Tibetans, The

Kapstein, Matthew T.

ISBN 10: 0631225749 / ISBN 13: 9780631225744

Published by Wiley-Blackwell October 13, 2006, Malden, MA, 2006

About this Item

360 pages, b&w photographs. Minor wear to dust jacket. Else a very clean, tight copy. Record # 454404. Seller Inventory # 454404

Bibliographic Details

Title: Tibetans, The

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell October 13, 2006, Malden, MA

Publication Date: 2006

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis:

This book provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to Tibet, its culture and history.

• A clear and comprehensive overview of Tibet, its culture and history.
• Responds to current interest in Tibet due to continuing publicity about Chinese rule and growing interest in Tibetan Buddhism.
• Explains recent events within the context of Tibetan history.
• Situates Tibet in relation to other Asian civilizations through the ages.
• Draws on the most recent scholarly and archaeological research.
• Introduces Tibetan culture – particularly social institutions, religious and political traditions, the arts and medical lore.
• An epilogue considers the fragile position of Tibetan civilization in the modern world.

From the Back Cover:

"In the past, for largely geographical reasons, Tibet was isolated from the rest of the world, which meant that our country, people and culture were not only shrouded in mystery, but often gravely misunderstood. More recently, as interest has grown, scholarship concerning Tibet has improved beyond expectation, although it has often singled out narrow topics for consideration. In producing this substantial book, which takes a broad view of Tibetans and their civilization, within a long historical perspective, Matthew Kapstein has brought to his work the authority and clarity he has acquired through many years of friendship with and observation of the people of the Land of Snow."
―His Holiness The Dalai Lama

Interest in Tibet has developed very rapidly during the past several decades, and numerous texts, artifacts, and records of life in Tibetan communities are now readily available to researchers. The Tibetans provides a comprehensive introduction to this intriguing land, orienting the reader to the Tibetan geographical region and its inhabitants. Topics treated here include Tibetan religious and political history, together with major aspects of Tibetan culture: social institutions, religious and philosophical traditions, literature and the arts. A concluding chapter discusses the fragile position of Tibetan civilization in the modern world, surveying events that have transpired since Tibet’s incorporation into the People’s Republic of China.