The Old Tibetan Chronicle

Introduction

This historical document was found in the ‘library’ cave at Dunhuang. It contains a narrative, in a mixture of prose and verse, describing and praising the greatness and activities of Tibet’s rulers. It is concerned with the proper relationship between ruler and subjects, which are illustrated with examples of just and unjust conduct. The early emperors are said to have expanded their realms through superior moral qualities, as well as military prowess. As Kapstein and Dotson (2013) describe, it draws on eulogies to the kings found in official inscriptions and edicts, on narrative traditions from India and China, and on a poetic tradition of song and praise poetry.
The Chronicle (PT 1287) is thought to be linked to a related text (PT 1286), which contains a list of ancient polities and royal genealogies, ending with Langdarma (’U dum btsan, d.842). The Chronicle opens with Drigum Tsenpo (Gri gum btsan po), the seventh king. The reference to Langdarma suggests that these texts were composed after the 840s, while Beckwith and Walter (2015) argue that it must be a later compilation of earlier material, possibly made in the eleventh century.

Sources 

Online transliterations:    

PT 1286: http://otdo.aa-ken.jp/text/t/130
PT 1287: http://otdo.aa-ken.jp/text/t/131

References

Transliteration and translation:

Bacot, Jacques et al. 1940. Documents de Touen-Houang relatifs a l’Histoire du Tibet. Paris: Librairie Orientaliste Paul Geuthner.

An introduction:

Kapstein, Matthew and Brandon Dotson. 2013. "The Old Tibetan Chronicles". In K. Schaeffer, M. Kapstein, and G. Tuttle (eds), Sources of Tibetan Tradition. New York: Columbia University Press, pp. 36–46. 

Other references:

Beckwith, Christopher I and Michael L. Walter. 2015. "Dating and Characterization of the Old Tibetan Annals and the Chronicle". In H. Havnevik and C. Ramble (eds), From Bhakti to Bon. Oslo: The Institute for Comparative Research in Human Culture.
Dotson, Brandon. 2007. "Divination and Law in the Tibetan Empire". In M. Kapstein and B. Dotson (eds), Contributions to the Cultural History of Early Tibet. Leiden: Brill.
––. 2009. The Old Tibetan Annals. Wien: Verlag der Österreichschen Akademie der Wissenschaften.
Hahn, Michael. 1997. "A propos the term gtsug lag". In E. Steinkellner et al. (eds), Tibetan Studies: Proceedings of the Seventh Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies, vol 1. Vienna: Austrian Academy of Sciences, pp. 347–54.
Richardson, Hugh E. 1969. "Tibetan Chis and Tsis". Asia Major 14: 254–56. 
Stein, R.A. 1985. "Tibetica Antiqua III: A propos du mot gcug-lag et de la religion indigéne". Bulletin de l'École Française d'Extrême Orient 74: 83–133.  
Uray, Geza. 1968. "A Chronological Problem in the Old Tibetan Chronicle". Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 11: 268–69. 

Outline

 The transliteration and outline are based on the original texts and include the line numbers noted in the online transliterations. The page references are to the earlier transliteration in Bacot et al (1940). There is considerable uncertainty over the correct translation of several parts of the text. The version offered here has made use of those found in Bacot et al. (1940), Dotson (2007), and Kapstein and Dotson (2013).

PT  1286 

The text contains a list of ancient polities and royal genealogies, ending with Langdarma (’U’i dum brtan).

1. Lists of kings, their families, and ministers
2. Accounts of the kingdom under Tri Nyatri Tsenpo (Khri nyag khri btsan po)
3. Lists of kings, their families, and ministers up to Langdarma

PT 1287 

This text is a military and political history of the kings of Tibet. It starts with King Drigum (Gri gum), seventh Tibetan king, continuing up to King Tri Song Detsen (Khri srong lde brtsan), late eighth century. The chronology is not entirely straightforward. In particular, events recounted in section eight, including the establishment of law and administration, are supposed to take place under Tri Song Detsen, but later in the same section are attributed to the earlier ruler, Songtsen Gampo (Srong brtsan sgam po).

1. Drigum, seventh king of Tibet and his sons and their reconquest of Tibet.
2. King Detru Namzhung (lDe phru bo gnam gzhung), the sixteenth king and the ministers under him, subsequent kings, up to and including Songtsen Gampo.
3. Activities of and power struggles between ministers under forbears of Songtsen Gampo.
4. Regional relations and intrigues during the reign of Tri Lontsen (Khri slon brtsan), father of Songtsen Gampo.
5. Relations of loyalty and protection between Songtsen Gampo and one of his ministers.
6. Conquests and intrigues among Songtsen Gampo’s ministers.
7. Conquests of Tri Dusong (Khri ’dus srong).
8. Reign of Tri Song Detsen, establishment of Buddhism, and conquest of the Tibetan empire.
9. Song of Tri Dusong and response of the ministers.
10. Skirmishes between Chinese and Tibetan generals.

Extracts

PT 1287
Section 5

The dbyi tshab of dBa’ has become an old man and the king promises to erect a tomb for him, in recognition of his fidelity. The king and his six ministers swear an oath: ‘If you, father and sons, remain faithful to the king of Spu:

[PT1287, Section 5, p. 110, l. 8]

PT 1287
Section 8

[PT1287, Section 8, p. 114]

Shortly afterwards there is a reference to the introduction of Buddhist doctrine (sangs rgyas kyi chos).

Later, the section returns to the activities of Songtsen Gampo.

[PT1287, Section 8, p. 118, line 6]