The Early Tibetan Tradition of the Dong (Ldong) People: The Nyen Collection and its Connections with the leu Rirualists of Amdo

Abstract

The paper deals with the surviving collections of old myths entitled The Nyen Collection (Gnyan 'bum) associated with the Ldong clan of Tibetans. It explores its connections with the little-researched tradition of lay ritualists from north-eastern Tibet called le'u, prevalent up to the time of Cultural Revolution in China, but on the verge of extintion these days.