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This event is co-hosted with the Dept. of East Asian Languages and Cultures
Please join us for the second annual I.M. Suez Lecture with invited guest speaker, Professor Yudru Tsomu (Center for Tibetan Studies, Sichuan University), who will speak on her newly published book.
Chieftains, Lamas, and Warriors: A History of Kham 1904–1961 explores the region of Kham, situated between Central Tibet and China. By highlighting Kham’s pivotal role in Sino-Tibetan relations and frontier dynamics, this book challenges the traditional focus of scholarly research that treat Kham as a mere transit point. Yudru Tsomu argues for the significance of frontier regions in shaping historical narratives and power structures. Tsomu explores how Kham forged its own identity amidst the assimilation pressures exerted by Central Tibet and China. Supported by a wealth of original sources in Chinese, Tibetan, and Western languages—including previously untapped personal and archival collections in China—this book offers a compelling reassessment of Kham’s historical agency and significance.
Speaker Bio: Yudru Tsomu is a professor at the Center for Tibetan Studies, Sichuan University. A native of Kham, she earned her PhD from Harvard University in Tibetan studies in 2006 and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University in 2007. After joining the Center for Tibetan Studies in 2013 as an associate professor, she assumed the role of professor in 2019. Her primary academic interests concern Tibetan history, with a particular focus on the history of Kham, the study of Tibetan society in Kham, and cultural interactions in the Sino-Tibetan borderlands. Through her research, she aims to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of Sino-Tibetan relations, integrating political perspectives with broader historical and cultural exchanges. Her book, Blind Warrior of Nyarong: The Rise of Gönpo Namgyel in Kham, was published by Lexington Books in 2014. Additionally, she has authored articles exploring the construction of images of Eastern Tibet (Kham) by intellectuals during the Republican Period (1912–1949), Guozhuang Trading Houses, the activities of Tibetan middlemen in Dartsedo (Kangding), and also the role of women as chieftains in modern Kham history.
For information on the I.M. Suez Lecture series, see here.
Yudru Tsomu's book is available at 30% discount for anyone who purchases it through Rowman & Littlefield. The discount code is LXFANDF30.
