THE BEGGAR OF LHASA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19061, 4 July 1925, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BEGGAR OF LHASA.

LADY'S SURPRISING DISGUISE

Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, lias been reached by a French lady. Mdme. Alexandra David Neei, who is 60 years of age and speaks Tibetan like a native, is the first white woman to enter Lhasa. Disguised as a Tibetan beggar pilgrim, she started from China and travelled across Tibet to the capital city, where she spent two months visiting tho most important shrines and temples without being suspected. Tibet is ruled by a Dalai Lama, or Chief L'riest, who lives in a great monastry or palace called Potala. Home of these monastries contain as many as ten thousand monks. The city was reached by European travellers in Asia during the Middle Ages, but in modern times Europeans were not allowed to enter Tibet, and Lhasa became known as the Forbidden City. In 1011 the first Englishman penetrated into the city. He was Thomas Manning. He spent four months there, and was allowed an interview with the Dalai Lama. General George Percira entered the city in 1922 during his long journey from Peking across North-Eastern Tibet to India, and before that, in 1921, Sir Charles Bell spent nearly a year thoro.