IDNO

P.97009.WIL

Description

On Cech’s list describing prints:
“(58-135 where taken in Lhasa.) [25.8.33]
97. “Crossing stream to Lu-khang”
“We were paddled across a small lake in a wooden boat with a horse-head prow to a tiny island where the house of snakes was situated.” (MPOW: 121).” [printed text]
For more information see Cech’s list.

A group of Tibetans paddling a small boat across a lake to an island on which stands the Lu-khang. On the island are a series of stone steps leading up to the entrance of the temple.

Place

C Asia; Tibet; Lhasa; Lukhang Temple

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Williamson, Frederick

Collector / Expedition

Date

25 August 1933

Collection Name

Williamson Collection

Source

Williamson, Margaret

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Transcription: The transcription of this album by Mark Turin and Sara Shneiderman was carried out with reference to Krystina Cech’s catalogue list alone. Alex Nadin has since revised their cataloguing by systematically matching their records to the images. Margaret Williamson’s handwritten captions for photographs have now been transcribed into the Inscription field, and Cech’s descriptions appear in the Description field. Correct entries for Place, Named Person and Other Nos. have also been entered by Alex Nadin. [Sudeshna Guha 29/10/2002]

Place: Entry previously recorded as “Asia; South Asia”, but research shows that Lukhang is a temple that “stands on a small island in a park behind the Potala Palace, on the north side, west of the old city of Lhasa. It is known as the Dzonggyab Lukhang meaning literally "Water Spirit Temple behind the Fort". The island measures roughly 40 m. in diameter, and the rectangular lake 270 x 112 m. Nearby to the south-west stood the elephant stables, Langkhang, built in 1791 by the Eighth Dalai Lama, but these were destroyed in 1996. The temple itself faces south, like the Potala. A humped stone bridge, 24.67 m. long, in Chinese style, links the island to the shore”. [Source: Asian Arts, www.asianart.com/shalu/lukhang/index.html] [JD 22/1/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Caspian James 21/8/2008]