This is the publication from the photo exhibition held at China House Gallery. This book is a compelling visual record of a world that has largely vanished. Spanning the years 1922 to 1949, this collection of over 100 black-and-white photographs documents the unique cultures and dramatic landscapes of the Tibetan borderlands in China, regions that have undergone profound transformation since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Rock’s work captures the monastic principalities, nomadic tribes, and peasant communities in areas such as Muli, Choni, and Yongning, as well as the remote mountain ranges of Amnye Machen and Minya Konka.

The book not only provides a rare historical and aesthetic portrait of these now-altered societies but also offers context through introductions to Rock’s life and the frontier regions he explored. The photo exhibition at the China House Gallery, showcases Rock’s extraordinary images and deepens the public’s understanding of the region’s cultural richness and historical complexity. Through these powerful photographs and accompanying narratives, which is edited by Michael Aris, the preeminent Tibetologist, the book offers a poignant glimpse into the intertwined histories of China and Tibet.