Key Information

Photographer

Rabden Lepcha?

Collection

Sir Charles Bell

Date of Photo

May 1921

Region

Lhasa > Lingka

Accession number

1998.285.332.1

Image Dimensions

120 x 163 mm

Group of Nepalese men and boys, standing and sitting at two tables playing Chinese dominoes, ba, next to an applique tent awning.

Further Information

Photographic Process

Negative glass plate gelatin , Negative Half Plate

Date Acquired

Donated 1983

Donated by

St Antony's College, Oxford.

Copy difference

Lantern

Expedition

Sir Charles Bell's Mission to Lhasa 1920-21

Photo also owned by

Royal Central Asiatic Society

Previous Catologue Number

H.303

Previous Pitt Rivers Museum Number

BL.H.303

Manual Catalogues -

Manual Catalogues - Bell's List of Illustrations entry: "[No. of chapter] LV. [Subject of Chapter] Nepal [Subject of Illustration] H.303 (l) Nepalese picnicking near Lhasa. Playing ba (Chinese dominoes (right), gramophone (left). [Remarks] L.278"

Other Information - Cultural Background

Other Information - Cultural Background: Bell's Diary for 5th May 1921 reports the following information as told to Bell by Kusho Palhese:"The people of Lhasa repair to the ling-kas for picnics mainly between the 3rd and 7th months (say) from May to August inclusive. Riding today through some of the ling-kas I came across fourteen or fifteen of these picnic parties. The Chinese and the Ladakhis usually had a white tent roof, gaily ornamented with the usual blue desings, over their parties, while the Tibetans sat under trees with only a cloth some five feet high stretched along one side to keep off the wind." [Vol. X., p.51]

Other Information - Cultural Background

Other Information - Cultural Background: On 25th May 1921 Bell discussed popular forms of Tibetan entertainment with Kusho Palhese and this prompted the following Diary entry, made on 28th May 1921 in relation to the games of Ba and Sho :" Ba played also in lingkas . This is a Chinese game of dominoes. It is played by four persons, and involves a good deal of gambling. // Sho is a game played with dice which also involves a good deal of gambling. Sho is the national Tibetan gambling game, played by all, high and low, the peasantry included. Ba is a Chinese game and requires considerable skill to play as well; its devotees are found almost solely among the upper classes. Among parties in lingkas , people playing sho will very often be found" [Diary Vol. X., pp.86-7]

Other Information - Cultural Background

Other Information - Cultural Background: On 25th May 1921 Bell discussed popular forms of Tibetan entertainment with Kusho Palhese and this prompted the following Diary entry in relation to picnic parties:"Apart from these games [ horse racing, archery, putting the weight, long-jumping ] picnicking is a very favourite way of spending the day in summer. Between May and September the lingkas are full of picnic parties. Whether government owned or private owned any may come and bring their lunch and tea and spend the day there. Those who are more particular pitch a tent or the roof of a tent, white with blue designs after the Tibetan fashion. Others just sit down under the poplars or willows, and hang a cloth on one side to keep off the breeze. Sho and Ba (Chinese dominoes) will be played, singing and perhaps dancing especially towards evening, and the stories of older days will be recounted by those who know them. Beer and tea there will be in plenty, and food mostly after the Chinese style." [Diary Vol. X., p.82]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Nepalese party picnicking near Lhasa" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_1998.285.332.1.html>.

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