【198】Alexandra David-Neel

Alexandra David-Neel: A French Woman in Tibet 出自清华大学出版社的《中学生百科英语3 》

Alexandra's Life (1868-1969)

• Throughout her life
  • 1. traveled in India and China
  • 2. studied the Buddhist religion, wrote articles and books about it, and collected ancient Buddhist books
  • 3. became a Buddhist herself
• When she was 16
  • 1. she ran away from school several times
    • 子主题
  • 2. she ran away to England
• In 1903
  • 1. started working as a journalist
    • 子主题
  • 2. writing articles about Asia and Buddhism for English and French magazines and newspapers
• When she was 37, in 1904
  • she married Philippe-Francois Neel
• In 1911
  • 1. went to India to study Buddhism
  • 2. her real travels began:
    • a. traveled in India
      • 子主题
    • b. traveled in Nepal
    • c. traveled in Sikkim
    • d. her goal was Tibet: what did she do?
      • 1> she continued to study Buddhism & learned to speak Tibetan
      • 2> traveled to villages and religious center
• For the next 7 years
  • traveled in remote areas of China through desert heat and sandstorms and the rain, snow, and freezing temperature of the colder areas
• In 1924
  • 1. her preparations:
    • a. she darkened her skin and dressed as an old beggar
    • b. she carried only a beggar's bowl and a backpack
    • c. because she spoke Tibetan well
      • 子主题
  • 2. difficulties she had:
    • a. freezing cold
    • b. sometimes not enough food
    • c. she was sick, and once she nearly died
  • 3. her achievements:
    • a. reached her goal
    • b. collected more information about Tibetan Buddhism
• In 1925
  • she returned to France
• Since 1925
  • 1. wrote about her research and adventures
  • 2. translated ancient Tibetan religious books
• In 1944
  • walked for days, flew to India and then home to France
• 7 weeks before her 101st birthday
  • she continued writing and translating until she died