(b Lhasa, 1922). Tibetan teacher and researcher. He came from an aristocratic family and showed interest in folksongs and dances from an early age. At 16 he entered the Nang-ma'i sKyid-sdug society and studied a range of instruments, especially the pi-wang (fiddle) and the sgra-snyan (lute); his main teachers were Bai Walli and A-jo rNam-rgyal. In 1978 he was appointed music teacher at what was to become Tibet University in Lhasa. He then became vice-director of its arts department and vice-chairman of the Tibet Music Association. With the gar master Pa-sangs Don-grub, he played an important role in the resurrection of Tibetan music, particularly traditional music theory and nang-ma and stod-gzhas forms, although his expertise ranges over all the Tibetan performing arts. He sat at most of the government conferences on traditional performing arts. Together with Garpa Tashi Tsering he is an important figure in the revival of nang-ma music in Tibet. Most of the nang-ma that is played in Lhasa nowadays has been taught by Zhol-khang. He is considered the authority on the subject and has published two books, twelve articles in Tibetan journals and one series of recordings.
‘Bod kyi glu gzhas sgra-sbyong gyi dbyangs kyi rnam-gzhag rags-tsam brjod-pa’ [Brief discussion on the principles of sound in the voice training for Tibetan songs], Bod kyi rtsom-rig sgyu-rtsal [Tibetan literature] (1998), no.4, pp.63–9
Glu gar tshangs-pa'i chab-rgyun [The tradition of pure songs and dances] (Lhasa, 1992)
‘Nang-ma'i skyid-sdug byung-'phel gyi lo-rgyus zhib-par gleng-ba’ [Detailed discussion on the history of the Nangme Kyidu], Bod-ljongs sgyu-rtsal zhib-'jug [Tibetan arts studies] (1993), no.2, pp.1–17
‘Nang-ma bkra-la shis-pa las ‘phros te nang-ma'i gzhas kyi sgrig-gzhi dang khyad-chos skor brjod-pa’ [From the nang-ma song ‘Talashiba’: discussion on the structure and characteristics of the nang-ma songs], Bod-ljongs sgyu-rtsal zhib-‘jug (1995), no.1, 33–42
Gangs-can gna'-bo'i dbyangs-snyan [Tibetan classical music], ed. dGe‘dun, Bod-ljongs sgra-brnyan par-skrun-khang [Tibet music and video publishing house] (1985) [incl. ‘sTod-gzhas nang-ma’, perf. Zhol-khang bSod-nams Dar-rgyas and ‘mChod-sprin gar-rol’, perf. Gar-dpon Pa-sangs Don-grub]
ISABELLE HENRION-DOURCY