1868-1969

French explorer who infiltrated the Tibetan capital. David-Neel traveled throughout Asia to study philosophy and seek her spiritual home. Embracing Buddhism, she interviewed the Dalai Lama in 1912 and lived in a cave in the Himalayas. In 1923 David-Neel disguised herself as a nun to gain admittance to Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, which was closed to westerners. She wrote a book about her experiences living in Lhasa. She also published scholarly texts about Tibetan culture and religion.