Historical Dictionary of Tibet

John Powers is professor of Asian Studies at Australian National University. He is the author of 16 books and more than 50 academic articles.David Templeman is an adjunct scholar at the Monash Asia Institute at Monash University. He has more than 40 years of experience of academic study of Tibetan history, culture, and religion.

Although most of us are familiar with Tibet as a nation at odds with its powerful neighbor and as the home of the Dali Lama, much of the land’s rich history and diverse culture remains hidden atop the soaring heights of the Himalayan plateau. In this comprehensive dictionary, Powers (Australian National University, Canberra ) and Templeman (Monash University, Melbourne) have given scholars of Tibetan culture and history a rich compendium for future research.The work begins with a listing of terms covered, followed by a highly useful chronology detailing the main events of Tibetan history from the life of the Buddha to the present day. A judicious 49-page introduction presents users with a lucid overview of Tibetan religious and political history as well as a synopsis of its rich, dynamic culture and spectacular geography. The A–Z arranged entries canvass a broad diversity of subjects, including geopolitical relationships, major political leaders, episodes from an expansionist past, and religious figures as well as thematic entries such as Banking and finance, Human rights, Mongolian Buddhism, and Trade. Examples of other entries include Chakrata Project, Foreign relations, Islam, and Tibetan uprising of 2008. The volume concludes with a substantial categorized bibliography for further research into such themes as Tibetan art, history, and literature. The chief obstacle to the volume’s utility lies with the Tibetan language, which, as the authors point out, presents “unusual problems.” The authors have chosen the transliteration system developed by Turrell Wylie, a system they argue “makes it difficult for beginners to pronounce terms properly” because of its equation of Sanskrit letters with the Tibetan letters they resemble. Although this hurdle is easily overcome by subject specialists, it presents a problem for those new to the subject. Nevertheless, with its diversity of topics and clear writing, the volume is essential.