ARIS, Michael Vaillancourt. Havana, Cuba 7.3.1946 — Oxford 27.3.1999. British Tibetan Scholar, Specialist of Bhutan. Son of English father (John Arundel Aris, a British Council Officer) and Canadian French mother (Josette Vaillancourt), one of identical twins (brother Anthony Aris). Educated at Worth School in Sussex, then studied modern history at Durham (B.A. 1967). In 1967–73 private tutor of royal children of Bhutan. PG studies at S.O.A.S. in 1974-78. Ph.D. 1978 London. From 1976 taught as Lecturer in Asian History at St.John’s, later at St.Anthony’s College (both of Oxford University), living in Richmond, Surrey. Married in 1972 with the Burmese Human Rights fighter Aung San Suu Kyi (1945– ), one daughter and one son. Died of prostate cancer.
Publications: “The admonition of the thunderbolt cannon-ball and its place in the Bhutanese New Year festival”, BSOAS 39, 1976, 601-635, 1 pl.; “The Temple-palace of gTam-zhing as Described by its Founder”, Arts as. 43, 1988, 33-39; other articles, edited books.
– Bhutan. The early history of a Himalayan Kingdom. 145 p. Warminster 1979.
– Lamas, princes, and brigands: Joseph Rock’s photographs of the Tibetan borderlands of China. 36 p. 120 pl. of photos. 1982 (a catalogue).
– Views of Medieval Bhutan: The Diary and Drawings of Samuel Davis 1783. 1982.
– Sources for the history of Bhutan. 203 p. Wiener Studien zur Tibetologie und Buddhismuskunde 14. Vienna 1986.
– Hidden treasures and secret lives. A study of Pema lingpa (1450–1521) and the Sixth Dalai Lama (1683–1706). 11+273 p. Delhi & London 1989.
– The Raven Crown: the origins of Buddhist monarchy in Bhutan. 160 p. ill. L. 1994.
Sources: *E. De Rossi Filibeck, RSO 73, 1999, 285f.; Wikipedia.
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