DOCSLIB.ORG

Travellers to Tibet

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Travellers to Tibet TRAVELLERS TO TIBET A Selection of Eyewitness Accounts by Tibetans and Others (From 1959 to 2004) Published by: The Department of Information and International Relations, DIIR Central Tibetan Administration Dharamsala-176215 H.P., India e-mail: [email protected] www.tibet.net/www.tibet.com © DIIR 2004 2000 Copies ISBN 81-86627-30-8 Printed at: Narthang Press, Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamsala - 176215 H.P. FOREWORD Communist China’s liberalization policy of the late 1970s opened the gateway of ‘The Forbidden Land’ to the outside world for the first time since it assumed full control over the whole of Tibet in 1959. This was a turning point in the history of the Tibetan people’s struggle for their basic human rights. In the political front, it opened a new chapter by establishing the first-ever direct contact with the Beijing leadership, while in the social front, it paved the way for the ordinary Tibetans—both inside and outside Tibet—to exchange visits and meet their relatives. It also afforded many foreigners the opportunity to travel to Tibet and see through their own eyes the ground realities, in contrast with the most-trumpeted slogan of the Chinese government: that earth-shaking changes or developments had taken place in Tibet since its ‘liberation’ from ‘feudal serfdom’. Prior to the liberalization era, and since China’s occupation of Tibet, there was only minimal information trickling out of the country, and written accounts were almost non-existent. The opening up of Tibet, however, resulted in many Tibetans and foreigners producing a large amount of literature in the form of articles and travelogues through their eyewitness accounts and first-hand experiences of Tibet. For a long time, we have felt the need to bring out a compilation of some of the most representa- tive of these articles. The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama has also advised many times that such a compilation would contribute immensely towards raising awareness about the plight of the Tibetan people, and also about the non-violent nature of the Tibetan movement for freedom from oppression. i The Department of Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration is, therefore, very happy to bring out this publication entitled Travellers to Tibet: A Selection of Eyewitness Accounts by Tibetans and Others at a time when there is a growing number of people across the globe taking keen interest in and being more sympathetic to the just cause and suffer- ing of the Tibetan people. This book is a compilation of 26 articles on a wide range of issues concerning life in Tibet from the late 1950s until 2004. They are reproduced from international as well as Tibetan periodicals, and arranged in chronological order of the events they describe. As the title of the book suggests, these are accounts of those who have articulated their true experiences using hard facts about Tibet after having lived there or made a personal journey into the country. We sincerely hope that this publication will help create greater awareness about the Tibetan situation, eventually leading to the fruition of the aspirations of six million Tibetans to enjoy genuine autonomy within the existing constitutional framework of the People’s Republic of China. Secretary Department of Information and International Relations March, 2004 ii CONTENTS IN SEARCH OF NEW TIBET Tsering Dorji Gashi ............1 ONE MONTH IN TIBET Tsultrim Choephel Tersey .............8 A SUMMER HOLIDAY IN TIBET Christina Jengen and Suzette Cook ..........55 TIBET AND CHINA’S POLICY OF LIBERALIZATION —SOME PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS Dawa Tsering ..........66 A VISIT TO MY HOMELAND Ngawang J. Topgyal, translated from the Tibetan by Trinley Nyandak ..........73 BETWEEN HOMELAND AND EXILE Kesang Tseten ..........81 THE YEAR OF PREACHING DANGEROUSLY Ngawang Chojor ..........87 OBSERVATIONS ON A FACT-FINDING VISIT TO TIBET Michael C. Van Walt ..........95 FROM LADAKH TO TIBET ACROSS 50 YEARS Prof. Robert Raof ........103 TRYING TO BE AN IDEAL TOURIST IN TIBET Laurie Hovell ........112 SOME REFLECTIONS ON CHINESE ATTITUDE TOWARDS TIBETANS Prof. Michael Futrell ........125 TIBET IN SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1987: A WESTERN SCHOLAR’S OBSERVATIONS Robert Mont ........129 EXPERIENCE OF AN ENGLISH TEACHER AT LHASA UNIVERSITY Julie Brittain ........145 iii THE LHASA RIOT AND AFTER: GENERAL IMPRESSION OF TWO WESTERN TOURISTS Robert Barnett and Nicholas Meysztowicz ........163 AN INFORMAL FACT-FINDING VISIT TO TIBET Lord Ennals & Fredrick Hyde-Chambers ........181 WHERE IS GENDUN RINCHEN? Melissa Mathison ........196 REFLECTIONS ON A VISIT TO TIBET Chime Dolker ........200 A JOURNEY TO MY FORBIDDEN HOMELAND Lhundup Dorji ........204 BUDDHIST SPIRIT RESISTS YAK-BURGER CULTURE Christopher Gunnes ........218 IMPRESSIONS FROM A RECENT VISIT TO TIBET Maura Moynihan ........222 A STRANGER IN MY NATIVE LAND Tenzin Sonam Part One: Around Kumbum ........227 Part Two: Lhasa ........246 AN EYEWITNESS IN LHASA Thomas Feeny ........270 A NEW THRESHOLD TO SAVE TIBET Chokey Tsering ........276 INSIDE CHINA’S TIBET Vijay Kranti Part I. China Opens Up its Tibet Zoo ........290 Part II. How Tibetans Make a Statement ........295 TOLERANCE AND TOTALISATION Matteo Pistono ........300 SEVEN DAYS IN TIBET Tom Cockrem ........311 iv Travellers to Tibet IN SEARCH OF NEW TIBET by Tsering Dorji Gashi from the book New Tibet, Department of Information and International Relations, also published in Tibetan Bulletin, December 1985–March 1986 [The experiences narrated in this article took place around the year 1960.] We had left Chengdu by train and arrived at the Liuyon railway station. The railway track had not yet been laid beyond Liuyon and from there onwards we travelled by bus. It was December and the weather was extremely cold. When we were negotiating the Thongo-la pass we wrapped ourselves with all the blankets we had. Still our hands, feet and backs pained as if pricked by thorns. We covered our heads and faces with scarves. Our breath froze and stuck beneath our chins and we looked like characters from a Chinese opera, with long, white beards. Since we had stayed for long in low altitude, the climb to Tibet made us feel dizzy and we were overcome by nausea. Our heartbeat became abnormal, some of those who were less strongly constituted even fainted on reaching the top of the pass. One of the main reasons for our physical discomfort in our own land was the poor diet we were given back in Peking. After six days we reached Nagchuka. Nagchuka seemed to be a town formed in the midst of an encircling chain of snow-mountains. Buried by mountains, wind and snow, the whole place was nothing but a scene of desolate whiteness, except for houses, tents and yaks. The tempera- ture was around 30C below zero. Even in such hard condi- tions, the Horpa nomads were stripped bare down to their waists and were loading the yaks with a nonchalance which roused my admiration for these hardy people who could so casually defy the harsh Tibetan weather. 1 DIIR, 2004 All the Chinese cadres in Nagchuka were armed. From the first glance we could see that the People’s Liberation Army out-numbered the inhabitants of the place. I concluded that this condition could result only from a failure at ‘suppression of the rebellion’. Our arrival at Nagchuka did not evince the slightest signs of welcome from its inhabitants. While we rested in the place for about four hours the only person who showed recognition and welcomed us was Wangdrak, who belonged to the second batch of Tibetan students to leave the Institute of Tibet. Wangdrak looked like a typical PLA soldier and was armed to the teeth. His formidable military appearance was in complete contrast to his civility and peaceable nature back at the Institute. Wangdrak was happy to meet us and told us all the news. He had been in several expeditions throughout the Great Northern Plains, or Jangthang, to eliminate ‘rebel bandits’. There were still remnants of Khampa guerrillas hiding in the mountains. Both soldiers and cadres when moving around the place and its vicinity, had to move in groups of ten and be fully armed; otherwise they felt endangered. Nagchuka prison held more than 600 inmates. Many who were imprisoned before were either transported to Tsa-la Karpo Lake or to Kongpo. Wangdrak told us of many people having committed suicide. While hearing these accounts of life in Tibet a big ques- tion at once arose in my mind. I concluded that conditions elsewhere in Tibet would be very much like the one pre- vailing in Nagchuka. This would mean that many of my acquaintances and relatives might have been branded ‘rebels’ and put into prison. While pondering thus I did not know how I should react if I were met by an acquaintance. Soon we continued with our journey. When we reached Jang Yangpachen some of the fellow travellers said that soon the Potala would come into sight and rushed for the bus windows. As for myself I thought that the sooner we reached 2 Travellers to Tibet Lhasa the better. After journeying for about four and half hours and while turning the corner of the hill where the Drepung Monastery was situated, suddenly the magnifi- cent spectacle of the Potala burst full before us. The eternal Red Palace, possessing the power to rob men’s minds, was there in its full splendour, an ornament of Lhasa city. The splendid, awe-inspiring Potala seemed a palace of the gods descended from the heavens down to the land of men. The golden roofs of the Potala glittered brilliantly in the rays of the morning sun and I felt as if the road leading to Lhasa were covered with drops of gold. Having a history of more than a thousand years, the Potala has turned into a symbol of Tibet.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Tibetan Monastery Immersion Retreat February Losar 2020
    Tibetan Monastery Immersion Retreat February Losar 2020 Organized by the Panchen Lama Tashi Lhunpo Project 1 DISCOVER WITH US this journey of a lifetime. Join the Panchen Lama Tashi Lhunpo Project for a unique immersion experience at the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery India, one of the largest Learning Centers of Tibetan Buddhism in India, and participate in Losar 2020, an incredible celebration of the Tibetan New Year! We are very excited to present a unique opportunity to live within a Tibetan monastery and make a meaningful contribution to the lives of over 400 scholarly monks. By attending this retreat you will be supporting a global cause that is far-reaching for the benefit of all sentient beings. You will experience true generosity of spirit during the many activities including your meal offering for the monks and an individual book offering to the new library. By no means an ordinary monastery, Tashi Lhunpo Monastery India is steeped in historical significance. The original Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Tibet was founded by His Holiness the 1st Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Gedun Drupe in 1447, and became the largest, most vibrant teaching monastery in Shigatse, Tibet at that time. “Namla Nyi-ma Dawa, Sa la Gyawa-Panchen.” Thus goes the age-old Tibetan saying that is well known and recited often in all 3 provinces of Tibet. It means, “Just as the Sun and the Moon in the Sky, thus Gyawa-Panchen on Earth,” alluding to the great and consequential relationship between the two Lamas, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness the Panchen Lama, who have shared a special bond, strengthened by their shared desire to ensure the wellbeing of the Tibetan people and the continued preservation of the Buddha Dharma.
    [Show full text]
  • All Change at Rasuwa Garhi Sam Cowan [email protected]
    Himalaya, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies Volume 33 | Number 1 Article 14 Fall 2013 All Change at Rasuwa Garhi Sam Cowan [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya Recommended Citation Cowan, Sam (2013) "All Change at Rasuwa Garhi," Himalaya, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies: Vol. 33: No. 1, Article 14. Available at: http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya/vol33/iss1/14 This Research Report is brought to you for free and open access by the DigitalCommons@Macalester College at DigitalCommons@Macalester College. It has been accepted for inclusion in Himalaya, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Macalester College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Research Report | All Change at Rasuwa Garhi Sam Cowan From time immemorial, pilgrims, traders, artisans, and Kyirong to aid the transshipment of goods and to carry religious teachers going to Lhasa from Kathmandu had to out major trading on their own account. Jest records that decide between two main routes. One roughly followed as late as 1959 there were forty five Newar households in the line of the present road to Kodari, crossed the border Kyirong and forty in Kuti (Jest 1993). where Friendship Bridge is built and followed a steep trail The two routes were used for the invasion of Tibet in 1788 to Kuti (Tib. Nyalam). Loads were carried by porters up to and 1791 by the forces of the recently formed Gorkha this point but pack animals were used for the rest of the state under the direction of Bahadur Shah, which led to journey.
    [Show full text]
  • (“At Variance with Guénon”) of "Frithjof Schuon: Messenger of The
    from: Frithjof Schuon: Messenger of the Perennial Philosophy ISBN: 978-1-935493-08-2 from the free Online Library at http://www.frithjofschuon.com/ 11. At Variance with Guénon In my early youth, my salvation was Shrī Shankara, and with him, spiritual virtue; And so I was able to learn: only inspiration, And not vain thinking, can give Wisdom. Then came the notion of tradition: Only the sacred may carry the sacred. All this Guénon wrote in his works with great diligence And zeal. But much still remained to be said!1 Frithjof Schuon always respected the metaphysical and conceptual frame- work articulated by René Guénon, whose writings were particularly important to him at the time when he was beginning to formulate his own perspective. Starting in 1939 and continuing throughout the rest of his life, Schuon delved into many subjects that Guénon never considered or only touched upon lightly, including Buddhism and American Indian spiritu- ality, sacred art in its diverse forms, and, especially, the operative aspects of spiritual realization—prayer of the heart and the human virtues. Martin Lings, who was Guénon’s personal assistant in Cairo during the 1940s, later expressed an observation that first became apparent in these years: “There is nothing in Guénon that is not to be found in Schuon. There is much in Schuon that is not to be found in Guénon.”2 When, after the war, com- munication could be resumed between Guénon in Cairo and Schuon in Lausanne, Guénon was generally supportive of Schuon’s point of view on these subjects and particularly appreciative of Schuon’s interest in American Indian spirituality.
    [Show full text]
  • Updated Geographical Distribution of Species of the Genus Nemorhaedus Hamilton Smith, 1827
    6–71RYHPEHU 2019, Brno, Czech Republic Updated geographical distribution of species of the genus Nemorhaedus Hamilton Smith, 1827 Petr Hrabina Department of Zoology, Fisheries, Hydrobiology and Apiculture Mendel University in Brno Zemedelska 1, 613 00 Brno CZECH REPUBLIC [email protected] Abstract: The paper listed distribution data of all species of the genus Nemorhaedus, combining 257 field observations supplemented by information from the labels on the museum specimens. The localities data are defined by GPS coordinates and altitude. The species determination was carried out on the basis of the pelage colour characters, which allows work directly in the field. Key Words: Nemorhaedus, zoogeography, distribution, conservation INTRODUCTION The native distribution of gorals ranges from Himalayan foothills of northern Pakistan and India, further east across Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar, northwestern Thailand, central and eastern China, the Korean Peninsula to coastal region of Russian Far East (Grubb 2005, Hrabina 2015). The delimitation of distribution range of individual goral species shows considerable variation depending on the taxonomic concept used by different authors (see e.g. Lydekker 1913, Adlerberg 1932, Groves and Grubb 2011, Hrabina 2015). This has led to inconsistencies both in the nomenclature and in the understanding of individual species' ranges. The knowledgeability of goral distribution differs from country to country. Extensive research has been devoted to goral populations in Pakistan, western India, Thailand, South Korea and Russia (Cavallini 1992, Chen et al. 1999, Lee and Rhim 2002, Voloshina and Myslenkov 2010, Abbas et al. 2012), whereas for Nepal, eastern India, Bhutan, Myanmar, south-east China and North Korea we have no data available.
    [Show full text]
  • Dangerous Truths
    Dangerous Truths The Panchen Lama's 1962 Report and China's Broken Promise of Tibetan Autonomy Matthew Akester July 10, 2017 About the Project 2049 Institute The Project 2049 Institute seeks to guide decision makers toward a more secure Asia by the century’s mid-point. Located in Arlington, Virginia, the organization fills a gap in the public policy realm through forward-looking, region-specific research on alternative security and policy solutions. Its interdisciplinary approach draws on rigorous analysis of socioeconomic, governance, military, environmental, technological and political trends, and input from key players in the region, with an eye toward educating the public and informing policy debate. About the Author Matthew Akester is a translator of classical and modern literary Tibetan, based in the Himalayan region. His translations include The Life of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, by Jamgon Kongtrul and Memories of Life in Lhasa Under Chinese Rule by Tubten Khetsun. He has worked as consultant for the Tibet Information Network, Human Rights Watch, the Tibet Heritage Fund, and the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center, among others. Acknowledgments This paper was commissioned by The Project 2049 Institute as part of a program to study "Chinese Communist Party History (CCP History)." More information on this program was highlighted at a conference titled, "1984 with Chinese Characteristics: How China Rewrites History" hosted by The Project 2049 Institute. Kelley Currie and Rachael Burton deserve special mention for reviewing paper drafts and making corrections. The following represents the author's own personal views only. TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover Image: Mao Zedong (centre), Liu Shaoqi (left) meeting with 14th Dalai Lama (right 2) and 10th Panchen Lama (left 2) to celebrate Tibetan New Year, 1955 in Beijing.
    [Show full text]
  • Tibet Under Chinese Communist Rule
    TIBET UNDER CHINESE COMMUNIST RULE A COMPILATION OF REFUGEE STATEMENTS 1958-1975 A SERIES OF “EXPERT ON TIBET” PROGRAMS ON RADIO FREE ASIA TIBETAN SERVICE BY WARREN W. SMITH 1 TIBET UNDER CHINESE COMMUNIST RULE A Compilation of Refugee Statements 1958-1975 Tibet Under Chinese Communist Rule is a collection of twenty-seven Tibetan refugee statements published by the Information and Publicity Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1976. At that time Tibet was closed to the outside world and Chinese propaganda was mostly unchallenged in portraying Tibet as having abolished the former system of feudal serfdom and having achieved democratic reforms and socialist transformation as well as self-rule within the Tibet Autonomous Region. Tibetans were portrayed as happy with the results of their liberation by the Chinese Communist Party and satisfied with their lives under Chinese rule. The contrary accounts of the few Tibetan refugees who managed to escape at that time were generally dismissed as most likely exaggerated due to an assumed bias and their extreme contrast with the version of reality presented by the Chinese and their Tibetan spokespersons. The publication of these very credible Tibetan refugee statements challenged the Chinese version of reality within Tibet and began the shift in international opinion away from the claims of Chinese propaganda and toward the facts as revealed by Tibetan eyewitnesses. As such, the publication of this collection of refugee accounts was an important event in the history of Tibetan exile politics and the international perception of the Tibet issue. The following is a short synopsis of the accounts.
    [Show full text]
  • The Nobel Peace Prize
    TITLE: Learning From Peace Makers OVERVIEW: Students examine The Dalai Lama as a Nobel Laureate and compare / contrast his contributions to the world with the contributions of other Nobel Laureates. SUBJECT AREA / GRADE LEVEL: Civics and Government 7 / 12 STATE CONTENT STANDARDS / BENCHMARKS: -Identify, research, and clarify an event, issue, problem or phenomenon of significance to society. -Gather, use, and evaluate researched information to support analysis and conclusions. OBJECTIVES: The student will demonstrate the ability to... -know and understand The Dalai Lama as an advocate for peace. -research and report the contributions of others who are recognized as advocates for peace, such as those attending the Peace Conference in Portland: Aldolfo Perez Esquivel, Robert Musil, William Schulz, Betty Williams, and Helen Caldicott. -compare and contrast the contributions of several Nobel Laureates with The Dalai Lama. MATERIALS: -Copies of biographical statements of The Dalai Lama. -List of Nobel Peace Prize winners. -Copy of The Dalai Lama's acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize. -Bulletin board for display. PRESENTATION STEPS: 1) Students read one of the brief biographies of The Dalai Lama, including his Five Point Plan for Peace in Tibet, and his acceptance speech for receiving the Nobel Prize for Peace. 2) Follow with a class discussion regarding the biography and / or the text of the acceptance speech. 3) Distribute and examine the list of Nobel Peace Prize winners. 4) Individually, or in cooperative groups, select one of the Nobel Laureates (give special consideration to those coming to the Portland Peace Conference). Research and prepare to report to the class who the person was and why he / she / they won the Nobel Prize.
    [Show full text]
  • Xining to Lhasa (Vice Versa)
    TRAIN : Qinghai Tibet Railways JOURNEY : Xining to Lhasa (vice versa) Journey Duration : Upto 2 Days Day to Day Itinerary Unlike trains to Tibet from other gateway cities, the trains from Xining depart several times a day, since all other Tibet trains will stop in Xining before reaching Lhasa. The departure time of Xining Lhasa trains ranges from 12:27 at noon to 21:27 in the evening, offering flexible choices for tourists. Among all the trains to Tibet, there are two trains directly originated from Xining , one numbered as No.Z6801 departing every other day, and the other as No.Z6811 scheduled to run within a seasonal period. Timetable of Direct Xining to Lhasa Train Train No. Z6801 is the only train that starts directly from Xining and ends in Lhasa. It departs every other day at 14:01 from Xining Railway Station and arrives in Lhasa at 11:20 on the next day. Besides, Train No. Z6811 which bounds for Shigatse can also take tourists to Lhasa from Xining. The train from Xining to Shigatse is a seasonal train departing every day. Timetable of Xining to Lhasa Train - No.Z6801 Station Arrival Departure Stop Time Days Distance Xining -- 14:01 -- Day 1 -- Delingha 18:03 18:09 6 min Day 1 521 km Golmud 20:53 21:18 25 min Day 1 830 km Amdo 05:54 05:58 4 min Day 2 1,524 km Nagchu 07:24 07:30 6 min Day 2 1,650 km Damxung 09:06 09:10 4 min Day 2 1,800 km Lhasa 11:20 -- -- Day 2 1,972 km Timetable of Xining to Lhasa Train - No.Z6811 Station Arrival Departure Stop Time Days Distance Xining -- 20:30 -- Day 1 -- Delingha 00:32 00:38 6 min Day 2 521 km Golmud 03:28 03:53 25 min Day 2 830 km Amdo 12:01 12:05 4 min Day 2 1,524 km Nagchu 13:39 13:45 6 min Day 2 1,650 km Damxung 15:39 15:47 8 min Day 2 1,800 km Lhasa 17:45 18:10 25 min Day 2 1,972 km Timetable of Direct Lhasa to Xining Train As the return trip back to mainland China, the train from Lhasa to Xining (No.
    [Show full text]
  • Bilingual Education Policy in Tibet
    BILINGUAL EDUCATION POLICY IN TIBET The Systematic Replacement of Tibetan Language with Mandarin Chinese Tibetan Centre for Human Rights & Democracy TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................1 Tibetan Language ...............................................................3 Background on Tibet .........................................................4 Impact of The Dominance of Mandarin Chinese ...........5 Tibetan Autonomy .............................................................7 LINGUISTIC RIGHTS ..............................................................14 History of the PRC’s Minority Language Policies in the PRC ........................................................................14 Analysis of PRC Laws on Minority Language Rights ..22 Language Rights as Human Rights .................................27 EDUCATION RIGHTS & POLICY ...........................................35 Background on PRC Education Policies and Perceptions of Tibetan Culture ...........................................................35 History of Bilingual Education Policy in Tibet ...........38 Bilingual Education Policy ............................................58 Failings of the Bilingual Education Policy in Tibet ...63 Pros and Cons of Bilingual Education Policy .............70 ANALYSIS OF HUMAN RIGHTS TO LANGUAGE AND EDUCATION POLICY ....................................................................................73 Failure to Uphold Laws ...................................................73
    [Show full text]
  • THE SECURITISATION of TIBETAN BUDDHISM in COMMUNIST CHINA Abstract
    ПОЛИТИКОЛОГИЈА РЕЛИГИЈЕ бр. 2/2012 год VI • POLITICS AND RELIGION • POLITOLOGIE DES RELIGIONS • Nº 2/2012 Vol. VI ___________________________________________________________________________ Tsering Topgyal 1 Прегледни рад Royal Holloway University of London UDK: 243.4:323(510)”1949/...” United Kingdom THE SECURITISATION OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM IN COMMUNIST CHINA Abstract This article examines the troubled relationship between Tibetan Buddhism and the Chinese state since 1949. In the history of this relationship, a cyclical pattern of Chinese attempts, both violently assimilative and subtly corrosive, to control Tibetan Buddhism and a multifaceted Tibetan resistance to defend their religious heritage, will be revealed. This article will develop a security-based logic for that cyclical dynamic. For these purposes, a two-level analytical framework will be applied. First, the framework of the insecurity dilemma will be used to draw the broad outlines of the historical cycles of repression and resistance. However, the insecurity dilemma does not look inside the concept of security and it is not helpful to establish how Tibetan Buddhism became a security issue in the first place and continues to retain that status. The theory of securitisation is best suited to perform this analytical task. As such, the cycles of Chinese repression and Tibetan resistance fundamentally originate from the incessant securitisation of Tibetan Buddhism by the Chinese state and its apparatchiks. The paper also considers the why, how, and who of this securitisation, setting the stage for a future research project taking up the analytical effort to study the why, how and who of a potential desecuritisation of all things Tibetan, including Tibetan Buddhism, and its benefits for resolving the protracted Sino- Tibetan conflict.
    [Show full text]
  • China Shaping Tibet for Strategic Leverage
    MANEKSHAW PAPER No. 70, 2018 China Shaping Tibet for Strategic Leverage Praggya Surana D W LAN ARFA OR RE F S E T R U T D N IE E S C CLAWS VI CT N OR ISIO Y THROUGH V KNOWLEDGE WORLD Centre for Land Warfare Studies KW Publishers Pvt Ltd New Delhi New Delhi Editorial Team Editor-in-Chief : Lt Gen Balraj Nagal ISSN 23939729 D W LAN ARFA OR RE F S E T R U T D N IE E S C CLAWS VI CT N OR ISIO Y THROUGH V Centre for Land Warfare Studies RPSO Complex, Parade Road, Delhi Cantt, New Delhi 110010 Phone: +91.11.25691308 Fax: +91.11.25692347 email: [email protected] website: www.claws.in CLAWS Army No. 33098 The Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), New Delhi, is an autonomous think-tank dealing with national security and conceptual aspects of land warfare, including conventional and sub-conventional conflicts and terrorism. CLAWS conducts research that is futuristic in outlook and policy-oriented in approach. © 2018, Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), New Delhi Disclaimer: The contents of this paper are based on the analysis of materials accessed from open sources and are the personal views of the author. The contents, therefore, may not be quoted or cited as representing the views or policy of the Government of India, or Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) (Army), or the Centre for Land Warfare Studies. KNOWLEDGE WORLD www.kwpub.com Published in India by Kalpana Shukla KW Publishers Pvt Ltd 4676/21, First Floor, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi 110002 Phone: +91 11 23263498 / 43528107 email: [email protected] l www.kwpub.com Contents Introduction 1 1.
    [Show full text]
  • “Little Tibet” with “Little Mecca”: Religion, Ethnicity and Social Change on the Sino-Tibetan Borderland (China)
    “LITTLE TIBET” WITH “LITTLE MECCA”: RELIGION, ETHNICITY AND SOCIAL CHANGE ON THE SINO-TIBETAN BORDERLAND (CHINA) A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Cornell University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Yinong Zhang August 2009 © 2009 Yinong Zhang “LITTLE TIBET” WITH “LITTLE MECCA”: RELIGION, ETHNICITY AND SOCIAL CHANGE ON THE SINO-TIBETAN BORDERLAND (CHINA) Yinong Zhang, Ph. D. Cornell University 2009 This dissertation examines the complexity of religious and ethnic diversity in the context of contemporary China. Based on my two years of ethnographic fieldwork in Taktsang Lhamo (Ch: Langmusi) of southern Gansu province, I investigate the ethnic and religious revival since the Chinese political relaxation in the 1980s in two local communities: one is the salient Tibetan Buddhist revival represented by the rebuilding of the local monastery, the revitalization of religious and folk ceremonies, and the rising attention from the tourists; the other is the almost invisible Islamic revival among the Chinese Muslims (Hui) who have inhabited in this Tibetan land for centuries. Distinctive when compared to their Tibetan counterpart, the most noticeable phenomenon in the local Hui revival is a revitalization of Hui entrepreneurship, which is represented by the dominant Hui restaurants, shops, hotels, and bus lines. As I show in my dissertation both the Tibetan monastic ceremonies and Hui entrepreneurship are the intrinsic part of local ethnoreligious revival. Moreover these seemingly unrelated phenomena are in fact closely related and reflect the modern Chinese nation-building as well as the influences from an increasingly globalized and government directed Chinese market.
    [Show full text]