Lu Zo, Living Buddha of Yongning Monastery, 1934

luzuo young, originally uploaded by mutikonka.

This picture was taken of the young Lu Zo, last son of the ruler of Yongning, who was an incarnation of a high lama from Drepung. According to Joseph Rock, he is flanked by his brother and sister. I really like this picture - it is from a bygone era, and could almost be out of a movie - or a TinTin story. It's amazing to think I met the guy in old age.

Compare it to the picture below, of the same man, now grown old. When we met him 10 years ago, he still could not speak Chinese. I wonder what kind of nastiness he experienced duriing the Cultural revolution.