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Darkness Over Tibet
The first authentic and fully detailed account of an underground city in Tibet by the only westerner ever to visit there and come back to tell about it. While travelling in disguise in Tibet in the early 1930s, Illion made some chance acquaintances which led to contacts with an occult fraternity and an invitatiuon to visit the underground city. There he had some truly remarkable experiences, which are recorded in this book.
His previous book, In Secret Tibet , recounts meeting with wise hermits. "This book," he says, "supplements In Secret Tibet by showing a different side of the picture, a few demons of the Light and many Demons of the Shadow."
The German traveller Theodore Illion was one of the first travellers to penetrate Tibet while is was still sealed off from the outside world. These rare and exciting travel classics are now back in print!
His previous book, In Secret Tibet , recounts meeting with wise hermits. "This book," he says, "supplements In Secret Tibet by showing a different side of the picture, a few demons of the Light and many Demons of the Shadow."
The German traveller Theodore Illion was one of the first travellers to penetrate Tibet while is was still sealed off from the outside world. These rare and exciting travel classics are now back in print!
- GenresNonfiction
199 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1937
About the author
T. Illion
3 books3 followersTheodore Illion or Theodor Illion (born 1898 in Canada?) was a writer of travel books who claimed to have visited Tibet in the 1930s and discovered an underground city there. He published his Tibetan adventures under that name but later resorted to the pseudonyms Theodore Burang or Theodor Burang and more rarely Theodor Nolling to write various books and articles on Tibetan medicine.
According to Professor Herbert Novak, a longtime friend of Theodore Illion, the latter was born in Canada in a wealthy family descended from a branch of the British royalty, the Plantagenets. He is supposed to have left home at a very young age.
According to Professor Herbert Novak, a longtime friend of Theodore Illion, the latter was born in Canada in a wealthy family descended from a branch of the British royalty, the Plantagenets. He is supposed to have left home at a very young age.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 15, 2021
Darkness Over Tibet is a book in that special class of non-fiction which is best enjoyed by pretending that it's a novel. It was in that mindset that I decided to read it, and in that mindset that I'm going to review it.
As a novel, Darkness Over Tibet is an awfully pulpy but fun little adventure story with a plotline somewhat reminiscent of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, only set in Tibet rather than India and with significantly less screaming, child labor, mine-cart chases, or chilled monkey brains, and Short Round vanishes and is presumed dead something like five minutes in.
The protagonist is one Mr. Illion, a transient German mystic and kind of a odd sort of person. When it comes to practical matters, he's quite humble, happily willing to endure great hardship for reasons I'll admit I don't totally understand and to be looked down upon as a "deaf and dumb" vagrant (which he isn't, but more on that later). But when it comes to spiritual matters, he's incredibly prideful and arrogant, always looking for opportunities to pontificate on his own belief system and very quick to demonize (both literally and figuratively) anyone whose spiritual beliefs differ from his own. This attitude is made all the more unfortunate by the fact that his beliefs, though Christianity-based, are pretty unique, and I'm sure would be just out of place in his native Germany as they do in Tibet, with peculiar views on everything from sin to souls to numerology that I've never heard before and don't expect to ever hear again. Even in the narration, he regularly makes a point of fully recording every occult lecture he delivers in full, while glossing over most of the rest of the conversation, and always making sure to mention how the other party thought he was really smart and deep. So obviously this is one of those "novels" that has an unreliable narrator, which I always enjoy. I even made a little game out of trying to imagine what the "real" plot, where the undoubtably fictional Tibetan black sorcerers who Illion demonized were actually just a kind of weird but totally innocent Buddhist sect, was like (but I won't be reviewing that story, since I made it up).
Illion is backpacking across Tibet disguised as (and living like) a bum of indeterminate race, as it was apparently illegal for Europeans to enter Tibet at this time in history (I have no idea if this is true or not), and he doesn't want anyone knowing that he is one. To further avoid detection, he avoids interacting with other people, and feigns being nonverbal whenever someone tries to interact with him. Well, there's one interaction that he, for whatever reason, he isn't able to avoid. One thing leads to another, and he finds himself introduced to a wealthy Tibetan mystic named Narbu, who is a member of a secretive occult fraternity (referred to only as "the Occult Fraternity", as the author has a curious aversion to proper names) based out of a hidden city (referred to only as "the Hidden City") in a mysterious valley (referred to only as "the Valley of Mystery". Sensing a pattern here?). Narbu wants Illion to join the Occult Fraternity, on account of how cool and smart and deep he is, and invites him to accompany him to the Hidden City, which is where the bulk of the story takes place.
So anyway, Illon goes to a cool underground city (which is only just below the surface, but seems to be part of a much larger and much deeper network of underground tunnels) in a forbidden valley and stays there for a few weeks to learn about the beliefs of the OF. But everything is not as it seems, and Illion soon discovers that the OF are drugging his (and their own) food to make him (and their followers) more susceptible to manipulation. He decides to investigate further (after securing an undrugged food supply of his own), even getting an audience with the OF's leader, and discovers to his shock and horror that the OF... gasp... have different spiritual beliefs than he does (quelle surprise). Surely this can only mean they're literally in league with the literal Devil! (yes really) So of course he makes a scene and storms out, and in doing so, stumbles upon some rather circumstantial evidence that the food in the city is actually human flesh, which seems rather damning but will become much easier to dismiss later on.
Anyhow, the rest of the novel is Illion fleeing the OF, who he's convinced are tormenting him with sinister hexes, lending a rather thrillery air to the final chapter. He meets a guru, decides he's in league with Satan too, leaves, gets caught in an avalanche, survives, gets found, gets better, and then presumably leaves Tibet forever, since there isn't a third book.
This isn't a good book by any means, but it certainly is enjoyable. As I mentioned before, the author isn't terribly interested in proper names, which makes the worldbuilding seem rather threadbare at times. Even probably real places like towns and normal monasteries are never named. The narration can get a bit obnoxious in how self-serving it is, and the portrayal of Tibetans and their culture is not exactly flattering, to say the least. The dialogue jumps back and forth between English (or German, in the original edition, I guess), Tibetan subtitled in English, and English subtitled in Tibetan without much apparent rhyme or reason. The pacing is a bit sloggier than it could have been, since it's a fairly short book, but one made up of chapters that are five or six times longer than normal. And the author devotes way too much time to his own spiritual beliefs, rather than those of the people he encounters. But all in all, it isn't too hard to just roll your eyes at these flaws and keep reading. Just don't expect to learn anything about Tibet from it.
As a novel, Darkness Over Tibet is an awfully pulpy but fun little adventure story with a plotline somewhat reminiscent of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, only set in Tibet rather than India and with significantly less screaming, child labor, mine-cart chases, or chilled monkey brains, and Short Round vanishes and is presumed dead something like five minutes in.
The protagonist is one Mr. Illion, a transient German mystic and kind of a odd sort of person. When it comes to practical matters, he's quite humble, happily willing to endure great hardship for reasons I'll admit I don't totally understand and to be looked down upon as a "deaf and dumb" vagrant (which he isn't, but more on that later). But when it comes to spiritual matters, he's incredibly prideful and arrogant, always looking for opportunities to pontificate on his own belief system and very quick to demonize (both literally and figuratively) anyone whose spiritual beliefs differ from his own. This attitude is made all the more unfortunate by the fact that his beliefs, though Christianity-based, are pretty unique, and I'm sure would be just out of place in his native Germany as they do in Tibet, with peculiar views on everything from sin to souls to numerology that I've never heard before and don't expect to ever hear again. Even in the narration, he regularly makes a point of fully recording every occult lecture he delivers in full, while glossing over most of the rest of the conversation, and always making sure to mention how the other party thought he was really smart and deep. So obviously this is one of those "novels" that has an unreliable narrator, which I always enjoy. I even made a little game out of trying to imagine what the "real" plot, where the undoubtably fictional Tibetan black sorcerers who Illion demonized were actually just a kind of weird but totally innocent Buddhist sect, was like (but I won't be reviewing that story, since I made it up).
Illion is backpacking across Tibet disguised as (and living like) a bum of indeterminate race, as it was apparently illegal for Europeans to enter Tibet at this time in history (I have no idea if this is true or not), and he doesn't want anyone knowing that he is one. To further avoid detection, he avoids interacting with other people, and feigns being nonverbal whenever someone tries to interact with him. Well, there's one interaction that he, for whatever reason, he isn't able to avoid. One thing leads to another, and he finds himself introduced to a wealthy Tibetan mystic named Narbu, who is a member of a secretive occult fraternity (referred to only as "the Occult Fraternity", as the author has a curious aversion to proper names) based out of a hidden city (referred to only as "the Hidden City") in a mysterious valley (referred to only as "the Valley of Mystery". Sensing a pattern here?). Narbu wants Illion to join the Occult Fraternity, on account of how cool and smart and deep he is, and invites him to accompany him to the Hidden City, which is where the bulk of the story takes place.
So anyway, Illon goes to a cool underground city (which is only just below the surface, but seems to be part of a much larger and much deeper network of underground tunnels) in a forbidden valley and stays there for a few weeks to learn about the beliefs of the OF. But everything is not as it seems, and Illion soon discovers that the OF are drugging his (and their own) food to make him (and their followers) more susceptible to manipulation. He decides to investigate further (after securing an undrugged food supply of his own), even getting an audience with the OF's leader, and discovers to his shock and horror that the OF... gasp... have different spiritual beliefs than he does (quelle surprise). Surely this can only mean they're literally in league with the literal Devil! (yes really) So of course he makes a scene and storms out, and in doing so, stumbles upon some rather circumstantial evidence that the food in the city is actually human flesh, which seems rather damning but will become much easier to dismiss later on.
Anyhow, the rest of the novel is Illion fleeing the OF, who he's convinced are tormenting him with sinister hexes, lending a rather thrillery air to the final chapter. He meets a guru, decides he's in league with Satan too, leaves, gets caught in an avalanche, survives, gets found, gets better, and then presumably leaves Tibet forever, since there isn't a third book.
This isn't a good book by any means, but it certainly is enjoyable. As I mentioned before, the author isn't terribly interested in proper names, which makes the worldbuilding seem rather threadbare at times. Even probably real places like towns and normal monasteries are never named. The narration can get a bit obnoxious in how self-serving it is, and the portrayal of Tibetans and their culture is not exactly flattering, to say the least. The dialogue jumps back and forth between English (or German, in the original edition, I guess), Tibetan subtitled in English, and English subtitled in Tibetan without much apparent rhyme or reason. The pacing is a bit sloggier than it could have been, since it's a fairly short book, but one made up of chapters that are five or six times longer than normal. And the author devotes way too much time to his own spiritual beliefs, rather than those of the people he encounters. But all in all, it isn't too hard to just roll your eyes at these flaws and keep reading. Just don't expect to learn anything about Tibet from it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2021
"If you imagine six points scattered in space," I went on, "a synthetical geometrical conception of
the various connections between the six points is obviously beyond the reach of man. As I said before, the figures exceeding five—viewed numerologically —have a dissociating effect on the personality of man. They are numbers of perdition."
"Five is the number of the creature and the number of manifested life which seems to exist simultaneously on five planes. Man lives, if I may say so, in five different realms, viz., the physical one and those of sensation, feeling, intelligence, and will. These are five realms which interpenetrate each other."
the various connections between the six points is obviously beyond the reach of man. As I said before, the figures exceeding five—viewed numerologically —have a dissociating effect on the personality of man. They are numbers of perdition."
"Five is the number of the creature and the number of manifested life which seems to exist simultaneously on five planes. Man lives, if I may say so, in five different realms, viz., the physical one and those of sensation, feeling, intelligence, and will. These are five realms which interpenetrate each other."
May 15, 2022
How disappointing. I consider myself well-read on all things Tibetan but even reading this book as a work of fiction (as another reviewer suggests), it doesn't get a pass.
Reading the author's short Wikipedia entry helps set context. In part:
"Physician and bibliographer Jürgen C. Aschoff highly doubts that Theodore Illion ever went to Tibet or even approached the borders of Tibet. His books are, in his eyes, "truly science fiction, a figment of the imagination." He finds it incredible that Illion’s publications should still be read and cited in so many scientific articles and books on Tibetan medicine, although the author never mentioned a single line of published reference or renowned Tibetan doctor in support of his more than vague assertions.[17][18]" -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor...
It reminded me of The Third Eye by Lobsang Rampa which was more enjoyable but also made more sense upon learning that it is fiction also. The danger of Darkness over Tibet is believing the content around which is gathered enough information so as to appear knowledgable on the subject. The finding of a so-called religious Shangri-la (my take of his Lost City/Underground City) and it's egoic spirituality, highly formal and Christian-like philosophy with barely a nod to Bon/Buddhism even is a bit offensive, personally. The few photos offered are not given credit, especially the image of Alexandra David-Neel.
I will concede that the author does have an affinity/interest in Tibet as illustrated by his bibliography, and was a thinker and an adventurer. His writings ARE typical of other adventurers from that time period though which likely resulted in its success.
Reading the author's short Wikipedia entry helps set context. In part:
"Physician and bibliographer Jürgen C. Aschoff highly doubts that Theodore Illion ever went to Tibet or even approached the borders of Tibet. His books are, in his eyes, "truly science fiction, a figment of the imagination." He finds it incredible that Illion’s publications should still be read and cited in so many scientific articles and books on Tibetan medicine, although the author never mentioned a single line of published reference or renowned Tibetan doctor in support of his more than vague assertions.[17][18]" -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor...
It reminded me of The Third Eye by Lobsang Rampa which was more enjoyable but also made more sense upon learning that it is fiction also. The danger of Darkness over Tibet is believing the content around which is gathered enough information so as to appear knowledgable on the subject. The finding of a so-called religious Shangri-la (my take of his Lost City/Underground City) and it's egoic spirituality, highly formal and Christian-like philosophy with barely a nod to Bon/Buddhism even is a bit offensive, personally. The few photos offered are not given credit, especially the image of Alexandra David-Neel.
I will concede that the author does have an affinity/interest in Tibet as illustrated by his bibliography, and was a thinker and an adventurer. His writings ARE typical of other adventurers from that time period though which likely resulted in its success.
March 31, 2020
What a fascinatingly odd little book. Part travelogue, part adventure story, and reminiscent of Edgar Rice Burroughs writing in 1st person. If someone tells me this book is completely true, I'll nod, smile, and say, "Okay." I'll accept that it has true elements but not that it's completely true. Too many wishful thinkings in it. Also, the last half of the book comes off as an apologetic to christiandom. To that part, too many ideas echo christian philosophy but not metaphysics.
An interesting read. A good source for people writing about a strange time and place.
And who knows...perhaps they'll piece together Illion's writing enough to find his underground city a'la Troy.
An interesting read. A good source for people writing about a strange time and place.
And who knows...perhaps they'll piece together Illion's writing enough to find his underground city a'la Troy.
January 13, 2016
Incredibly entertaining!
If you want to know about Tibet 100 years ago, don't read this! If you want to know about certain Western perceptions of Tibet back then, then this book might be the ticket for a good day's reading.
Basically someone is traipsing across the Tibetan plateau, sleeping in a tent. He visits places like "The Secret City" "The Underground City" "The Secret Valley". Later, initiates try to kill him with mind control when he rejects their religious ideas, and I won't give away the "pièce de résistance" cuisine offering later on. By the time he sees that, he has already made up his mind to leave.
Mixes true things with untrue things. One good idea was greens to detox poison, etc. They also might have used garlic to cleanse ghosts, etc.
Another book I would recommend in this vein would be `The Third Eye.' Equally ridiculous but it puts you in the place of a Westerner's Tibet even more!
MY VIEW: I LOVE IT! Will read again!
Charles Kos, author of "In Search of the Origin of Pyramids and the Lost Gods of Giza."
If you want to know about Tibet 100 years ago, don't read this! If you want to know about certain Western perceptions of Tibet back then, then this book might be the ticket for a good day's reading.
Basically someone is traipsing across the Tibetan plateau, sleeping in a tent. He visits places like "The Secret City" "The Underground City" "The Secret Valley". Later, initiates try to kill him with mind control when he rejects their religious ideas, and I won't give away the "pièce de résistance" cuisine offering later on. By the time he sees that, he has already made up his mind to leave.
Mixes true things with untrue things. One good idea was greens to detox poison, etc. They also might have used garlic to cleanse ghosts, etc.
Another book I would recommend in this vein would be `The Third Eye.' Equally ridiculous but it puts you in the place of a Westerner's Tibet even more!
MY VIEW: I LOVE IT! Will read again!
Charles Kos, author of "In Search of the Origin of Pyramids and the Lost Gods of Giza."
July 27, 2016
Das Buch gibt interessante Einblicke in die Glaubens- und Alltagswelt von Tibet, man erfährt einiges über "dämonisches Treiben" uvm aber selber lesen . Gibt es auch auf Deutsch - Rätselhaftes Tibet. Ich finde die englische Version aber relativ "einfach" geschrieben.
January 3, 2019
Velmi zaujimavy cestopis. hlavne tie postrehy o rozdieloch medzi putnikmi a lupicmi. vrelo odporucam, Theodore Illion pise lahkym perom a s usmevom.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews