The Power of Publishing in Early Modern Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan woodblock publishing flourished during the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, marking a 'golden age' that significantly influenced Tibetan Buddhist culture, religion, and politics across Tibet, Mongolia, and China. This study reveals how the publication and dissemination of Tibetan books, initiated under the Fifth Dalai Lama's Potala Palace in Lhasa, played a pivotal role in shaping religious and political landscapes well into the twentieth century. The research traces the circulation of these texts through cosmopolitan Qing Beijing and monastic colleges along the Sino-Tibetan borderlands, demonstrating their multifaceted use in scholarship, ritual, and various reading practices. Mahāyāna Buddhist ideas are identified as a key driver behind this publishing boom, highlighting the profound impact of textual exchange on early modern Tibetan Buddhist societies.

Nourse, B. J. (2025). The Power of Publishing in Early Modern Tibetan Buddhism. https://doi.org/10.5771/9781666958010