Twenty Years in Tibet

Book Details:

• ISBN: 9788170207313
• Author: D. Macdonald
• Pages: 300 pp
• Year of Publishing: 1997
• Binding: Hardbound
• Publisher: Cosmo Publications

This fascinating memoir by D. Macdonald, a British emissary with half Sikkimese heritage, offers a unique firsthand account of his time in Lhasa in the early 20th century. With his deep knowledge of Tibetan life and religion, Macdonald provides intimate insights, including a remarkable anecdote of sharing a bedroom with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, for a night.

Macdonald's time in Lhasa was during a period of historical upheaval, which included significant events such as Colonel Younghusband's mission to Lhasa in 1904, the flight of the Dalai Lama in 1910, and his return in 1912. Macdonald played a key role in the Sino-Tibetan treaty of 1918 and was deeply involved in the pivotal changes that marked the end of Tibet’s ancient civilization and the beginning of a new era shaped by British and Chinese influences.

The book not only chronicles these dramatic historical events but also vividly describes the everyday life of Tibet during this time, offering rare glimpses into rituals, food habits, healing practices, marriages, dress, and other cultural aspects that have since disappeared. This work is a remarkable and absorbing read for those interested in history, culture, and the intricate details of a now-lost civilization.