The Paper Road: Archive and Experience in the Botanical Exploration of West China and Tibet

373 Pages·2011·5.58 MB·English

by  Erik Mueggler

The Paper Road

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The publisher gratefully acknowledges the generous support
of the Philip E. Lilienthal Asian Studies Endowment Fund
of the University of California Press Foundation, which
was established by a major gift from Sally Lilienthal.
The publisher also gratefully acknowledges
the generous contribution to this book provided
by the University of Michigan.
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The Paper Road
Archive and Experience in the Botanical
Exploration of West China and Tibet
ERIK MUEGGLER

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University of California Press, one of the most distinguished university presses
in the United States, enriches lives around the world by advancing scholarship in
the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Its activities are supported by
the UC Press Foundation and by philanthropic contributions from individuals and
institutions. For more information, visit www.ucpress.edu.
University of California Press
Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd.
London, England
© 2011 by The Regents of the University of California
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Mueggler, Erik, 1962-
The paper road : archive and experience in the botanical exploration of West
China and Tibet / Erik Mueggler.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-520-26902-6 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-520-26903-3 (paper : alk. paper)
1. Forrest, George, 1873-1932—Travel. 2. Rock, Joseph Francis Charles,
1884-1962—Travel. 3. Botany—Fieldwork—China—Yunnan Sheng—History—
20th century. 4. Botany—Fieldwork—China—Gansu Sheng—History—20th
century. 5. Botany—Fieldwork—China—Tibet Autonomous Region—History—
20th century. 6. Yunnan Sheng (China)—Description and travel. 7. Gansu Sheng
(China)—Description and travel. 8. Tibet Autonomous Region (China)—
Description and travel. 9. Botanists—Scotland—Biography. 10. Botanists—
United States—Biography.
I. Title.
QK355.M83 2011
580.92′2—dc23 2011017740
Manufactured in the United States of America
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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In keeping with a commitment to support environmentally responsible and
sustainable printing practices, UC Press has printed this book on 50-pound
Enterprise, a 30% post-consumer-waste, recycled, deinked fiber that is processed
chlorine-free. It is acid-free and meets all ANSI/NISO (Z 39.48) requirements.
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For Sean McCabe, 1962–2009

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Contents

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Note on Transliteration
Introduction
PART I

1. The Eyes of Others
2. Farmers and Kings
3. The Paper Road
4. The Golden Mountain Gate
PART II

5. Bodies Real and Virtual
6. Lost Worlds
7. The Mountain
8. Adventurers
9. The Book of the Earth
Notes
Bibliography
Index
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Illustrations

1. Zhao Chengzhang
2. Northwest Yunnan, by Zhao Chengzhang, 1925
3. Northwest Yunnan, from Lijiang Fu Zhi Lue, 1743
4. West Yunnan, by Zhao Chengzhang with additions by George Forrest, 1925
5. The Minguang valley, by Zhao Chengzhang with additions by George
Forrest, 1925
6. The Minguang valley, by George Forrest, 1925
7. Crossings (lò)
8. George Forrest in Dali, Yunnan with boxes of specimens, 1904
9. Ajia Ade (Mu De), first Ming dynasty chief of Lijiang, 1382
10. On the Yulong range with Forrest’s rifle and camera
11. Forrest’s “garret” in Nvlvk’ö
12. After a journey, with specimens
13. The first verse of “Song for the Dead, the Origin of Sorrow”
14. Pages from a zhim funeral ritual text
15. Section of a “gods’ road” scroll
16. Graphs for ngawbä
17. Gyvdt nàbpú, father of the ngawbä
18. On the road, 1920s
19. Wang Zanchen, mugua of Yezhi, 1923
20. Graphs for Nund , Nunkhi, and Nund Gyìnvlv
21. On the road, 1920s
22. Page from Joseph Rock’s diary, March 25, 1934
23. From Joseph Rock, The Ohia Lehua Trees of Hawaii
24. From Joseph Rock, Notes Upon Hawaiian Plants
25. Acacia koa, with hat to mark scale
26. Acacia koa, with white companion and Hawai’ian guide
27. Market crowd in Dali, Yunnan, 1922
28. Crowd peering into temple in Gatoubu, Gansu, 1925
29. Castanopsis, from near Longling, Yunnan, 1922
30. In Qingshui, Gansu, listening to Caruso on Rock’s gramophone
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31. Sokwo Arik nomads with Rock’s gramophone
32. After the concert
33. He Xueshan, one of Rock’s assistants, with head of blue sheep
34. Concert at Dzangar monastery
35. Xiang Cicheng Zhaba in religious robes
36. The Great Lama’s bodyguard
37. Xiang Cicheng Zhaba in robes of state
38. Prisoners in Muli
39. Prisoner in Muli
40. Rock’s camp in Deibu
41. Rock’s camp in the Yulong range
42. In Chone
43. Li Shichen with pheasant
44. Li Shichen with mouth harp
45. Rubric from Joseph Rock, The Zhimä Funeral Ceremony of the Na-Khi of
Southwest China
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