LIFE AMONG THE PEOPLE OF EASTERN TIBET 



319 



Photograph by Dr. A. L. Shelton 



AN ELABORATE CHORTEN (SHRINE) NEAR BATANG 



Chortens are a common sight in Tibet and the surrounding lands. In Peking there are 

 large Lama towers similar to these shrines, which are built solid, though they may contain 

 valued relics. 



metal large wine flasks, which are much 

 sought after throughout Tibet. I spent 

 some time in Chiamdo in 1918 caring for 

 the wounded, after the fighting in the 

 border country between Chinese and 

 Tibetans, and became well acquainted with 

 the Galon Lama, stationed there. He is 

 one of three Galons, literally "receivers 

 of commands," who rank immediately be- 

 low the Dalai Lama. This Galon was 

 commander-in-chief of the Tibetan army, 

 and while serving in that capacity had 

 given up his ecclesiastical functions. 



When I left the city he presented me 

 with two of the famous hammered-iron 

 objects of Tibetan handicraft, into which 

 had been pounded figures in gold and 

 silver. They are crude but very beauti- 

 ful. 



In some of the lamaseries of Tibet the 

 monks make and gild, idols for sale all 

 over the country. The Gartok lamasery 

 near Batang turns out thousands of the 

 images. With their crude facilities, the 

 monks are unable to gild the idols as it 

 would be done by a modern Western 



