Impact case study database

By working closely with 2 of approximately 15 main monasteries in Ladakh, and 10 of approximately 30 monasteries in Mustang and their local communities, the research project has enhanced heritage preservation, transformed monastic approaches and built the capacity of monasteries to manage their own heritage. This created a domino effect with two other communities in Mustang that decided to undertake similar work on their own. The research also enhanced connections between locals and their religious and cultural heritage, as well as the tourist experience, and prepared monks and locals to engage in government tourism initiatives.

The project team has worked steadily in both Ladakh and Mustang, moving from one monastery to the next as a result of word-of-mouth and personal recommendations from abbots - the leading authority figures for both monasteries and local communities – who were willing to vouch for the team’s cultural sensitivity. The team catalogued the collections of 10 monasteries in Mustang (Namgyal, Kagbeni, Ghami, Gheling, Garphuk, Lo Gekhar, Jarkhot, Chödzong, Dzong and Lo Manthang Choede monastery museum, between 2015 and 2019), 1 monastery in Humla (Tumkot, 2019), and 2 monasteries in Ladakh (Hemis and Chemre, between 2015 and 2019). At most monasteries, the work involved cataloguing all the artefacts and creating inventories (with photographs), naming, dating and describing the religious and artistic significance of the artefacts. The team also advised on managing, cleaning and restoring these artefacts, planned and put together displays including cases, wrote labels, advised on display and lighting, and taught these skills to monastery authorities and monks. In several cases, the project team were asked to design new displays. At Chemre monastery, they designed new museum and library spaces including display cases (2017, 2018). The cases were made, and the new museum display was installed in June 2019, including labels. Through documenting, evaluating and describing the objects, the project set a new standard for recording collections in the region, creating greater awareness, skills and self-assurance in monastic communities regarding the value, management, curation, handling and display of their historical objects.

The photograph-based inventories not only provided irrefutable proof of ownership, but also information on the direct relevance of the artefacts to the monastery’s history. The inventories provide evidence to claim ownership in cases of theft and have made it unnecessary to hide the objects from locals and visitors for security reasons. Senior monks have been made aware that hiding valuable objects alone is not sufficient to protect them, and that photographic records are indispensable to secure future preservation on site or restitution. Noting the work of the project team in meeting their obligations to document and catalogue these artefacts, the chief administrator of Hemis monastery, states: “Even the expert from Indian government said that we must have catalogue because… without having catalogue if in case we lost any items from Museum and if we found somewhere else in other part of the world we don’t have right to claim because we don’t have any documentation.” [5.1, p2 and 3]

In some cases, the research raised awareness of the inscriptions and age of the objects, leading to an immediate cultural re-evaluation and new forms of outreach. Working with the team Abbot of Namgyal realised that some of the most precious manuscripts in the collection of his monastery are rare and unique examples of national and global interest [5.2 p3]. As a consequence, the Abbot requested the first publication of the Namgyal collection in a popular Asian Art magazine, Orientations, to raise funds for planned renovations [3.1]. He also asked for assistance in removing the poor-quality painting applied to its sculptures in 2011, which made it possible to document them in 2018 as they had originally been conceived.

Two institutions beyond the reach of the project have taken its work as a model for their own heritage work. Choede monastery in Lo Manthang, Mustang, did not grant access to the researchers. However, in 2015 and 2016, a monk of the monastery who is versed in photography and has semi-professional equipment, documented their objects, explaining “what I have seen of Christian’s work in Namgyal Gonpa [or monastery]... inspired me to do such kind of work at Choede Gonpa in Lo Manthang… My first [i.e. previous] work… that I did before I met Christian, it was so bad that I had to destroy it” [5.3, p1]. In 2016 the local youth club also asked the monk to document the collection of the remote Chödzong monastery. This documentation was subsequently made available to the researchers to create an inventory, and the project team supported the monk in improving his documentation skills in 2017. Not only did this impart valuable skills, but it enabled a greater appreciation of the stored artefacts. “The second documentation, which I did after I worked with Christian, was better, and now we have a kind of list [of] what we have and what kind of objects we have. I showed the book of all the things that I photograph to Christian, and when he saw the book, the things that we thought third class are old ones, made in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Our people don't know the importance of these things. So they keep third class looking objects in a storage…. We have to mix the new and old ones” [5.3, p1 and 2].

Improving the displays has forged better relationships between monasteries and local communities as the latter reconnect with devotional objects and artefacts associated with their ancestors and pass their knowledge on to the younger generation. The Head of Kag Cheode monastery in Kagbeni confirms: “It should help the people, especially the younger generation to learn, to learn about this important collection” [5.11, p2]. A local resident of Kagbeni states: “I'm Buddhist, I follow all the rituals and all. But I don't know where it belongs to, where you know what belongs to where, you know? So that's like complicated for me. But now, seeing all these things, oh… I have strong feelings for them and I respect them…I always believe in them. And they have like positive vibes, you know.” [5.4, p5]. New displays of artefacts have given communities a chance to closely examine, reclaim and celebrate them as part of their joint heritage. A local tour guide notes “The things that Hemis monastery already had… was like a myth to the locals. Since my childhood, I knew that Hemis monastery contains a lot of valuable stuffs, but people of Ladakh could never get a chance to see them.” [5.5 p1]. The security guard of Hemis Museum confirms that “local people come to see the Thangka [painting of a Buddhist deity] and it is very good, very old…and the Koshen Serpo [yellow silk document], they have only seen it in the Hemis monastery” [5.6 p2].

The improved access and better display and labelling of artefacts has had a significant effect on the tourist experience. During the tourist season more than 1,500 tourists visit the Hemis Museum daily [5.1, p3]. It is rated 4.5 stars out of 5 on Tripadvisor from 267 reviews. Rads2k commented in August 2019: “With a beautiful museum displaying all handicrafts and monuments, this place is spread out and well maintained.” [5.7b, p6]. Of Chemre monastery (4.5 out of 5, from 69 reviews on Tripadvisor) clare c wrote in August 2019: “…We savoured a cup of tea and looked at kitchen artifacts (sic) well preserved and displayed…It was special to see photos and information about the missing Panchen Lama on display. It has been restored by many dedicated people volunteering here in the past. So all this makes it quite special amongst the gompas and monasteries of Ladakh.” [5.8b p3]

As a result of the research project and the labelling of objects undertaken during it, local guides are now better informed and able to direct tour groups and visitors more competently. The tour guide in Ladakh states “…everybody gets out [of the museum] so impressed... [The descriptions] are informative and…I can differentiate between the Tibetan art and Gandhara art… [and between monasteries].. I can use them for comparison. If somebody wanted to do a comparative study of art and artefacts, this is a good place… Tourists are mainly very interested in arts and artefacts and I have recommended to several people” [5.5 p1, 2 and 3]. The local resident who also acts as a guide in Kagbeni, Mustang, states “Now I feel like, it's arranged now I can narrate a story to the guest or tourist, and also [to] the local people” [5.4, p5]. On Tripadvisor (4.5 out of 5 rating from 11 reviews) foreign visitors came away with a greater understanding of the history of the artefacts, one commenting in October 2016: “The monastery, itself is very ancient, with scrolls that are about 800 years old… If you are lucky enough to get to Kagbeni, this is a must.” [5.9b, p4]. In the visitor’s book of Hemis Museum, One commenter noted in 2016 “Preserve[s] all ancient items in a very systematic manner as I have never ever seen these items before in my life. It is very great” [5.10 p41]. This compares favourably to comments from before the impact of the project. For example, in 2012 one visitor requested that the monastery “please include more information” [5.10 p28] and another stated that they “would like to know more about the paintings” [5.10 p 26].

The improved visibility of the artefacts through the new displays and the information about the objects created through this research have encouraged monastery authorities to embrace tourism as an extra revenue stream [5.11, p4], and to work with the government to boost the recognition of heritage in the Himalayan region. As the Chief Administrator of Hemis monastery states, “Many politicians… say that this Museum is extra special, so we are ready to provide any kind of support from the government level” [5.1, p2]. A database containing the collections of five monasteries in Mustang has been delivered to the Department of Archaeology, Government of Nepal to help populate inventories of the country’s cultural heritage at national and eventually, at international level.

2013–2014 marked the 400th anniversary of the start of UK-Japan relations through the East India Company ventures. Although this might have been known by experts, Screech’s work was the first to bring the matter to light outside a limited academic circle. Screech’s work contributed to 1) raising awareness and understanding of early UK-Japanese trade and diplomatic relations across a wider range of interested parties; 2) the reviving of historical crafts, monuments and sites commemorating the origins of Japan-UK relationships; and 3) creating a momentum for other cultural institutions in Japan and the UK to host related ongoing events and exhibitions.

Inspired by Screech’s work, Nicholas Maclean CMG – initiator of the Japan Exchange Teaching programme (JET) and coordinator of the 1981 Royal Academy’s Great Japan Exhibition: Art of the Edo Period 1600–1868 – collaborated with Screech to form Japan400 – an umbrella organization launched in January 2013 to coordinate a series of commemorative events in Japan and the UK. Maclean stated that ‘it was through the interventions and published scholarship of Prof. Screech that I became aware of the importance of commemorating the 400th anniversary of Japan-British diplomatic, trade, cultural and scientific relations’ [5.1]. Screech was invited to be historical advisor and co-chair, thus playing a crucial role in the organization’s decision-making. Following gala launches in London and Tokyo in June 2013, Japan400 went on to host over 220 events across the UK and Japan over a period of 18 months spanning from the anniversary of the arrival in Japan of the first English ship, The Clove, in summer 1613, to its return home in December 1614 [5.1, 5.3, 5.12]. Events promoted educational exchange, and business, science and cultural ties between the 2 countries [5.2]. They ranged from high-profile gatherings targeting diplomatic and government officials and dignitaries, to events open to the general public. The British Ambassador to Japan, Sir Tim Hitchens, was closely involved, as was the Crown Prince of Japan (now HIH the Emperor), whom Screech was called to the Palace to brief in person. Hitchens indicated that while there was some awareness of the arrival of the English in 1613, ‘it was Prof. Screech’s scholarship that fully alerted us, and which gave us the factual basis on which to embark on the anniversary, and, I am sure to continue into 2020 and beyond’ [5.4].

In the UK, Japan400 inspired the municipality of Medway, Kent to commemorate the anniversary too, since a Medway native, William Adams, was the first English person known to have landed in Japan – on a Dutch ship in 1600 – after which he became adviser to the Shogun and much helped the EIC after its arrival. In 2016, Medway organised their ‘Will Adams Festival’ under the banner of Japan400. Related was a cooperation with Kent’s Maidstone Museum to host an exhibition of Japanese arts borrowed from Hirado, the region where the EIC ship had arrived. Sue Haydock – former Medway Major – expressed gratitude to Screech and Japan400, stating that ‘Medway is a region with several social challenges, but in my view, Japan400 provided an immense and, also, a lasting fillip for the local population’. Haydock explains that several outreach activities in Medway schools involving ‘several thousand pupils’ [5.3] were organized, including talks, seminars and practical events such as a tea ceremony. In October 2013, inspired by Screech’s work and Japan400, annual Japan Matsuri (festival) in Trafalgar Square also focused on the 400th anniversary of first official contacts between Japan and Britain. Attended by over 100,000 people, it was reviewed as a ‘fantastic’ and ‘superb’ day by the Japan Society [5.13]. based on Screech’s research, on 21 September 2014 a tall ship was sailed into Plymouth harbour as part of a 5-day multi-event academic, cultural, social and enterprise festival billed ‘Japan400Plymouth’, marking the return of The Clove on 21 September 1614. The event was attended by approximately 12,000 local people [5.13].

After the 18-month Japan400 period (June 2013–December 2014), the Japan400 website, which had received tens of thousands of hits, was archived. Japan400 was revived in May 2020 for the 400th anniversary of the death of William Adams on 16 May 1620. All other associated public events to commemorate Adams’ death were postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a day-long symposium and briefing on Adams for British business and educational leaders at the Tokyo Club (Tokyo), scheduled for May and sponsored by members of the British Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Hirado City had planned to spruce up Adam’s gravesite and create a new park to surround it and unveil this with a commemoration event. In London, the Japanese Embassy was due to co-host with Japan400 a day-long symposium about Adams leading to the anniversary of his death. A commemorative evening of music and poetry was also scheduled to be held at St Dunstan’s Church, Stepney. Furthermore, the first exhibition of Japanese art from the UK Royal Collection was scheduled from 1 June at the Queen’s Picture Gallery, which would refer to Adam’s death anniversary. Nonetheless, in December 2020, in an event hosted by the British Ambassador, a large permanent monument commissioned with funds from the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan was unveiled on the grounds of the British Embassy in Tokyo, after the larger ceremony planned for 16 May 2020 was cancelled [5.7c].

Building upon the project’s research findings on the original telescope presented to the Shogun, Japan400 secured funding from the British Chamber of Commerce in Tokyo (BBCJ) for a new British-made telescope to be donated to the City of Shizuoka in summer 2014, for the 401st anniversary, and kept at Sunpu Castle, where the original had been presented in 1613 [5.2]. The new telescope was hand-crafted in Wales by manufacturer I.R. Poyser and, before sending to Japan in summer 2013, it was displayed at Hatfield house (built in 1611, as The Clove sailed), at the White Tower of the Tower of London (where the reciprocal presents sent in thanks for the telescope are still housed), and at the Banqueting House in Whitehall (built for King James). The instrument was then shipped to the British embassy in Tokyo where Screech and the Ambassador showed it to the Crown Prince of Japan (now HIH the Emperor), after which it toured various cities to promote the 400th anniversary, drawing significant crowds [5.6a and b]. The telescope was finally presented to the City of Shizuoka at a ceremony attended by the Prefectural Governor and Japanese VIPs, locals and approximately 250 school children [5.7]. It was then put on permanent display in the Castle, thanks to which the number of visitors increased significantly. Data show that in September 2014 (just before the ceremony) there were 3,302 admissions; in October 2014, they leapt to 25,104. In 2015, total admissions rose to 67,826 against 36,654 for all 2013; in 2016 and 2017 they decreased but remained higher than pre-telescope, with over 47,000 admission each year [5.8a]. Robin Maynard, life-time honorary member of the BCCJ, praised Screech’s research as ‘imperative’ for this important nationwide initiative [5.2].

Screech’s work on the importance of the EIC trade mission to Japan prompted Japan400 to invest in 3 other important permanent commemorative pieces in the UK. The first was restoration of the baroque grave of Sir Thomas Smythe, first Governor of the EIC who sent the telescope to Japan, at Sutton-at-Hone (Kent). The second was the restoration of the grave of the English voyage leader, John Saris, in Fulham Parish Church. A survey for the proposed works was conducted [5.15]. Japan400 also commissioned a new memorial for the chief English merchant in Japan, Richard Cocks, who died at sea on his return home, and placed in his baptismal church in Stafford. Japan400 raised funds and covered the cost of these works.

Japan400 created a momentum which led other cultural institutions in the UK and Japan to host related events and exhibitions – some of which became permanent. As revealed by Screech’s research, the Shogun’s reciprocal gift for King James included a sumptuous suit of armour, which has ever since been in The Tower of London. Thanks to Japan400, this object was redisplayed with improved explanations [5.2]. The Shogun’s mausoleum, Kuno-zan, just outside the city of Shizuoka, reconfigured its museum in 2013 to coincide with Japan400, and invited Screech to deliver a public lecture (in Japanese) to 250 people. The museum installed a permanent exhibit marking the opening of trade with England, including a facsimile commissioned by the museum of the document granting the English trading rights, the original being kept at the Bodleian Library, Oxford (which displayed it for Japan400 in 2013). Kuno-zan museum reported a major increase in visitor numbers: 2013 was indeed the first year in which numbers topped 410,000, and exceeded 420,000 in 2014. In 2015, numbers dropped to about 380,000 per year, but still higher than prior to 2013 [5.8b]. The museum commissioned a second high-grade facsimile of the trading permit for donation to the British Embassy in Tokyo, where it is displayed in the entrance hall. The city of Shizuoka also held a cultural festival in 2015 called ‘Ieyasu400’, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the death of the Shogun who received the telescope, with Screech advising. That same year, Shizuoka approved the construction of a new Museum of History and Culture due to open in 2021 and to make full mention of the history of early British-Japan relations, including the gift of the telescope [5.9].

The research also showed that lacquerware – a traditional Japanese craft – was brought back from Japan in 1614 and auctioned in London’s first ever art auction in December 1614. Christies Auctioneers held a 400th Anniversary Lacquer Auction in December 2014, under the Japan400 umbrella. The Associate Director of Japanese art at Christies, explained how they ‘used Professor Screech scholarly discovery concerning the [1614] sale to hold an online auction of Japanese works of art . . . which we deliberately timed to coincide with the Japan400 events occurring in December 2014.’ The director added that ‘[t]he sale attracted much attention resulting in a strong result of 73% of lots sold’ [5.10]. The East India Company – which was re-founded in London in 2010 – sponsored many Japan400 events and branded some of its products as 400th Anniversary items, including gold and silver coins [5.11b and c]. The gold coin sold out. Also notable was an historic ceremony in the White Tower of the Tower of London on 6 December 2013, to commemorate the home voyage of The Clove from Japan in December 1613 [5.11a]. In sum, thanks to Screech’s ground-breaking research, the 400th anniversary was a fillip for UK-Japan relations generally, and the long-forgotten events of 1613–1614 are now permanent features of our understanding on the period, including as part of a tourist programme promoted by the Telegraph [5.14].