Lugong ceremony outside the main entrance to the Jokhang

Lugong ceremony outside the main entrance to the Jokhang

2001.59.9.1.1 (Film negative)

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Key Information

Photographer

Hugh E. Richardson

Collection

Hugh Richardson

Date of Photo

April 10th 1937, April 18th 1939 or April 6th 1940

Region

Lhasa > Jokhang (from Doring House)

Accession number

2001.59.9.1.1

Image Dimensions

55 x 85 mm

Large crowd consisting of monks, monk musicians and spectators in the courtyard outside the main entrance of the Jokhang. The occasion is the ceremony of the Lugong gyalpo (glud 'gong rgyal po) which took place on the 29th day of the second Tibetan month. On the left the Dalai Lama's window and to the left of that the lamp post may be seen.

Further Information

Activity

Ritual Activity

Photographic Process

Negative film nitrate

Date Acquired

Donated August 2001

Donated by

The executors of the estate of Hugh E. Richardson

Expedition

Hugh E. Richardson

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Notes on negative album - 'A'. CEREMONIES. SCAPEGOAT. SERPANG. ORACLE KARMASHAR. CHIPGYUR. LHA BSDUR NECHUNG. YASO. LUKHANG BOATS. GANGTOK WARRIORS.'

Manual Catalogues -


Manual Catalogues - Notes on negative index - 'Lu gong at Jokhang prayer' (red ink) is written in Richardson's hand on a piece of paper glued onto the first page of the negative album. [KC 20/9/2006]

Manual Catalogues -


Manual Catalogues - Richardson's handlist Album 'A' - 'Nos 1-20 illustrate the Scapegoat ceremony,the Glud-'gong rgyal-po ,on the 29th day of the second month. No.1 The arrival of a boy and girl in a special dress; they are known as dpa'bo and dpa'-mo and are said to provide an auspicious aatmosphere.' [KC 20/9/2006]

Other Information - Setting


Other Information - Setting: Richardson mentions that he saw this ceremony on three occasions so one can assume that the photographs of the ceremony are from three different occasions. He provides a very full description of the proceedings in Ceremonies of the Lhasa Year, 1993, London: Serindia Publications, pp. 61-71, "In this ceremony two men dressed in shaggy goatskins and with their faces painted half black and half white are driven out of the city in a performance which has a superficial resemblance to the ritual recorded in other civilizations where a scapegoat is expelled bearing with him the sins of the people. ... of the two men on whomthe burden fell one was a poyen , servant, of the magistrates of the SHo whose other duties were to flog criminals and look after the neighbouring parks; the other was chosen by the villagers of Phenpo who were tenants of the Kundeling monastery in Lhasa. (p.62) Unlike the majority of ceremonies at Lhasa this one does not start until midday. By then a crowd has gathered around the courtyard in front of the main entrance to the Jokhang. Then the two Shengo of Drepung with their deputies,attended by brawny monk police carrying long poles, staves and sticks, march gravely across the courtyard and sit on a bench below the Dalai Lama's window." p. (64). [KC 20/9/2006]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Lugong ceremony outside the main entrance to the Jokhang" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_2001.59.9.1.1.html>.

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