[32] Gnas-brtan bchu-drug, the sixteen highest disciples of the Buddha Gautama.—(W. R.) [↑]
[33] Cf. Captain Sam. Turner, op. cit., 236, and Geo. Bogle (in C. R. Markham’s ‘Narrative of the Mission, etc.,’ 97). Bogle there says, “The floor is of a chalky clay, mixed with small pebbles, and formed into a smooth and very beautiful terrace, which, by the labours of a young gylang, who every morning gets his feet upon two woollen cloths, and exercises himself for three or four hours in skating about the room, will, in the course of fifteen or twenty years, acquire a polish equal to the other floors in the palace, which are not inferior to the finest variegated marble.”—(W. R.) [↑]
[34] This image is called the Jo-vo. It is in the Lhasa Jokhang, in the centre of the city. See my ‘Land of the Lamas,’ p. 105, note 2. See also chap. vi. p. 151 of the present narrative.—(W. R.) [↑]
[35] Called in Tibetan Chos-gyong (skyong), “protectors of the doctrine,” or Ku na gyalbo, “five great kings.” See Emil Schlagintweit, ‘Buddhism in Tibet,’ p. 157. [↑]
[36] Dzabs-drung-(pa), lit., “one near the feet of.” The expression ku-drung-pa, “near the body,” is also used.—(W. R.) [↑]
[37] Mdah-dpon, “master of the arrow,” is a military officer of about the rank of a general; they are given light-blue buttons (4th class) by the Chinese authorities.—(W. R.) [↑]
[38] A Chyan-dso-pa, or Chya-djo-pa (Phyag-mdjod-pa), is a civil officer (of 5th class of Chinese official rank) of the treasury.—(W. R.) [↑]
[39] The minister was not correctly informed. So far as I am aware, the Chinese never use this kind of “white board.” It is, however, in general use among the Western Mongols, where paper is quite as rare as in most places in Tibet.—(W. R.) [↑]
[40] A Tsipon is an accounting officer, and is assimilated by the Chinese to a 4th class official among them.—(W. R.) [↑]
[41] One of these earrings is figured in Hooker’s ‘Himalayan Journals,’ ii. 271. Tibetan men always, I believe, wear their earring in the left ear.—(W. R.) [↑]