Catholic Missionary Reports on Food and Foodways in Tibet in the Seventeenth and Mid-Eighteenth Century

Between 1624 and 1721, Jesuit missionaries made their way into Tibet, followed by the Capuchins, who established a presence in Lhasa from 1707 until 1745. This article examines the initial impressions by various Catholic missionaries of everyday life in Tibet during that period. The early observations by the Portuguese Jesuit Antonio de Andrade (1580–1634) in Western Tibet are further enriched by the more detailed reports of later Jesuit and Capuchin missionaries. Using these reports, this article explores whether cultural and culinary exchanges occurred between the missionaries and the Tibetan population. Another central focus involves identifying the types of foods consumed in Tibet during that period. The extent to which these Catholic missionaries, as seen in other parts of the world, contributed to the introduction of grain varieties and agricultural innovations in Tibet is also examined. Additionally, their potential influence on local eating habits is explored

Church History · Everyday life · Focus (optics · Foodways · Portuguese · Westernization · Chinese history and philosophy · Eurasian Exchange Networks · Vietnamese History and Culture Studies

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