The Prince of Tibet

In 1972, Thomas Esson Ewing left his home in Oregon for Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, to study Mongolian, Chinese, and Russian history and language. One of his professors in Tibetan history was a gentleman named Norbu, the brother of the Dalai Lama, leader of Tibetan Buddhism, and formerly the head abbot of a famous monastery in eastern Tibet. Over four years of doctoral study, Ewing became friendly with Norbu. One day, Norbu told of an ancient legend, about a Tibetan prince who journeyed to China, then ruled by the Tang Dynasty (7th to 10th centuries AD), to compete for the hand of a Chinese princess. It was a fascinating tale, one that Ewing never forgot. When he met and married an art student, Virginia Sala, she also fell in love with the story. Together the couple decided to retell the legend as an illustrated book. The result is The Prince of Tibet, which follows the adventures of a Tibetan noble, Prince Dendub, as he faces the mighty Tang Emperor Tai-tsu. First by war, then by wits, Dendub finally achieves peace and unity between China and Tibet.