Journal of East China Normal University (Philosoph ›› 2017, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (4): 73-77.doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5579.2017.04.010

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Harrison Forman's Trip to Qinghai Province and Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and Its Influence(1932—1937)

ZHANG Fa-qing   

  • Online:2017-07-15 Published:2017-07-14

Abstract: As a famous American travel writer and a war correspondent, Harrison Forman had come to China for several times from 1930 to 1950. Forman had been to Tibetan villages in Qinghai Province and Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture for three times since 1932, investigating local religious activities and folk customs. Through Forbidden Tibet(1935) was based on his journeys to Tibetan villages from 1932 to 1933. Forman took a lot of photos of religious activities of Tibetan Buddhism, customs of worship, temples, lamas, Tibetan costumes and life during the expedition. He provided abundant resources for Western society to know and study Tibetan Buddhist culture, local customs and so on in Amduo Tibetan Area. Especially in 1936, Forman took his second trip to Amduo Tibetan Area and made a movie of the 9th Panchen Lama, which offered precious video material for the study of Amduo Tibetan Areas, and played a very important role in the development of Western Tibetan study.

Key words: Harrison Forman, Through Forbidden Tibet, Amduo Tibetan Areas