Report on Tibet

HUANG, Peiqiao (fl. 19th century). Xizang Tukao [An Illustrated Research Report on Tibet]. China, Guangxu period, preface written in 1886, published in 1894.
A very rare illustrated monograph on Tibet, compiled by Huang Peiqiao and illustrated by Han Xi and others. Huang Peiqiao was born in Changsha, Hunan. In his youth he joined the army, and was an official in Sichuan for many years. He remarks in the preface that “to defend Tibet is to strengthen Sichuan.” He collected many works of classical literature and records on Tibet in order to research this work which is divided into an introductory juan (“scroll”/”fascicle”/”chapter”) followed by a further 8 juan. The first contains a double-page general map of Tibet, a map of the borders of Tibet, the original maps of Xizhao, and a map of Zhaya. Each map is in great detail, with explanatory notes. Juan 2 contains discussions on the history of Tibet, on border defense strategies discussed in Song Yun’s Xizhao tu lue (Plans and strategies concerning Tibet), and a review of the internal territory of Tibet, with the following juan encompassing such subjects as roads, cities, bridges and fords, passes, mountains, rivers, official buildings, monasteries, ancient sites, local products, and so forth. Juan 6 surveys Tibetan affairs, while juan 7-8 focus on arts, literature, memorials, and “foreign barbarians.” The work encompasses many aspects of the history, geography, politics, economy, culture, folk customs, and languages of Tibet and is thus an important historical resource.
Four volumes, small folio (240 x 150 mm). Printed in woodcuts. 14 double-page map illustrations in volume 1. Plain wrappers without title labels, string-tied. Imprint information on yellow flyleaf of vol. 1. Housed in protective wooden covers. (Light scattered edge-chipping, several wormholes, edges browned, vol. 1 with a few marginal tears, vol. 4 cover dampstained.)
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