FAMILY GATHERING DOCUMENTARY (1912-2026)

FAMILY GATHERING DOCUMENTARY (1912-2026): FOUR GENERATIONS OF DESCENDANTS FROM SIX SIBLINGS, PARTICIPANTS IN THANG MGO TOWN, ‘BA’ RDZONG (TONGDE) COUNTY, MTSHO LHO (HAINAN) TIBETAN AUTONOMOUS PREFECTURE, MTSHO SNGON (QINGHAI) PROVINCE, PR CHINA བཀྲ་ཤིས་རྒྱ་མཚོ། Bkra shis rgya mtsho (扎西尖措 Zhaxijiancuo) This video documents a family gathering of the descendants of Father Snying btse (Snying dkar tshe brtan, 1912–1985) and Mother Phag mo (1913-1957). Events were recorded 4 August 2022 and 13 August 2024. Film by: བཀྲ་ཤིས་རྒྱ་མཚོ། Bkra shis rgya mtsho (扎西尖措 Zhaxijiancuo); photographer, writer, and editor; filmed using an iPhone 12 Pro Max. Film length: 32 minutes 20 seconds PART ONE: GATHERING ON 4 AUGUST 2022 This documentary records a gathering of four generations of descendants from six siblings, with approximately 90 participants in Thang mgo Town, ‘Ba’ rdzong (Tongde) County, Mtsho lho (Hainan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Mtsho sngon (Qinghai) Province, PR China. The first dates to 4 August 2022 near the Rka rgan River, close to the Shing khri Monastery summer park, Rka ‘ba’ sum mdo (Gabasongduo) Town, ‘Ba’ rdzong County. In recent years, large family gatherings have become increasingly popular in the local area. For this reason, the leader of our six siblings’ WeChat group, ‘Jam dbyangs bstan rgyas (Thub bstan bsam gtan rgya mtsho, b. 1969), a monk, suggested organizing the first large gathering of the descendants of Father Snying btse and Mother Phag mo. I made videos and photographs to document the gathering. We had created a WeChat group of around 80 family members several years earlier. We shared such news through this group as invitations to 80-year-old birthday celebrations, weddings, three-year-old haircut rituals, and housewarming parties. The group has proven useful for staying connected, and members confirming reliable family relationships. In 2022, we discussed planning a gathering during the children’s summer vacation. After several days of preparation, which included buying supplies and choosing a suitable location, we finalized our plan. At that time, many local families were also holding similar gatherings in the same area almost every day. Previously, about 20 family members had gathered at a restaurant in ‘Ba’ rdzong County Town, but children and many women were unable to attend. Therefore, we planned a larger, more inclusive gathering. Three of the six siblings were living. We hoped that elders, younger generations, and children could meet, connect, and become familiar with one another, which we believed was beneficial for the future. We arrived to secure a suitable location at around 8:00 a.m. on the day of the event. We set up several sunshade umbrellas, outdoor stall tents, and one large white canvas tent as other groups arrived for picnics. Elders and some extended family members arrived around 11:00 a.m., traveling from summer pastures approximately 50 kilometers away. During the gathering, participants greeted one another, especially those who had not met for many years, including many women. Lunch was shared under the large white tent. Afterward, we took group photos, as some participants needed to leave early. The gathering leader presented elders with kha btags ‘traditional Tibetan white scarves’ and silk coats as gestures of gratitude. Later, participants divided into smaller groups to enjoy games and friendly competitions, including a tug-of-war involving men, women, and children. During the event, women exchanged WeChat contacts and formed their own group. Teenage boys created a separate WeChat group. The gathering concluded with performances by young children dancing to music played through a loudspeaker, featuring Tibetan and Chinese songs. Approximately 90 people attended, arriving in about 20 vehicles. Young women prepared lunch. Our experience was limited because this was the first time we had organized such a large event. Expenses were shared among 16 families, with each contributing 200 RMB, for a total of 3,200 RMB. Purchases included watermelons, grapes, mutton, vegetables, bread, a variety of beverages, sunflower seeds, and other snacks. FAMILY POPULATION AND HISTORY (1912–2026) Father Snying btse (Snying dkar tshe brtan, 1912-1985) was the second of three brothers and three sisters in a nomadic family of the ‘Od rgya Tribe. In 1930, at the age of 18, he married Mother Phag mo (1913-1957), the eldest daughter of Sngags nag rab brtan mdzub gu (1889-1958), a wealthy, locally renowned hero. Both Father Snying btse and Mother Phag mo, along with four generations of their ancestors, originally came from the Reb gong1 area in the 17th century before settling in the current ‘Ba’ area. When Snying btse was 45, Phag-mo became ill and passed away. After her death, he raised their children alone. He was imprisoned from 1957-1962. As of 2026, excluding Father Snying btse and Mother Phag mo, the family had grown to four generations. The couple had four sons and two daughters. The eldest was born in 1933, and the youngest in 1955. One daughter was born later, but sadly died in infancy. Currently, five family lines have reached four generations, and one has reached three. FAMILY POPULATION BY GENERATION First generation: 12 people Second generation: 63 people Third generation: 98 people Fourth generation: 58 people The total family population, including all sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, was 233 people. By 2026, the family’s marriage connections extended across five counties and two provinces. There were also ten monks from the family serving in four monasteries across two provinces. GATHERING ON 13 AUGUST 2024 The second gathering was held on 13 August 2024 in ‘Ba’ rdzong County Town at Sa tho kha inside the Shing khri Monastery yard, a location associated with the annual commemoration of the monastery’s founder, Mkhan po tshe dbang rig ‘dzin (1883–1958), observed on the tenth day of the eighth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. Permission to use the yard was requested in advance from the monk in charge. On this occasion, we decided to hold a simpler gathering focused mainly on sharing lunch in the County Town. The event included 50 participants from 18 families. Each family contributed 100 RMB, totaling 1,800 RMB. After the meal, children danced while others socialized and took photos. The event concluded peacefully after the group photographs were taken. Table One: Descendants of Phyug go rgya, the oldest brother (1933–2008). No. Name Dates Sex Other Tribe & Monastery 1 Phyug go rgyal (Phyug phyug) 1933-2008 Male 2 La po (Ma rgya) b. 1941 Female Wife ‘Od rgya2 3 Ma cig rig ldan (Ma rdo) b. 1966 Male Adopted ‘Od rgya 4 Dpa’ yag skyid (Dpa’ pe b. 1972 Female Wife Dpa’ mchog3 5 Chos skyong ‘bum la b. 1986 Male 6 Bkra shis skyid b. 1985 Female Wife ‘Od rgya 7 Bsod nams tshe ring (Dri med ‘od zer) b. 2006 Male 8 Rin chen bkra shis b. 2007 Male 9 Nor bu sgrol ma b. 2009 Female 10 Bkra shis sgrol ma b. 1990 Female 11 Rdo rje skyabs b. 1990 Male Husband ‘Od rgya 12 Ting ‘dzin sgrol ma b. 2017 Female 13 Ta re ‘tshams b. 1992 Female 14 Bsam ‘grub b. 1995 Male Husband ‘Od rgya 15 Bkra shis rnam rgyal b. 2017 Male 16 Bkra shis lha mo b. 2018 Female 17 Bkra shis chos mtsho b. 2021 Female 18 Tsher ma skyid b. 1967 Female 19 Bla rdo b. 1970 Male Husband ‘Od rgya 20 Dkon mchog rgyal (‘Jigs med rig pa’iral gri b. 1987 Male Tantric monk 21 Bkra shis skyid b. 1987 Female Wife ‘Od rgya 22 Blo bzang dbang phyug b. 2007 Male 23 Phag mo yum mtsho b. 2010 Female 24 Skal bzang bkra shis phun tshogs b. 2018 Male 25 Bkra shis yum chen lha mo b. 2019 Female 26 Bkra shis bsod nams stobs ldan b. 2021 Male 27 Bkra shis stobs rgyal (Thub bstan chos nyid rang grol) b. 1989 Male Tantric monk 28 G.yang ras skyid b. 1980 Female Wife