Tsemoling, the Boy God of Choni, China, a farmer's 4-year-old son declared by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the Tibetan King

Collection Artwork

Artist

Joseph F. Rock (Vienna, Austria, 1884 – 1962, Honolulu, Hawaii)

Title

Tsemoling, the Boy God of Choni, China, a farmer's 4-year-old son declared by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the Tibetan King

Creation date

c. 1925-1927

Materials

gelatin silver print on clay-coated paper with linen backing

Dimensions

paper size: 6 1/2 x 4 5/8 in.

Credit Line

The Jack Shear Collection of Photography at the Tang Teaching Museum

Place of Creation

photographed in Choni, China, Asia

Accession Number

2015.1.58

Object Type

Photographs

Marks

Typed label adhered, verso, center: Published November 1928 P. 570 Right / Expedition # 44 & 51 Project Negative / Photo by Joseph Rock / Tsemoling, the boy god of Choni. / A farmer’s 4 year-old son declared by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the Tibetan King.
Inscribed in red ink, verso, upper right: pub. NOVEMBER 1928
Stickers with barcode adhered, verso, upper center: NGM 11/1928 570 RT / PLEASE RETURN TO IMAGE COLLECTION
Second sticker with barcode adhered, verso, upper center: NGM 11/1928 570 RT

This four-year-old boy, born to poor farmers in China, was declared the incarnation of the Tibetan king, or tsemoling, by the 13th Dalai Lama.

From the exhibition: Where Words Falter: Art and Empathy (July 9 – December 18, 2022)

Research on our collection is ongoing. If you have resources you’d like to share, please contact Associate Curator Rebecca McNamara.

The Jack Shear Collection of Photography

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