Pelliot tibétain 1290
Pelliot tibétain 1290 is a ninth-century Old Tibetan manuscript recovered from the Dunhuang cave library (sealed c. 1000 CE), now held in the Bibliothèque nationale de France. It preserves a composite political document from the Tibetan Empire: a naming ceremony for a prince, a praise song, a charter of the petty kingdoms, a cosmological vision, a loyalty oath, and administrative protocols.
The centrepiece is the naming of the prince Khri Gtsug-lde-brtsan — widely identified with Emperor Ralpacan (r. 815–838 CE), one of the Three Dharma Kings of Tibet. The Buddhist monk Yon Tan composed music and song verses for the occasion. But the document extends far beyond the ceremony: it catalogues the pre-imperial petty kingdoms (rgyal phran) with their lords and ministers, describes a golden palace rising in ascending tiers sealed with ten truths, lists the nine treasures of the realm, and includes a remarkable loyalty oath in which the Tibetan subjects declare their valour competes with the tiger.
The recto and verso of the manuscript contain overlapping material — the catalogue of petty kingdoms and the golden palace poetry appear on both sides with minor variants. This translation presents a composite text, drawing on the clearest reading from each side. Lacunae in the damaged manuscript are marked with [...]. The administrative messenger protocol on the recto preserves the oldest known Tibetan postal regulations. First complete standalone English translation. Translated from Old Tibetan by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
The Song for the Naming
[...] by miracle, skillfully arranged —
wherever one bows, [...] the sign of happiness.
From the auspicious Dragon Year,
the [...] year arises perpetually.
O! The good and bad — the gifts of summer —
all born beings in succession go forth, expand, and multiply.
In winter, all sleepers arise.
In spring, all that is sown comes to life.
In various [...] at the divine valley of Skyi,
from Emperor Mu-tsu-brtan,
when the name Khri Gtsug-lde-brtsan was bestowed —
by the monk Yon Tan,
these music and song verses were composed:
Amid the high peaks of Gtsang, in the heart of the snow mountains,
at the head where the great wind-river descends,
upon the proud face of Tibet, upon the ridge of six earths —
in this divine dwelling, the jeweled centre of the land —
the lord of men, divine in deed, whose crown does not change.
Therefore, the Pugyal [...]
The Charter of the Petty Kingdoms
In each land of the petty kingdoms, with one fort in each, thus were the petty kingdoms established, and the ministers of the petty kingdoms — three for each — were appointed:
Zhang Zhung Dar-ma. Lord: Lag Snya-shur. Ministers: Khyung-po Ra-sangs-rje; Stong-lam and Rma-rtse.
Myang-ro's outer fortress. Lord: Rtsang-rje Thod-kar. Ministers: Su-du and Gnang.
Gnubs country's nine dwelling-places. Lord: Gnubs-rje Sris-pa. Ministers: Rme'u and Ljang.
Sngon. Lord: Skyi-rje Rmong-pa. Ministers: She'u and Spug.
Ngas-po's Khra-sum. Lord: Dgu Khri Zing-po, of Khri-pa. Three territories.
'Ol's Sngang-kar. Lord: 'Ol-rje Zing-brang-tsha. Ministers: Rngo and Dba's.
Rngegs country's four corners. Lord: Rngegs-rje La-brang. Ministers: Sas-pa and Myang.
Glum-ro's Ya-sum. Lord: Gu-nam-pa's son Gseng-ti. Ministers: Myang and Sbrang.
Sribs-sna's 'Ol-mo-gong. Lord: Dang-rje Tsho-rnol-nam. Ministers: Bzhugs-tsam-na and Dbrad.
Agreements with the petty kingdoms' ministers — the Rme'u and Ljang, the Bzhre, and the monks — were sealed by stamp and letter of pledge. In the winter of the Tiger Year —
The Vision of the Golden Palace
Oh! What we see, we pray to behold!
Outside upon outside —
a single vajra spring rests.
Before the vajra spring,
a single eternal stream descends.
At the bank of the eternal stream,
a single lotus flower is born.
Before the lotus flower —
a golden bird soars with spreading wings,
at the crown of the beneficent tree.
Though gods descend from heaven —
the vajra spring does not age.
Though vast plains crumble to dust —
the eternal stream does not dry.
Today's throne canopy —
the jeweled seat of power.
Higher than gold.
More noble than turquoise.
Higher than saffron.
Bluer than indigo.
Whiter than conch.
At the highest of the meadow's heights:
a golden-doored cave-chamber —
chambers in tiers: six.
Intermediate chambers with courts: seven.
Golden doors in rows: eight.
Thresholds with lattices: nine.
Seals of truth: ten.
Upon those ten truths arrayed —
the brass belongs to another.
Not even one door was opened.
The Nine Treasures
If even one door were opened:
Nine excellences — provisions of silk.
Nine auspiciousnesses — tiger and leopard.
Nine softnesses — fox and wolf.
Nine provisions — millet and rice.
Nine greatnesses — lords and ministers.
Nine sharpnesses — arrows and spears.
That much having been heaped up —
what has not been heaped awaits hereafter.
The Oath of the Subjects
We are subjects of Tibet.
Wherever we fall — like thunder!
Our valour competes with the tiger.
Our excellence speaks for itself.
Mountain joy — the sons of Tibet.
[...] to the lands of Hor —
To spread and send forth:
it is cut off even from the sky above.
From the earth's depths, from the mouths of three men — it is also cut off.
From the peaks of the three ranges — it is also cut off.
May the inner ones in all directions be ever at peace.
A certain attendant affixed a seal —
when the seal is offered from [...]:
The Messenger Protocol
If an official document bearing a seal is damaged — whether the matter takes long or short — the holding, escorting, and dispatching of the messenger relay shall follow this order:
If a sealed document is later damaged at a subsequent relay post, the post shall examine whether the official mark is damaged or intact.
If a document from a subsequent relay is presented, examine whether official marks are present or absent. If opened by decree, examine the record of what grievance was brought. If something is found improper, hold the document and request the original official mark.
If the inquiry takes long, dispatch a messenger carrying an iron bird. Wherever the decree orders — go. From one relay post to the next, mark the passage. Escort and dispatch so that it arrives without delay.
If the messenger's sealed document is lost upon the plain, then present an urgent sealed replacement. Even a messenger coming from below is acceptable.
Addendum
Lord Lha-dpal.
Before the face of Lha-dpal,
when it was presented —
a decree was issued.
Urgent.
Colophon
Pelliot tibétain 1290 is a ninth-century Old Tibetan political document preserved in the Dunhuang cave library, now held in the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The manuscript comprises a recto (12 lines) and verso (8 lines, with 5 lines of addenda) that overlap substantially in their catalogue of petty kingdoms and golden palace poetry. This translation presents a composite text drawn from both sides, using the clearest reading from each. Where the recto and verso diverge, the more complete version was preferred. The "Nine Treasures" section and the "Oath of the Subjects" are unique to the verso.
The naming ceremony of Khri Gtsug-lde-brtsan — here identified with Emperor Ralpacan (r. 815–838 CE) — is framed by the Buddhist monk Yon Tan's praise song, which describes Tibet's geography in terms that merge landscape with divine mandate. The catalogue of petty kingdoms (rgyal phran) preserves the administrative structure of pre-imperial Tibet, listing nine kingdoms with their lords and pairs of ministers, drawn from the great clans: Rme'u, Ljang, She'u, Spug, Khyung-po, Rngo, Dba's, Sas-pa, Myang, Sbrang, and Dbrad. The golden palace vision — rising from vajra spring to eternal stream to lotus to golden bird to a sealed ten-tiered palace — is among the most extraordinary passages in Old Tibetan literature.
The administrative section on the recto preserves imperial messenger relay (slung) regulations: protocols for handling damaged seals, authentication procedures, the "iron bird" (lcags bya) dispatch for urgent messages, and rules for lost documents. These are among the oldest postal regulations from Central Asia.
The term "eternal stream" (g.yung drung chab) uses g.yung drung — often translated "swastika" — in its original Tibetan sense of "eternal" or "everlasting," the Bon symbol of permanent truth.
Translated from Old Tibetan as transcribed in the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO) database, maintained by Tsuguhito Takeuchi, Nathan Hill, and colleagues. No reference English translation was consulted. The translation is independently derived from the Old Tibetan source language. Some readings in damaged sections are uncertain; these are marked with [...]. The identification of proper names follows standard Tibetological convention.
First complete standalone English translation from Old Tibetan. Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: བཀའ་རྟགས་ཡི་གེ་ — Pelliot tibétain 1290
Old Tibetan source text from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO) database, University of Tsukuba / SOAS. Transcription by Tsuguhito Takeuchi, Nathan Hill, and colleagues. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
(r1) [---] [-s] thIl na / / 'phrul kyis nI mkhos bshamstebshams te / gang dud ni bd[-] skyid pa'I rtags / / bkra shis nI 'brug lo nas / / [-i-] lo ni rgyun du 'byung / kye legs nyes dbyar gyI yon / / skyes dgu rims kyIs phyir zhIng rgyas la 'phel / / dgun gyi [nyal?] dgu langs / dpyId na btab dgu skyes /
(r2) sna tshogs rnam[s?] [---] skyI'i lha lung du' / btsan po mu tsu brtan las / / khrI gtsug lde brtsan du mtshan gsol [ba'i? tshe?] / / ban de yon tan gyIs / rol mo glu tshigs bgyIs pa / / ri m[tho sa] gtsang gangs rI dbus / chu bo rlung cen 'bab gyi mgo / / bod kha g.ya's / drug sa'I sgang / lha gnas yul dbyig dkyIl 'di na / / myI rje lha mdzad gtsug myi
(r3) 'gyurd' & gyurd / / de phyir spu rgyal [---] / l[o?] khri leg / rgyal phanphran yul yul na / / mkhar bu re re dang / mchi ste / rgyal phran bgyId pa dang / / rgyal phran gyi blon po rme'u dang ljang / bzherbzhre dang / bun de dang / khas len gyi sug rgya dang / sug yIg tshad kyis btab / / stag gI lo'i dgun / / [*dar] ma'I rje bo leglig snya shur / / blon po she'u dang spug gnyis yulyu & l
(r4) ngas po 'i khra sum / blon po khyung po ra sangs rje / stang lam rma rtse gnyIs myang ro'i phyIr khar na rje rtsang rje'i thod kar / / blon po su du dang ganggnang gnyis / / yul gnubs yul gyi glIng dang dgun / rje gnubs rje'i srIs pa / / blon po rme'u dang ljang / / sjonsngon / rje myiskyi rje 'I rmong pa / / blon po she'u dang spug gnyis yul [sang?]
(r5) yul ngas po 'i khra sum na rje dgu khrI zing po rje khrI pas sum yul / / 'ol gyi lngang kang na / rje 'ol rje 'I zing brang tsha / / blon po rngo dang dva'sdba's gnyIs / / yul rngegs yul gyi gru bzhI na / rje rngegs rje la brang / blon po sas pa dang myang / blon po rngo dang dba's gnyis / / yul rngegs yul gyI gyugru bzhi na / / rje rngegs rje la brang / blon po sas pa
(r6) dang myang gnyIs / / yul glum ro 'i ya sum na / rje gu nam pa'I bug seng ti / / blon po myang dang sbrang gnyIs / yul sribs sna'I 'ol mo gong / rje dang rje 'i tsho rnol nam / blon po bzhugs tsam na dang bradbrang / blon po rngo dang dba's gnyIs / / yul rngegs yul gyi gyugru bzhi na / rje rngegs rje
(r7) la brang / blon po sas pa dang myang gnyis / / yul glum ro 'i ya sum na / rje gu nam pa'I bug seng ti / / blon po myang dang sbrang gnyis / yul srIbs sna 'i 'ol mo gong na / rje dang rje'i tsho rnol nam / blon po bzhugs tsam na dang dbrangdbrad gnyis / / kye ma mthong cag blta 'tshal ba' / / phi kI dag
(r8) phyi kIn / rderdo rje cag de'u cig bzhugs / / rdo rje cad de'u drung na' / / yungg.yung drung dadag chab cig 'bab / / g.yung drung cag chab 'gram na / / manmen tog dag hva zhig 'khrungs / / men tog dag hva drung na / / gser gcag bye'u jra jan ldIng kha 'phur cIg dag phan shing rtse / / dgung las dag lha gshegs kyang / rdo rje cag de'u myI rnying / rgya than
(r9) dgag skar chigs kyang / g.yongg.yung drung dag chab myI skams / / deng gi khrI gdugs / longlod kyakyi dbyig dugs / gser le mthon gong / g.yu le bang / phangs / btsod le snar gong / / ram le sngon gong / dung le dkang gong / sngang snar gi mthon gong na / / gsargser sko cag khang phug ste / khang khang cag rim ste drug / bar khang cag khyIms dang bdun / / gsorgser sgo cag khrigs dang brgyad / /
(r10) tha ram cag sIl dang dgu / phyag [rgya] dag bden dang bcu / / bden cu dag khragskhrigs pa la / ra gan ga bde gag zhan ste / gcIg tsam dag sgo ma phye' / bka' rtags yi ge phyag rgya zhIg rlag na 'rings sam myI rings pa las sdod du gzhug pa dang bskyal ba'I thag po nya lastsogstelas stsogs te / slungs la mci'o 'tsal gyI bka' rtags dang / phyag rgya yI ge zhig shul na rlag na' slad logs
(r11) gyi slur nga [tsang?] pa la bka' rtags rlag gam ma rlag brtagstebrtags te / slung tsang slad logs pos 'dI nas mchis pa na bka' rtags mcis mad ches mchId gyis phye na 'khon cI la mchi ba'I lo drung brtagstebrtags te myi rIgs pa zhig na' sod du rchugsterchugs te bkra'bka' rtags gzod mag las nos par bka' rtags gsol ba [thong?] shig drIstedrIs te rings pa
(r12) zhig de / po nya lcags bya thogs thogs pa zhig na' gar bka' stsal de mchI bar / slung sa gcig nas gcig du rtags gyI ste ma 'phyis slebs par skyol de thong shIg / / po nya phyag rgya thang las shor tam shor da bla yug dang 'geg gu pas gsol ba'I thang la'i / / po nya zhIg yan man nas mchis kyang rung / /
(v5) $ /:/ rgyal phanphran yul na / mkhar bu re re dang mchistemchis te / rgyal phanphran bgyId pa dang / / rgyal phran gyi blon po / su sum bgyIs par zhang zhung dar ma'i rje bo laglig snya shur / / blon po khyung po ra sangsesangs rje / stong lam rma rtse gnyIs / / myang ro'i phyIr khar na rje rtsang rje'i thod kar / sa / blon po su du dang gnang gnyIs / /
(v6) yul gnubs yul gyi glIng dgu na / rje gnubs rje'i srIs ba / blon po rme'u dang ljang / sngon / rje skyi rje'I rmong pa / blon po she'u dang spug / gnyis / yul ngas po'i khra sum na / rje dgu grI zing po rje khrI pang sum yul / 'ol gyi sngang kar na / rje 'ol rje'I zing brang tsha / blon po rngo dang dba's gnyIs / /
(v7) yul rngegs yul gyi gru bzhI na / rje rngegs rje la brang / blon po sas pa dang myang gnyis / / yul glum ro'i ya sum na / rje gu nam pa'I bu gseng ti / / blon po myang dang sbrang gnyIs / / yul sribs sna'I 'ol nomo gong na / / rje dang rje'i tsho rnol nam / blon po bzhugs tsam na dang dbrad gnyis
(v8) kye ma mthong cag blta 'tshal ba' / / phI ki dag phI kin / / rdo rje cag de'u cIg bzhugs / / rdo rje cag de'u drung na' / / g.yung drung dag chab cig 'bab / / g.yung drung cag chab 'gram na / / men tog dag hva zhIg 'khrungs / / men tog dag hva drung na / / gser gi cag bye'u jra jan linglding kha' / 'phur cIng dag phan shing rtse / /
(v9) dgung las dag lha gshegs kyang / rdo rje cag de'u myi rnyang / rgya than dag ga skar chIgs kyang / / g.yung drujdrung dag tshab myi skams / / deng gI khri gdugs / / lod kyI dbyig sa dugs / gser le mthon gong / g.yu le byang phangs / / btsod le snar gong / ram le sngon gong / dung le dkar gong / spang snar gi mthon gong na / gser sko cag
(v10) khang phug ste / khang khang cag rIm ste drug / bar khang cag khyims dang bdun / / gser sko cag khrIgs dang brgyad / / tha ram tsag sil dang dgu / phyag rgya dag bden dang bcu / / bden cu dag khrigs pa la ra gan dag bdag gzhan ste / / gcIg tsam dag sgo ma phye' / gcig tsam dag sgo phye na / / bzang dgu dag za bog dar / / bkra dgu dag stag dang
(v11) gzigs / 'jam [---] bu dag dbyI dang spyang / / gda' dgu dag khre dang 'bras / / / che dgu dag rje dang blon / / rno dgu dag mda' dang mdung / de camtsam dag de'u ru bas / ma bas dag slad na mchIs / / bdag chag ni bod kyI 'bangs / gar 'bab ni thog thog thog bzhIn / dpa' khyad ni stag dang 'gran / bzang khyad zhes bzhIn / ri skyId ni bod gyI bu
(v12) se long ni hor [---] la / bdal te gtang bar ni gnam dgung las kyang chad do / / sa dog las [---] myi gsum gyI kha nas kyang chad do / / ro gsum gyi rtses na yang chad do / / nang po cag phyogsuphyogs su thugs rtag du bde bar smon to / skyes chung shas shIg sug rgyas btab ste / / sug rjer co gzi spe lod las 'bul zhIng mchis na /
(ad1) rje lha dpal
(ad2) lha dpal kyi zha snga nas
(ad3) gsol zhing mchisnas+n READ: mchis na
(ad4) bka' stsal pa /
(ad5) bla yug
Source Colophon
Pelliot tibétain 1290. Dunhuang cave library, Bibliothèque nationale de France. Manuscript on paper, 9th–10th century CE.
Old Tibetan transcription from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO) database: https://otdo.aa-ken.jp/archives?p=Pt_1290. OTDO is maintained by Tsuguhito Takeuchi (University of Tsukuba), Nathan Hill (SOAS, University of London), and colleagues. The transcription preserves the manuscript's orthographic features, scribal corrections (indicated by superscript variants), and lacunae (indicated by [---] and [-]).
The recto (r1–r12) and verso (v5–v12) contain overlapping content with minor orthographic and lexical variants. Five lines of addenda (ad1–ad5) follow the verso. The OTDO transcription uses the standard conventions for Old Tibetan diplomatic transcription.
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