Reading khrims Between the Lines: The Rise of Legality in 13th Century Central Tibet

Tibetan Graduate Studies Seminar

Daniel introduces us to the term khrims and looks at the “rise of legality” in 13th century Central Tibet. What were Tibetan ideas concerning the relationship between law and power? In the search for answers to whether “law” (khrims) existed in pre-modern Tibet, previous scholarship has uncovered new aspects of khrims’ semantic and functional spectrum, which ranges from administration to morality, ideology, legislation and law. I would argue this is because the term khrims has undergone conceptual change(s). The aim of my talk is twofold: In the first part of the presentation, I will sketch in broad strokes the development of khrims from the beginnings of the “Tibetan empire” to the mid-13th century. I will highlight the various connotations of the term and provide the necessary background for the period (mid-13th century–1354 CE) of my work-in-progress dissertation. In the second part, I will build on this analysis and present my perspective on the meaning of hor khrims. The invasion of the Mongols and the subsequent integration of Tibet into the Mongolian Empire is well attested through many legalistic documents, edicts, and historical reports. But what exactly was introduced by the Mongols, and how did this affect the administration of Central Tibet?