Edited and translated by Guido Vogliotti; xv, 166p., Bib., Index, 21 cm.
CONTENTS
DESCRIPTION
The Country of Zhang-zhung, the stronghold of the ancient Bon religion, is generally belived to have been situated at the western end of the Tibet, in the Religion around Mount Kailasa. Religion Bon texts handed down to us in tibetan translations mention the fact that these texts were origiinally writen in the language of Zhang-zhung, but due to the scarcity of material in this language, many scholars tended to dismiss this as a fabrication of the Bonpos. In this book Prof. Hummel revisits the whole issue of Zhang-zhung, concentrating particularly on its language, but also on the actual size and geographical position of this kingdom. The studies presented here bring a host of new, almost provocative ideas, suggesting that Zhang-zhung was a vast confederacy of states stretching all the way from western to north-eastern Tibet, and that its language was in fact no artificail product. Tracing its origins to the eastern Tibetan region of Si-hia and Mi-nyag. With the help of Zhang-zhung, the author even shed new light on the meaning of the old Tibetan kings ’ name. Without any pretensions to have fully resolved the issue of understanding the Zhang-zhung language, the author opens up new perspective for future research.
