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Sino–Tibetan Empire Treaty Inscription

Identity area

Reference code

GB 891 SC78-SC78/2

Publication status

Published

Level of description

Item

Extent and medium

1 rubbing, 1 sheet

Date(s)

  • 19th Century (Creation)

Context area

Name of creator

William W. Rockhill
(1854-1914)

Biographical history

William Woodville Rockhill was an American diplomat, author, and scholar of Chinese and, in particular, Tibetan studies. He served as United States Ambassador to Greece, Serbia, Romania, China, and Russia, and was known for helping to formulate the Open Door policy toward China advanced by the United States in the late 19th century. He became a member of the Society in 1882 and published an article on the geography, ethnography, and history of Tibet in the JRAS in 1891.

Repository

Royal Asiatic Society Archives

Content and structure area

Scope and content

This consists of one large sheet formed by pasting together eight smaller sheets, measuring approximately 82cm (w) × 368cm (h) in total. The rubbing contains Chinese writing on the right and Tibetan writing on the left. The Chinese characters are only faintly legible, and the Tibetan are mostly illegible, but the piece is presumably a reproduction of the Sino–Tibetan Empire Treaty Inscription on the stone pillar erected in Lhasa in AD 823. The rubbing includes the main inscription of the treaty from one of the four sides of the pillar. A note written on the accompanying wrapping paper reads: 'Rubbing of the Tibetan Chinese Inscription at Lhasa. Presented by W. W. Rockhill 26 Nov. 1893. See JRAS XII n.s. 516–518, 534.'

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open. Please contact the Archivist.

Language of material

  • Chinese
  • Tibetan
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