IN THE LANGUAGE OF
Tibet. Persia.. ■ China.
1.; Pcheup Mqsh : Chou
. - 2 Lang. Nergow Nieow
3sTah Khirs Hou ,
4 Yuh | Shubpurra. Tqü
^JdBru Berk Lang
6 Pr ul Maur Che ;|
7 Ta, - Asp Ma
8 Lu Nermeish Yam
•9 Prehu Boozna Heou
10 Pchea Kherosh - Ki
11 Kee Segner Keou
12 Pha , Khook Tchou
Tartary. Japan.
Keskou .jNe, Rat
Out - ■ ; Bull
Pars . Tor Bear \
Toushcan Ow ^ 8ajt
Lovi T ats. Lightning
I lan Mi Snake : •
Junad , Uma IJorse :' '
Koi Tsitsuse.\ Ram .
Pitchin Sar * 5 ■. Mdnkfyt.^
Doukouk Torri Cock *
Eit In Dog o
Tongouz J Te g x. i
It is asserted that the art of printing has, from ar, very remote age,
been practised in Tibet, though limited in its use, as for as I could
learn, by the powerful influence of superstition. It has hitherto remained
appropriated principally to sacred works, and to the service of
learning and religion. Copies on these recondite subjects are multiplied,
when required, not by the aid of moveable types, but by means
of set forms, having the subjects of their works carved with appropriate
embellishments on blocks of wood, with which they impress
their matter upon thin narrow slips of paper, fabricated among them-
T I B E T. 323
selye^from theA’-fjbrOd?? jctotj of a- small -shrub', 'ahflo the, leaf beam the
impression-, of; tjie. characters^^ignedis for?-ijty.oni éach’ side^/Thé léaves
of a;bap,k, when they, are; completed-,- a;re loosely put j -together,'. placed
upon, eacji other, jind’epdos,ed|^fij(t w-epp jwp,- equal slips ofjjwood aS
cqyers. -
The southern Indians, who dwell along,the margin* of the sea, and
never, ,Ih]bs&Iieve, possessed theyart .of printingj engrave their works
upon the rékent leaf of the palmiia treee',’.which',-.groWng at the extremity
of a long footstalk, is naturally. foi nied IJk iui row folds, like a
half extended fan, and is easily di\ulcd’-info'segments about two
inches in width. In correspondence to the g'brpjserequiredJLdhi fairest
parts of the leal are selected, and uniformly shaped by means of a
sharp knife. On either side of theSe narrow slips,'letters are Paced or
engraven', by means of a strong5steel stylus’, -Which-makes ad i®df§MM$
impression; though sometimêsl'tö Tender the writiügitlferetdisffScïl^*
legible;, the traces- ofi the point are. lightly’ powdered^4 By the" dust cot**
lected from-the fume>-of thein midnight lampS‘h;>ThiS?s4nfbl#mefeodSöP
transmitting record's to future times, i$; -praïtetósfed* in'-:thbS'e'J,,cdttfitribs 1
alone, in which the palm tree thrives. 1 *,Thedeaf must l/Qus'ed while1
fresh; its fibrous substance seems indestructible by vermin.'*>*
The* printed and written character, dppröpriate-f&kwbrks of learning
and religion, is styled, -ibUfaeelanguage:’of Tibet,. thë-Üch'ék;’ tlialhn
which business ahdböa®respohdence is* carriedion, is called1 tKe“Uminm
As a specimen of the style and manrifer of writing, & short letter, ‘the
fac simile of one ip my possession’, received;Iromtithe Daeb Raja, is
c Borassus flabelliformis.
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