Key Information

Photographer

Hugh E. Richardson

Collection

Hugh Richardson

Date of Photo

1949-50

Region

Lhasa > Sho

Accession number

2001.59.2.74.2

Image Dimensions

63 X 62 mm

The tall Sho inscription doring (rdo rings) pillar with mountains in the background. It was set up by a powerful minister to record his services to the king. It has a stone canopy topped by a carved finial representing the flaming wish-granting jewel. There is a boy facing the camera in the foreground, a heap of stones and an incense burner on the left and passers-by in the middle ground.

Further Information

Photographic Process

Print silver

Date Acquired

Donated August 2001

Donated by

The executors of the estate of Hugh E. Richardson

Expedition

Hugh E. Richardson

Other Information

Notes on print - 'Zhol rdo ring'

Other Information - Location and History; Richardson discusses this pillar and provides traslation of the inscriptions on it in A Corpus of Early Tibetan Inscriptions , Hertford: Royal Asiatic Society (James G. Forlong Series No. XXIX), 1985, pp. 1-25. "The three connected inscriptions on the east, south, and north faces of the tall and graceful stone pillar standing on the south side of the road that runs past the village of Zhol at the foot of the Potala are the earliest surviving from the time of the kings. pillar stands on the south side of the road that runs past the village of Zhol at the foot of the Potala in Lhasa." (p.1) The Zhol Pillar is thought to have been erected during the reign of Khri srong lde brtsan (755-c.794 A.D) to mark the appointment of relatively unknown person, Nganlam Tagdrag Lukhong (Ngan-Lam Stag sgra klu-khong), as a minister.

Hugh Richardson argues that the pillar was erected in 764 A.D or little later. The piller is inscribed on all four sides. For a full transcrition and translation, see: H. E. Ricardson, A Corpus of Early Tibetan Inscriptions" Hugh Richardson, A Corpus of Early Tibetan Inscriptions". Royal Asiatic Society, London. 1985. pp:1-25. [TS 4/4/2005]

Other Information - Dates

Other Information - Dates: The date range of 1946-50 has been given for this this image as other contact prints of the type made from this image are datable to this period. Furthermore, it was during this time that Richardson seems to have developed his interest in Tibetan inscriptions most fully and made conscious efforts to make a photographic record of the main inscriptions before his departure in 1950. [MS 17/12/2005]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Sho Pillar with passers-by" 05 Dec. 2006. The Pitt Rivers Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_2001.59.2.74.2.html>.

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Sho Pillar with passers-by