Tibetan Manuscripts and Early Printed Books, Volume II explores the major categories of traditional Tibetan books, introducing their specific features and the main approaches to their study.In five major sections, it surveys manuscript collections including Buddhist scriptural canons, official and administrative documents, works on technical subjects—medicine, veterinary practice, liturgical chant, and the arts of divination—and Tibetan books from China and Mongolia. Two case studies exemplify the roles of paleographic and iconographic analysis in the examination of antique manuscripts.Like Volume I, the second volume of Tibetan Manuscripts and Early Printed Books has been written by the foremost experts in the field, whose wide-ranging essays are illustrated with numerous full-color images of original works. Addressing students and scholars of Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan history and culture in their varied dimensions, this volume will also interest scholars and other readers oriented more broadly to the global history of the book. Volume I was published simultaneously with Volume II and is also now available.
Matthew T. Kapstein
Matthew T. Kapstein is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the École Pratique des Hautes Études in Paris and Associate of the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. His many books include The Tibetans and The Tibetan Assimilation of Buddhism.
Editorial Reviews
“These two volumes serve as both foundational texts for the field in the years to come as well as immense sources of inspiration for further inquiry into the rich history and material culture of Tibetan books.”
—Manuscript Studies
“This is one of the most interesting and influential new books in the field of Tibetan studies. Matthew T. Kapstein and his team of contributors are leading experts in the topics they address. Both broad and deep in its coverage, accessibly written, and generously illustrated with well-chosen images, this work will be a core text for students of Tibetan studies going forward.”
—Frances Garrett, University of Toronto, coeditor of Hidden Lands in Himalayan Myth and History
“The academic field of Tibetan studies is so fundamentally dependent on manuscripts and printed books, and this unprecedented guide to these materials and the methodologies of their study is essential for beginning students and advanced scholars alike. The comprehensive range and depth of detail are remarkable.”
—Bryan J. Cuevas, Florida State University