Khoting temple at Lhakhang Dzong in Lhodrag

Khoting temple at Lhakhang Dzong in Lhodrag

BMR.6.8.238 (Transparency colour)

Image for comparison
spacer

Key Information

Photographer

Hugh E. Richardson

Collection

Hugh Richardson

Date of Photo

1950

Region

Lhodrag Region > Lhakhang Dzong > Khoting

Accession number

BMR.6.8.238

Image Dimensions

60 x 90 mm

Khoting (mkho mthing) temple at Lhakhang Dzong founded by Songtsen Gampo in the 7th Century A.D. It is situated at the base of a mountain surrounded by trees and bushes in the district of Lhodrag near the border with Bhutan.

Further Information

Photographic Process

Transparency Colour

Expedition

Richardson's 1950 Lhodrag tour

Other Information

Technical Information - The cameras used to take this collection of colour slides (Dufay colour) were a Zeiss Super Ikonta and a Reflex Korelle. [KC 09/10/2006]

Manual Catalogues -


Manual Catalogues - Typewritten handlist entitled 'Hugh Richardson Collection, The British Museum. Photographs taken between 1936-50. Cameras: Zeiss Super Ikonta, Reflex Korelle. 300 colour slides (Dufay colour); copies made Jan. 1995.
[no.] 238. Lhobrak (Lhodrak) Lhakhang. In one chapel of this ancient monastery a peach tree was growing through the roof. In the dark and spacious main chapel was a huge five-fold image of Vairocana. This arrangement had a statue at each of the four corners, looking into the main image at the centre. The statues stood 8-10 feet high on tall pedestals.' [KC 11/10/2006]

Other information - Background: Lhakhang Dzong is situated on the confluence of the Kuru chu and Tamzhol rivers. The Dzong was an important trading post between Eastern Bhutan and Tsetang, in Central Tibet. In the middle of the settlement is the Khoting Lhakhang (mkho mthing lha khang) founded by Songtsen Gampo during the 7th century. [TS 6/6/2005] Richardson wrote of Khoting temple, "Here [at Lha-khang Dzong] is the ancient but little known temple of Mkho-thing (1950) founded by Srong-brtsan Sgam-po as one of his twelve (some say 108) temples to bind down the limbs of a female demon manacing his kingdom and to give spritual protection to his borders. Half hidden by a buckthorn hedge, it is a little, self-effacing, white-walled building with a roof of wooden shingles and a small, a flat, slate-covered rgya-phibs topped by an insignificant gilded finial." High Peaks, Pure Earth, 1998, London, Serindia Publications. p.321. [KC 21/10/2006]

For Citation use:
The Tibet Album. "Khoting temple at Lhakhang Dzong in Lhodrag " 05 Dec. 2006. The British Museum. <http://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/photo_BMR.6.8.238.html>.

For more information about photographic usage or to order prints, please visit the The British Museum.

© The British Museum