This collection is available for use by qualified readers in the Rare Book and Special Collections Reading Room, C.V. Starr East Asian Library at Columbia University, with advance notification only. For further details, please consult the C.V. Starr East Asian Library staff at starr@library.columbia.edu or (212) 854-4318.
Collection of nearly 100 documents, mostly handwritten in Tibetan, produced or gathered by the Neighborhood Committee Number Three (Tib. Grong lhan ang gsum pa) in Lhasa, primarily from 1959-1972. About one-third of the materials are handwritten registries from 1959-1961, listing residents, personal property, and alleged crimes. A second set of materials include four notebooks and other statements documenting struggle sessions against Lhamon Yeshe Tsultrim (Tib. Lha-smon Ye-shes-tshul-khrims, 1913-77), a senior secretary for the Panchen Lama at Tashilhunpo Monastery. In sum, these papers constitute primary resources for the study of the Democratic Reforms campaign (Tib. Dmangs gtso bco ʼgyur ; Ch. Min zhu gai ge), as implemented in Tibet. The remaining materials date to the Cultural Revolution, particularly 1966-1972, and include the personal files of previous landowners, transcripts of self-criticisms, and several other autobiographical statements. The collection also includes a handful of published documents (handbills, study-books, and speeches).
English translations, by Matthew Akester and Tupten Khétsun, are filed with many of the documents.
Organized into four series: Series I. The Uprising of 1959 and "Democratic Reform" 1959-1963; Series II. Anti-Panchen Campaign (1964-1966) and Lha smon Ye shes tshul khrims files, 1965-1969; Series III. Cultural Revolution (1966-1976); Series IV. Public documents, bulk 1960-1974.
This collection is available for use by qualified readers in the Rare Book and Special Collections Reading Room, C.V. Starr East Asian Library at Columbia University, with advance notification only. For further details, please consult the C.V. Starr East Asian Library staff at starr@library.columbia.edu or (212) 854-4318.
Columbia University is providing access to the materials in the Library's collections solely for noncommercial education and research purposes. The unauthorized use, including, but not limited to, publication of the materials without the prior written permission of Columbia University is strictly prohibited. All inquiries regarding permission to publish should be submitted in writing to the Director, C.V. Starr East Asian Library, Columbia University. In addition to permission from Columbia University, permission of the copyright owner (if not Columbia University) and/or any holder of other rights (such as publicity and/or privacy rights) may also be required for reproduction, publication, distributions, and other uses. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of any item and securing any necessary permissions rests with the persons desiring to publish the item. Columbia University makes no warranties as to the accuracies of the materials or their fitness for a particular purpose.
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Lhasa Neighborhood Committee Number Three records; series #, box # and folder #; C.V. Starr East Asian Library, Columbia University.
Six published monographs received with the records were separated from the collection and individually catalogued in the Columbia University Libraries' online catalog. They can be identified by searching "Lhasa Neighborhood Committee Number Three records," and requested for onsite consultation during scheduled hours in the Rare Book and Special Collections Reading Room, C.V. Starr East Asian Library. In the finding aid, these publications are also listed under Series IV: Subseries 3: Publications.
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact starr@library.columbia.edu for more information.
Columbia University Libraries, C. V. Starr East Asian Library
Finding Aid created 2016-04 by Lauran R. Hartley and Tenzin Yewong Dongchung.
2016-05-06 File created.
2016-05-06 XML document instance created by Catherine C. Ricciardi
2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.
The Lhasa Neighborhood Committee Number Three (Tib. Lha-sa grong lhan ang gsum pa) was one of twelve residential administrative units established in Lhasa in 1959 and charged with local governance and social control as part of the transition to direct Chinese Communist rule. Neighborhood committees (Ch. Ju min wei yuan hui) were formed across China and continue to operate today. Committee Number Three, seated in the northern sector of Lhasa, was responsible for Tibetans living in the traditional Tibetan courtyard residences of Jamyang Shar, Jamyang Kyil, Jamyang Tara, etc. Among its preliminary duties were the categorization of the population by class background, the determination of individuals suspected of involvement in the Lhasa Uprising, the confiscation of any firearms still in private hands, and the listing of property and assets, which were appropriated by the state in the course of the "Democratic Reforms" campaign conducted throughout central Tibet over the following years. Shortly after the escape of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and the Chinese government takeover in March 1959, the Committee surveyed local residents to record the weapons, livestock, property, etc. held by each family. In 1964, the Committee was instrumental in implementing the Anti-Panchen Campaign, and from 1966-1976 the Committee held meetings and kept records and personal files for struggle sessions and other activities during the Cultural Revolution.
The date ranges for each series refer to the creation of the materials, not necessarily the subject.
This file contains autobiographical statements, self-criticisms, and eyewitness accounts authored by individuals in the neighborhood. These materials were written in conjunction with the introduction of "Democratic Reforms" [dmangs gtso bcos ʼgyur] in Lhasa, starting in 1959. Arranged by personal name of subject as spelled on the document, with alternative spellings of the name in parentheses. All translations are in English, and rendered by Matthew Akester and Tupten Khétsun, unless otherwise noted.
Box 1 Folder 1
Autobiographical statement.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 2
Confession of monk regarding his presence at Norbu Lingka [Norbulingka] in March 1959.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 3
Statement about the activities of Blo bzang tshe dbang during the late 1950s including trip to India.
(Translation available.)
(See also Box 1, Folder 30: Weapons: Blo Bzang tshe dbang.)
Box 1 Folder 4
Autobiographical statement by resident of Jamyang Tara House, and two accounts of his estate property.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 5
Autobiographical statement, culminating in the events of 1959.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 6
Statement by [author unidentified] entitled "Mig chog gi gnas tshul," concerning the allegedly criminal activities of Ngakwang Chöden and Mechok, residents of Jamyang House.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 7
Autobiographical statement, concerning his former salary and current assets.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 8
Autobiographical statement, describing events at Drapchi Prison in March1959.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 9
Autobiographical statement.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 10
Self-criticism by resident of Ngal rtsol srang lam.
(Translation available.)
The general and subcommittee registers of people, property, and weapons, list in table-format the name, address, age, gender, class category, place of origin and comments for each resident.
(See also: Series I, Subseries 1: Bshes gnyen blo gsal)
Box 1 Folder 11
Includes: (a) preliminary assessment of residents in various parts of the neighborhood in the aftermath of the 1959 uprising, according to whether they are in custody, at home after making a confession, disappeared, dead or departed for India; (b) list of alleged crimes committed during the uprising and their informants; (c) list of residents under the new subcommittees according to their former occupations and involvement in the uprising.
Box 1 Folder 12
Register of 132 residents.
Box 1 Folder 13
Register of 136 residents.
Box 1 Folder 14
Register of 210 residents.
Box 1 Folder 15
Register of 153 residents.
Box 1 Folder 16
Register of 97 residents.
Box 1 Folder 17
Register of 94 residents.
Box 1 Folder 18
Register of 180 residents, including ethnicity, education, religion and occupation.
Box 1 Folder 19
Register of 10 individuals in the Cooperative Street Neighborhood Committee, who were subject to detention, surveillance or re-education for involvement in the uprising.
Box 1 Folder 20
Register of changes in the class categories of residents and confiscation of their property as a result of the 1960 Re-examination Campaign.
(Translation available.)
Registers of animals and other forms of wealth.
(Arranged by resident, with residence in parentheses.)
Box 1 Folder 21
Box 1 Folder 22
List of property belonging to Khyenrap Tenpa of Jamyang Shar House, on Cooperative Street.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 23
List of property and money [confiscated?] from Ngakwang Jorden of Wangdüng Khangsar House.
Box 1 Folder 24
List of estate property [formerly?] belonging to Ngakwang Chödar and Kelzang Künga of Ngatang Kyötang House.
(See also Series I, Subseries 1: Personal Statements.)
Box 1 Folder 25
List of property belonging to Trinlé Chöpel of Chöpakhang House.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 26
List of property belonging to Namgyel Gyatso of Jamyang Shar House.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 27
List of property belonging to Tupten Rapgyé of Jamyang Kyil.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 28
List of the property belonging to Tsepel of Sokteng House.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 29
Register of firearms submitted or confiscated under Subcommittee Number 7.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 30
Statement on weapons and bullets used by Lozang Tsewang.
(Translation available.)
(See also Box 1, Folder 3: Blo Bzang tshe dbang.)
Box 1 Folder 31
Statement on weapons in possession of Tenpa Khyenrap, resident of Jamyang Kyil [ʼJam dbyangs kyil (dkyil?)], as witnessed in January 1959.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 32
Statement by Tingkyé Trülku on weapons confiscated by the Peoples Liberation Army.
Box 1 Folder 33
Documents regarding Urgyen Chödrön [O rgyan chos sgron or Dbu rgyan chos sgron (above?)] and Ngakwang Jorden's possession of firearms, including statements by the accused, a blank form for registering escapees and a register of missing firearms/weapons in Subcommittee Number 7.
(Translation available.)
Box 1 Folder 34
(Translation available.)
Box 4 Folder 1-2
1965-1966, (2 notebooks)
Diary, in two parts, detailing the activities of [Lha smon?], including his travel from Beijing to Lhasa in 1965. The second notebook covers 1966.
Box 4 Folder 3-4
Firsthand record of meetings for "patriots".
Box 4 Folder 5
Firsthand record of meetings for "patriots" at start of the Cultural Revolution.
Box 4 Folder 6
Undated, (50 pages)
Detailed denunciation of the Tenth Panchen Lama and other associated persons: Lha smon Ye shes tshul khrims, Ta bla Ngag dbang sbyin pa, and others.
Box 4 Folder 7
Undated, (18 pages, incomplete)
Notebook from an interrogation during the Anti-Panchen Campaign.
(The subject of this document is probably Lha smon Ye shes tshul khrims and the questioner's fellow Nang ma sgang officials.)
Box 2 Folder 1
Autobiographical statement by Lha smon Ye shes tshul khrims [Lhamön Yeshé Tsültrim], resident of ʼOd zer lam.
(Incomplete translation available.)
Box 2 Folder 1
Self-criticism, maybe written by Lha smon Ye shes tshul khrims [Lhamön Yeshé Tsültrim])
Box 2 Folder 2
Letter by [author not identified] regarding 1958 and Panchen Lama.
The personal files list the individual's residence (street and door), name, gender, age, birthplace, class origin, occupation, description of event, personal history, primary social relations, and background on family members. To see details for each person, consult the accompanying spreadsheet (Excel;CSV)
Box 2
(Envelope only)
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 2
Box 3 Folder 1
(Arranged by name.)
Box 3 Folder 2
Box 3 Folder 3
Box 3 Folder 4
Box 3 Folder 5
Box 3 Folder 6
Box 3 Folder 7
Box 3 Folder 8
Box 3 Folder 8
Box 3 Folder 8
Box 3 Folder 9
Series of leaflets issued by the Political Bureau of the Tibet Military District of the Chinese Peoples' Liberation Army. Titles include "Bod ni mes rgyal gyi mngaʼ khongs kha bral du mi rung baʼi cha shas shig yin = [Tibet is an inseparable part of the Motherland]" ; [Urgent notice to participants in the seperatist uprising] ; [Do not be deceived by the counter-revolutionaries] ; [The Liberation Army upholds strict discipline] ; [Do not honor pledges to the counter-revolutionaries] ; [Do not attempt further resistance].
(Translations available.)
Box 3 Folder 10
Notice from the security office of the Cooperative Street Neighborhood Committee, stating determination to implement the "Three Purities" campaign.
(Translation available.)
Box 3 Folder 11
Box 4 Folder 8
Speech by Comrade Zhang Guohua.
Box 3 Folder 12
Proclamation on the necessity of Socialist re-education and serving the people in accord with Mao Zedong thought.
Booklets and other monographs acquired with the Lhasa Neighborhood Committee Number Three records and cataloged in CLIO to enhance discovery and access. To locate these items, search "Lhasa Neighborhood Committee Number Three" in the CLIO catalog. These materials do not circulate, but can be requested for onsite reading during scheduled hours in the Rare Book and Special Collections Reading Room of the C.V. Starr East Asian Library.
Tibetan-translation of a communique regarding Linzhi Diqu, by the TAR Government from the Cultural Revolution period.