TIBETAN DIGNITARY

Evening Star, Issue 23697, 3 October 1940, Page 14

TIBETAN DIGNITARY

MARRIAGE TO CHINESE The second daughter of a Tibetan ruler, sister-in-law of the Tibetan Living Buddha Kamuyan, was married recently to a well-known Chinese writer, Mr Liu Keh-jan. Through the educational system established by her brother-in-law, who is a brother of the highest living Tibetan Lama, the princess learned to speak and read Chinese, and through his radio set she was closer to China than the average woman of Tibet. The ruler’s daughter had always dreamed of marrying a Chinese, and when Mr Liu, only 26 years old, handsome, and American by training, came to her native town in Labrang, she induced her brother-in-law to invite him to take pictures of her at their house. After a second meeting she asked him to marry her, and, though it meant total exile for the young Chinese, he willingly accepted her proposal, and tested his skill as a horseman by racing the princess, according to Tibetan tradition. Once more, with the help of the brother-in-law, objections raised by the elders were over-ruled. Instead of an engagement ring, the princess received two sheep, a pot of wine, and a piece of silk blessed by the Living Buddha. The marriage ceremony was performed by kowtowing three times before the princess’s household gods, and, in his marriage vow, Mr Liu dedicated himself for life to the advancement of education among his yyife’fi people.