The Cultural Monuments of Tibet's Outer Provinces: The Gansu and Sichuan Parts of Amdo Vol 2 [Paperback]

Andreas Gruschke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 2001

This book presents unknown Tibetan Buddhist art and hitherto overlooked Sino-Tibetan lamaseries on the Silk Road fringes. Labrang Monastery in the Tibeto-Chinese borderlands, for instance, highlights the nexus between Tibet, East and Central Asia. Gansu, in the Sichuan part of Amdo, contains a wealth of local Tibetan cultural centers. The Ngawa Gelugpa realm and the last Jonangpa communities in Dzamthang, that have been greatly underestimated for centuries, are given the prominence they deserve. This work helps to dispel uninformed views that have been spread in the West. Detailed descriptions of the major historic sites facilitate the understanding of their development, and provide further guidance to find the sites and understand what can be seen there. One can prepare a tour to this region by getting knowledgeable about the extraordinary cultural monuments presented here. Serta, the world's largest Buddhist academy, virtually unknown, has impressive architectural features such as the Jonangchbrten and temple towers seen nowhere else in Tibet. These add to the hidden treasures of Amdo's revitalized Buddhist tradition. The region presented in this book is one of diversity in a highland realm that for long was neglected in respect of its historic and cultural importance.

Product Details

• Paperback: 284 pages
• Publisher: White Lotus Co Ltd (December 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9747534908
• ISBN-13: 978-9747534900
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,782,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Single work on Amdo's monasteries, August 27, 2003

By 

Maxim Wanner "Bücherwürmchen" (Berlin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cultural Monuments of Tibet's Outer Provinces: The Gansu and Sichuan Parts of Amdo Vol 2 (Paperback)

Amdo in the Tibeto-Chinese borderlands is not - as many believe -just the lamaseries of Kumbum, Labrang and some minor monasteries far from the heartland of Tibetan culture. This detailed survey of The Cultural Monuments of Tibets Outer Provinces quickly reveals that Tibetan culture is neither extinct in Tibet proper nor in the outer provinces od Amdo and Kham. Their inhabitants accomplishments in rebuilding monasteries, restructuring the economy and revitalizing the traditional way of life are among the most fascinating recent events in Asia. Thus the author of this work takes it as his expression of admiration and respect for what Tibetans have accomplished within the last decades.
Until now, east Tibet has not been thoroughly researched, not to speak of comprehensively documented or presented. Areas being part of what is called east Tibet, however, make up a major share of the Tibetan high plateau, accounting to some two thirds of its huge surface. So it was high time to work out a survey of Tibets cultural monuments and to elaborate the specific features of historical monuments of the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateauwith special reference to its culture, history, tribal and ethnic variety.
Andreas Gruschke has visited and thoroughly documentedoften for the first timemany of the unknown sites in Amdo and Kham, among them highly active monastic establishments with hundreds or even thousands of monks, or hidden treasures of Tibet's living and revitalized Buddhist tradition. In presenting this study of the cultural monuments in northeastern and eastern Tibet, he covered a variety of historical, economic or religio-philosophical aspects in order to explain and evaluate the differences and the common features within the Tibetan cultural context. It includes detailed descriptions of the current situation of the sites and, to a lesser extent, of the society.
The wealth of materials has made it both necessary and awarding to publish several volumes dealing with the historical monuments of east Tibet - with the first two presenting the fascinating world of northeast Tibetans in Amdo: vol. 1 on The Qinghai Part of Amdo and vol. 2 on The Gansu and Sichuan Parts of Amdo.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book always available at the author's site, November 23, 2003

By 

Wagnerianer (Beijing) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cultural Monuments of Tibet's Outer Provinces: The Gansu and Sichuan Parts of Amdo Vol 2 (Paperback)

It's a pity that my book, in which I put so much work, is so hard to order even through amazon. It is, however, always available through the author's website www.gruzim.de/Amdo.htm
There is still another volume on Amdo, worked out in the same manner: volume 1 on the Qinghai part of Amdo.

Andreas Gruschke