The Realm of Tibetan Buddhism

Esoteric Buddhism, which originated in ancient

India, was introduced into Tibet in the seventh cen-

tury. Since then, it has evolved in a different social

and historical environment into.a unique sect known

as Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism. Regarded by the Ti-

betan Buddhists as "the essence of the sacred reli-

gion", it has a long tradition in Tibet and its influence

on the culture, history and the life of the Tibetan

people has been very strong. To gain a true under-

standing of Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism, one has to

study not only its canonical texts, but its works of art

related to the religious beliefs. These works, in the

various forms and expressions, will bring one into

visual contact with the religious order.

The Realm of Tlbetan Buddhlsm outlines the

origin, development, canonical texts, meditative

practices and, in particular, the works of art related

to Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism. These works of art are

divided into eight categories: bronzes, cloth painting,

frescoes, clay moulding, wood carving. wood tablet

painting, stone carving and ritual objects. The 159

pictures contained in this book which amply show the

works of art in their traditional style, are taken

directly from various sites in Tibet during a period of

five years. Many of the objccts shown in the pictures

are valuable cultural relics and arc rare items of art

in Tibet. The Realm of Tibetan Buddhism, with its

scholarly introduction and precious pictures, will be

of enormous value to artists, students and scholars

of Buddhism in general and of Tibetan Buddhism in

particular.

About the Authors

Li Jicheng, bom 1934, is one of thc top experts on thc

study of Tibetan Buddhism in China. He was a student of

Tibetan history and culture at the Central Nationalities

Institute in Beijing in the fifties. In 1965. he joined the

Institute of World Religions under the Chinese Academy of

Social Sciences and dedicated most of his time to the

research work on Tibetan Buddhism. Because of his know-

ledge of the region and the Tibetan language, he was sent

to northem Tibet in 1974 to help to set up a secondary

school. During his two years stay there, he visited a large

number of lamaseries, discussed extensively with the lamas

and deepened enormously his understanding of the Esoteric

Sect. In 1978, he made another research trip to Tibet and

studied profoundly the canons and art of the religion. It

was during this visit that he encountered the co-author and

chief photographer of this book, Mr. Ku Shoukang and

concluded a collaboration on the prcsent work.

Li Jicheng is now an associated research fellow at the

Institute of World Religions and deputy secretary-general

of the Tibetan Buddhism Research Society of Beijing. He

is co-editor of a book entitled A Concise History of Tibet

and author of many books and articles, including "The

Invasion of Tibet by Tsarist Russia", "A Survey of the

Research Work on Tibetan Buddhism in Forcign Coun-

tries", "A Survey of the Research Work on Bon-po in

Foreign Countries", "The Spread of the Rnying-ma-pa Sect

of Tibetan Buddhism in Europe" and The Archltecture of

the Tibetan Lamaseries and Buddhist Art. He also trans-

lated a number of related articles by Western authorities

and is at present writirig a book entitled Tibetan Buddh-

ism.

Ku Shoukang is a well-known journalist and photogra-

pher who won many national awards for his outstanding

photos. His reports and photos have been carried by many

newspapers and magazines inside and outside China. Since

1956, he had been working as art editor and then photo

editor at the photographic department of the New China

News Agency in Beijmg, until he was transferred to Tibet

in 1977 as a resident correspondent of the Agency. It was

during the following five years that he, together with a

Tibetan photographer, Mr. Kang Song, travelled around

Tibet, visited the major lamaseries and took a great num-

ber of pictures of the religious buildings, the objects of art

they treasured, the lamas, the people and the religious

activities.

Ku is now living in Beijing and working as art editor of

the magazine Photographfc World.