1. What is “Tibetology”?
I wish to define here “Tibetology” as an academic discipline, field, or an area that attempts to study the various aspects of (mainly) past Tibetan civilization. I use the word “past” presuposing the idea of “Past is all pervasive” (Barzun & Graff). “Tibet” is not defined here in a geo-political sense but rather in the sense of the Tibetan “culturosphere,” that is, a cultural domain, in which Tibetan language, literature, and (primarily Buddhist) religions play a dominant role of human beings. In the context of understanding the history of “Tibetology,” the term “Tibetology” will not be defined de jure but rather de facto. That is, any modern scholar who has studied any aspect of Tibetan civilization based on certain written/textual sources (and thus Tibetan language) will be considered a “Tibetologist” even when he or she may officially represent some other academic discipline.
2. When Was the Term “Tibetology” First Used?
See Sinha 1984, where term is discussed. She simply states: “second quarter of this century.”
3. A Typology of “Tibetology”?
(a) Indo-Tibetology
(b) Sino-Tibetology
(c) Classical Tibetology
(d) Modern Tibetology
Maybe also according to land or language: e.g. German Tibetology, French Tibetology, etc.
I wish to define here “Tibetology” as an academic discipline, field, or an area that attempts to study the various aspects of (mainly) past Tibetan civilization. I use the word “past” presuposing the idea of “Past is all pervasive” (Barzun & Graff). “Tibet” is not defined here in a geo-political sense but rather in the sense of the Tibetan “culturosphere,” that is, a cultural domain, in which Tibetan language, literature, and (primarily Buddhist) religions play a dominant role of human beings. In the context of understanding the history of “Tibetology,” the term “Tibetology” will not be defined de jure but rather de facto. That is, any modern scholar who has studied any aspect of Tibetan civilization based on certain written/textual sources (and thus Tibetan language) will be considered a “Tibetologist” even when he or she may officially represent some other academic discipline.
2. When Was the Term “Tibetology” First Used?
See Sinha 1984, where term is discussed. She simply states: “second quarter of this century.”
3. A Typology of “Tibetology”?
(a) Indo-Tibetology
(b) Sino-Tibetology
(c) Classical Tibetology
(d) Modern Tibetology
Maybe also according to land or language: e.g. German Tibetology, French Tibetology, etc.
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