PT 1085 — A Dunhuang Protection Decree
PT 1085 is a sealed administrative decree from the Pelliot tibetain collection of the Bibliotheque nationale de France. Written in Old Tibetan on paper, it records a petition from the Chinese population of Sha-cu (Dunhuang) for the protection of their orchards against seizure by Tibetan local officials.
The decree was issued from Lhan-kar Palace at the first moon of mid-winter of the Dragon Year. The Chinese subjects of the two divisions complain that the overseer Spyan-zigs Tong-li, dispatched annually from Sha-cu, has been seizing their orchards and suppressing their livelihoods. They petition for a formal decree of protection. The Great Minister grants the petition, authenticating the decree with the hand-seals of two named ministers: Khrom-bzher and Lha-bzang Gsas-mthong.
This document is a primary source for the economic life of Chinese farmers under Tibetan rule in the Dunhuang oasis, and demonstrates that the Tibetan imperial administration maintained a system of legal petition through which Chinese subjects could seek redress against abusive local officials.
From Lhan-kar Palace — at the first moon of mid-winter of the Dragon Year, a sealed decree was issued.
A command was given to the overseers of Sha-cu:
The subjects of the two Chinese divisions of Sha-cu petitioned:
"At the palace and the great marketplace — year by year from Sha-cu, the overseer Spyan-zigs Tong-li is dispatched once. Because he possesses many of the higher orchards, he takes even more. By the grace of the divine lord-ministers, although we lowly ones raise our heads high, at each gate we have built only a small orchard. Without ever receiving the annual gift-due, the overseers constantly oppress us and seize from us, cutting off our livelihood.
Hereafter, that the orchards of the subjects not be seized or harassed — may a decree of protection be granted?"
Thus they petitioned.
"Let the decree be granted thus" — the word of the Great Minister. Under the hand-seals of Minister Khrom-bzher and Minister Lha-bzang Gsas-mthong, let it be granted as the decree commands.
(A square vermilion seal)
The subjects of Sha-cu [...]
Colophon
PT 1085 (Pelliot tibetain 1085). Old Tibetan administrative decree from the Dunhuang cave library. Translated from Old Tibetan by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026. First English translation.
The source text was accessed from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO) database maintained by Osaka University.
Translation notes: "Pho brang Lhan-kar" (Lhan-kar Palace) is the administrative center from which the decree was issued. "Sha-cu" is Dunhuang. "Rtse rje" (overseers) were Tibetan local officials responsible for the governance of Chinese communities. "Spyan-zigs Tong-li" is a personal name — possibly of mixed Chinese-Tibetan origin, the named overseer accused of seizing orchards. "Ldum ra" (orchards) were economically vital in the Dunhuang oasis, providing fruit and shade in an arid environment. "Bla skyes" (annual gift-due) refers to the customary payment or offering expected from the orchards. The petition uses honorific and humble registers in alternation — the petitioners elevate the ministers ("divine lord-ministers") while lowering themselves ("we lowly ones"), which is standard for Chinese subjects addressing Tibetan imperial authority.
This is a Good Works Translation. The English is independently derived from the Old Tibetan source text. No prior English translation was available for consultation.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: PT 1085
Old Tibetan source text from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO) database, Osaka University. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
(r1) $ /:/ pho brang lhan kar nas / / 'brug gI lo 'I dgun sla 'bring po 'I ngo la bkye 'i phyag rgya phog ste /
(r2) sha cu 'I rtse rje la mcid stsal pa' / / rgya sha cu pa'i sde gnyis gyI 'bangs rnams kyis gsol pa' / / pho brang dang / khrom chen
(r3) por / / lo thang du sha cu nas / spyan zigs tong lI / / dgung lo re re zhing / lan re tsam zhig rdzong ba' / bla 'I ldum ra
(r4) kha du ma zhig mnga' ba'I thog gis lhag par yang 'tsal te / / rje blon 'phrul gyI / / bka drin la / bdag cag
(r5) lho bal mgo mtho mthos kyang / sgo sgor ldum re re tsam bskrungs pa'I thog / lo thang bla skyes ye ma byung bar
(r6) rtse rje dag gIs rtag du ra mar gnon cing phrogs pa stams las bchad cing mcis na / slan chad 'bangs kyi
(r7) ldum ra 'phrog cing 'tsher myi gnang bar / / non thur gyI phyag rgya ci gnang zhes gsol pa las / /
(r8) 'dI bzhin du phyag rgya stsol cIg ches / / zhang lon chen po 'I mcid / / blon khrom bzher dang / blon lha
(r9) bzang gsas mthong gI sug rgya 'og nas gthad kyis phyag rgya las 'byung ba bzhin 'tsol cig / / (a square vermilion seal)
(v1) sha chu pa 'I ['bangs?] [---]
Source Colophon
Old Tibetan source text from the Old Tibetan Documents Online (OTDO), https://otdo.aa-ken.jp/archives?p=Pt_1085, maintained by Osaka University. The original manuscript is held by the Bibliotheque nationale de France. Square vermilion seal present. Verso fragmentary.
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