Jörg Heimbel studied Tibetology and Social Anthropology at the University of Göttingen and  the University of Hamburg, where he received his MA in 2007 with a thesis on the life and works of the 5th gDong-thog sPrul-sku bsTan-pa’i-rgyal-mtshan (b. 1933). Since 2008 he is pursuing his PhD on the life of Ngor-chen Kun-dga’-bzang-po (1382–1456) and the foundation and historical development of both the monastery of Ngor E-waṃ-chos-ldan established by Ngor-chen and the Tibetan Buddhist tradition originating from there. The tentative title of his dissertation is “The Ngor Tradition: The Life of its Founder Ngor-chen Kun-dga’-bzang-po (1382–1456) and the History of its Main Monastic Seat, the Monastery Ngor E-waṃ-chos-ldan.” The main sources employed in his research are the biographies of Ngor-chen Kun-dga’-bzang-po and the early abbots of Ngor as well as the four successive abbatial histories (gdan rabs) of Ngor monastery.

Jörg Heimbel’s special field of interest lies in the religious history of Tibetan Buddhism. Furthermore, he pursues research in Tibetan Art and Colloquial Tibetan, especially on the Lhasa dialect. He currently also works on a paper focusing on the “Three Maitreya Brothers of upper ’Phan yul” (’phan stod kyi byams pa spun gsum) and collects stories of the Tibetan folk tale hero A-khu sTon-pa.

  joerg.heimbel [at] studium.uni-hamburg.de

Publications

• 2011. “Biographical Sources for Researching the Life of Ngor chen Kun dga’ bzang po (1382–1456).” Revue d’Etudes Tibétaines, vol. 22, November 2011, pp. 47–91.
• In Preparation. “The Field of Assembly (tshogs zhing): An Introductory Examination on a Classical Theme in Tibetan Buddhist Art.”
• 2005. “Ansammlungsfeld (tib.: tshogs zhing).” In Die Welt des tibetischen Buddhismus, ed. by Wulf Köpke and Bernd Schmelz. Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Völkerkunde Hamburg, Neue Folge, Band 36. Hamburg: Museum für Völkerkunde, pp. 787–802.

• 2010. “The History of the Four Lama Palaces of Ngor (ngor gyi bla brang khag bzhi).” Lecture held at the 12th Seminary of the International Association for Tibetan Studies (IATS), August 15, 2010, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
• 2009. “Sources for Researching the Life of Ngor chen Kun dga’ bzang po (1382–1456).” Lecture held at the International Seminar of Young Tibetologists (ISYT), September 7–11, 2009, Paris, France.

Film Productions (Translator)

• 2009. Inauguration: Sakya Institute of Vajrayana, 12th November, 2008: dPal sa skya’i gsang chen rgyud kyi bshad grwa’i dbu ’byed mdzad sgo. DVD Production, Sakya Institute of Vajrayana, Manduwala, India.
• 2008. Yak! by Jan Kerckhoff. First Screening: 17.10.2009, 19:00–19:45 o’clock, Bayrisches Fernsehen.
• 2008. Über die höchsten Pässe der Welt: Mit einer Yak-Karawane durchs Dolpo, by Jan Kerckhoff. First Screening: 04.02.2009, 19:00–19:45 o’clock, ARTE.