Key Information

Photographer

Unknown Photographer

Collection

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Date of Photo

September 28th 1936

Named Person

Frederick Spencer Chapman, Sir Basil Gould, Hugh Richardson, Dr Morgan, Norbhu Dhondup

Region

Lhasa > Dekyi Lingka

Accession number

1998.131.414.2

Image Dimensions

116 x 167

The British Mission entertain the Cabinet under an awning at the Dekyi Lingka. Young high ranking Tibetan girls, often referred to as 'Chang girls' by Mission members, serve the guests. The servant in the background wearing white is wearing the normal dress of the Mission servants, which in this case is an amalgam of Indian dress with a Tibetan waistcoat

Further Information

Photographic Process

Print gelatin silver

Date Acquired

Donated 1994

Donated by

Faith Spencer Chapman

Expedition

British Diplomatic Mission to Lhasa 1936-37

Photo also owned by

Frederick Spencer Chapman

Previous Catologue Number

CU.32 In publication
'Lhasa Mission 1936, Diary of Events', P. Neame, H. Richardson, F. S. Chapman, Government of India Political Department [Note: photographs for October 18th - November 4th 1936 are not included as their relationship to text is not detailed; see Mission Diary text for details of images] [see photos in publication]

Previous Pitt Rivers Museum Number

SC.T.2.414

Other Information

Notes on print/mount - The reference 'CU.32' has been written on the back of the print in pencil. The back of the print is covered with crop and reproduction instructions and also bears the hand-written caption "We entertain the cabinet [?] chang girls". A piece of thin paper has been stuck to the back of the print and folded over the front. Usually this would be used to transfer cropping instructions from front to back but it has not been used in this case [MS 24/03/2006]

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Caption in Chapman's hand-written list of negatives made whilst on the Mission to Lhasa, 1936-7 [See PRM Manuscripts Collection]: 'General view of lunch'; PRM Manuscripts Collection: ‘List of Tibetan Prints and Negatives’ - Book 3: ‘26/4 - The Shappes (cabinet ministers) come to lunch with us. Tendong on left, two chang-girls pour our barley beer’ [MS 24/03/2006]

Other Information - Cultural Background

Other Information - Cultural Background: Although Chapman describes these girls as Chang Girls, they are more likely to be the daughters of aristocrats as they are exceptionally well-dressed and wearing very expensive ornaments and jewellery [TS 14/2/2005]

Other Information - Related Images

Other Information - Related Images: Images prefixed with 'CU' comprise a group of negatives containing images of gentians, lammergeyers, and vultures, Hugh Richardson and cairns, Gyamberi [‘Holy Hill’], Norbhu, Trimon, Tsarong, Ringang, Gould, Tendong, 'chang girls'. They seem to have been taken on September 27th - 28th 1936, with this image having been taken on September 28th [MS 24/03/2006]

Other Information - Description: Mission Diary entry for September 28th 1936 - "We gave a lunch party to the officials of Cabinet rank. They were the three Shapes, Trimon shape (retired), Tsarong Dzasa, the Chikyap Khempo (head of all the monk officials) and the Yapshi Kung (a relation of a former Dalai Lama). Ringang also came as interpreter. // Before lunch Mr Gould met the Kashag for a brief but profitable business talk. // Our Tibetan guests are easy to entertain and appear to enjoy being entertained. There is never any hurry to break up the party. This one lasted until 5 p.m." ['Lhasa Mission, 1936: Diary of Events', Part VII p.1, written by Richardson] [MS 24/03/2006]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Cabinet dinner, Dekyi Lingka" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_1998.131.414.2.html>.

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