yongle to Younghusband Learning from Object-Driven Research

This paper presents an overview of the origins and development of research into various types of arms and armour used in Tibet from approximately the fifteenth century to the early twentieth century. Incorporated into this are a brief survey of well recognised examples and a review of the wide multiplicity of rare and less familiar forms, including helmets, armour for men and horses, swords, and firearms, many of which have only come to light over the past twenty-five years.

Arms and Armour in Ancient and Medieval Tibetan Literature A Lexicographical Approach

This article presents Tibetan terms and expressions for arms and armour originating in Tibetan sources as per research conducted for the Wörterbuch der Tibetischen Schriftsprache, a dictionary database that includes sources ranging from the eight to the nineteenth centuries. This survey shows that Tibetan literature bears testimony to the existence of a broad variety of arms and armour in Tibet, which are mentioned in various contexts: Bon or Buddhist sources, historiographical or mythical accounts. By tracing these terms’ etymological origins and focusing on the actual use of weapons, we may gain a clearer understanding of the origin, use, and value of arms and armour in Tibetan culture.

From Matchlocks to Machine Guns: The Modernisation of the Tibetan Army’s Firearms Between Local Production and Import (1895-1950)

Between 1895 and 1950, the Tibetan government took several steps to improve the firearms and artillery of its troops, setting up local factories and negotiating with foreign powers to purchase arms manufactured abroad. These imports were directly related to the political relationship with these countries and required the introduction and diffusion of new knowledge and techniques among Tibetan troops. Based on Tibetan and English sources, this article discusses some of the challenges met by the Tibetan government in this process and gives an overview of the variety of modern firearms that the Tibetan army used in the early twentieth century.

Khra ring bog gi bshad pa and Other Material on the Matchlock

By analysing a large variety of historical and literary sources, this article attempts to determine when the matchlock came into use in Tibet and presents an overview of the different names of the bog/matchlock muskets in various dialects and regions of Tibet from the early seventeenth century onwards. It illustrates how matchlock enthusiasts among the Tibetan nomads cherished their weapons. It examines several panegyrics (bshad pa) on the bog, as well as rituals to summon the war god onto the bog, and provides both their original Tibetan texts and a translation into English. The analysis also delves into many other different aspects of the culture of firearms in Tibet, such as the terminology (with sketches of bog), taboos and superstitions and a tentative tracing of the etymology of the word bog.

The AJE Summit 2020 Report: The Past, Present and Future of Japanese Language Education in Europe

Associations of teachers of Japanese play an indispensable role in assisting not only teachers but also learners and impacting society by offering resources and opportunities for the growth of in-service teachers and pre-service teachers such as postgraduate students. Enhancing the quality of the resources and opportunities is expected to become effective when they know each other, learn from each other and work together. For this purpose, the Association of Japanese Language Teachers in Europe hosted a summit where the representatives of 22 European countries gathered to discuss the current and the future of Japanese language education in Europe. The aim of the current report is to present general but up-to-date information about the teachers, learners, institutions, associations, and features and challenges of each country. Furthermore, this report will illustrate the key discussions of the summit on the challenges and the possible actions for the viable future of Japanese language education in Europe. The Authors hope to contribute to creating the reference points for larger future studies on such associations while reflecting on the impact the summit possibly had.