TIBET/XIZANG Improve your knowledge… Aurélien Avignon Benoit Vanmoer

What do you know about it? Superlative Tibet Geography Demography History Politics Economic view Cultural particularities A controversial issue

Superlative Tibet

Geography

Demography

History

Politics

Economic view

Cultural particularities

A controversial issue

Superlative Tibet World's highest mountain? Mount Qomolangma ( ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ ) Mount Everest Mount Sagarmatha ( सगरमाथा ) Mount Shèngmǔ Fēng ( 圣母峰 ) All ! 8840m 3,679 ascents, by 2,436 individuals… and 210 deaths

World's highest mountain?

Mount Qomolangma ( ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ )

Mount Everest

Mount Sagarmatha ( सगरमाथा )

Mount Shèngmǔ Fēng ( 圣母峰 )

All ! 8840m

Superlative Tibet Highest altitude monastery ? Rongbo Monastery 5100m Mount Everest Monastery and Pagoda

Highest altitude monastery ?

Rongbo Monastery 5100m

Superlative Tibet World's longest epic poem: King Gesar 120 volumes, more than 1 million verses, over 20 million words

World's longest epic poem: King Gesar

120 volumes, more than 1 million verses, over 20 million words

Geography EVEREST Lhassa Tibet Autonomous Region Belgium

Geography Superficy : 2.5 billion m² ( 84x Belgium) Borders : India, Nepal, Buthan Region capital : Lhassa

Superficy : 2.5 billion m² ( 84x Belgium)

Borders : India, Nepal, Buthan

Region capital : Lhassa

Geography A Star of China Ouïghurs Hans Mongols Mandchous Tibetans

A Star of China

Demography Population of Tibet Autonomous Region 2,616,000 inhabitants 93% of Tibetans 6% of Hans 1% other (Mongols…)

Population of Tibet Autonomous Region

Demography Tibetan, one of the 55 Chinese ethnic minorities

Tibetan, one of the 55 Chinese ethnic minorities

Demography Bilingual education in Tibet? 1950-1957 : Bilingual education 1958-1977 : Chinese-monopolistic language policy 1978-present : Back to bilingual education, also at an high level

Bilingual education in Tibet?

History 127 B.C. 846 A.D. 1260 A.D. Songtsen Gampo (6l7-698 A.D.) Golden Age Married Princess Wencheng (introduction of Buddhism) Introduction of Tibetan writing Empire 645

History World 820 A.D

World 820 A.D

History 127 B.C. 846 A.D. 1260 A.D. Uprise Buddhism persecution Division into several kingdoms Empire 846

History World 1200 846

World 1200

History Ghengis Khan conquests

Ghengis Khan conquests

History 127 B.C. 846 A.D. 1260 A.D. Conquest by Khans Appointement of Sakya Pandita Viceroy of Tibet Vassal state of Mongols Tibet spiritual influence><Mongol military influence Empire 1260

History 1368 1644 1912 First Dalai Lama 1391 1385 First Panchen Lama 1839-1901 Opium Wars 1645 Potala

History 1368 1644 1912 1950 English expedition from India to Tibet Execution of remaining Sino-Mongol protection forces ~12,000 killed Forced to pay compensations & to trade with England 1904

A friendly theocratic Serfdom? Aristocrats in Lhassa The Three rulling categories Aristocrat house

A friendly theocratic Serfdom? Serfs harvesting barley in the burning sun Serf with eyes gouged by owners Hands cut by serf owners Beg with shackles Instrument of torture

History 1368 1644 1912 1950 10 th Panchen Lama => ask for liberation Mao Zedong => People's Liberation Army Local government & Dalai Lama => against May 1951 agreement for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet 1950

10 th Panchen Lama => ask for liberation

Mao Zedong => People's Liberation Army

Local government & Dalai Lama => against

May 1951 agreement for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet

History 1368 1644 1912 1950 Rebellion led by Dalai Lama, and former privileged class (Indian and English influense, CIA Weapons) Reaction of Central Government for unity Dalai Lama and former privileged class => exile to India 1959

Rebellion led by Dalai Lama, and former privileged class (Indian and English influense, CIA Weapons)

Reaction of Central Government for unity

Dalai Lama and former privileged class => exile to India

History 1368 1644 1912 1950 Creation of Tibet Autonomous Region Ngabo Ngawang as Governor cabinet member under the Dalai Lama commander of the Tibetan army in 1950 1965

Creation of Tibet Autonomous Region

Ngabo Ngawang as Governor

cabinet member under the Dalai Lama

commander of the Tibetan army in 1950

Nowadays

Politics Autonomous Region Government ~95% of participation Emancipated serfs and slaves Illiterate (beans) 30% of women 95% of Tibetan Exiled Government in India Based on former aristocratic society Only men, former serfs non-eligible until 1991

Autonomous Region Government

~95% of participation

Emancipated serfs and slaves

Illiterate (beans)

30% of women

95% of Tibetan

Exiled Government in India

Based on former aristocratic society

Only men, former serfs non-eligible until 1991

Economic view 2006 GDP : 29 Billion Yuan (2.9Billion €) Major sectors: Subsistence agriculture Tourism 2.5billion yuan invested each year by Chinese Government

2006 GDP : 29 Billion Yuan (2.9Billion €)

Major sectors:

Subsistence agriculture

Tourism

2.5billion yuan invested each year by Chinese Government

Cultural aspects Religions Bön => ancient Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism Dalai & Panchen Lama Islam (Sunni) From Kashmir, Kabul &Samarkand Mosque in Lhassa

Religions

Bön => ancient Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism

Dalai & Panchen Lama

Islam (Sunni)

From Kashmir, Kabul

&Samarkand

Cultural aspects Tibetain art Painting => Architecture => Adapted to the environment Music => Religious Origami? Thangka Mandalas Thangka Mandalas

Tibetain art

Painting =>

Architecture => Adapted to the environment

Music => Religious

Origami?

A controversial issue Chinese view Linked history Vassal state since 1360 Live improvment Right of self-determination assured Economical development Saved from Monks and Aristocrats dictatorship Cultural protection Problems created by English, nourrished by the U.S.

Chinese view

Linked history

Vassal state since 1360

Live improvment

Right of self-determination assured

Economical development

Saved from Monks and Aristocrats dictatorship

Cultural protection

Problems created by English, nourrished by the U.S.

A controversial issue A problem nourrished by the U.S.? THE CIA ACTIVITY REPORT 1964-1968 - ”political action, propaganda, and paramilitary activity” -”support subsidy to the Dalai Lama's entourage at Dharmsala, India” Total--$ 1,735,000/year “ Educational program for 20 selected junior Tibetan officers-- $ 45,000” “ Expenses of covert training site in Colorado--$ 400,000” http://www.state.gov/www/about_state/history/vol_xxx/337_343.html

A problem nourrished by the U.S.?

THE CIA ACTIVITY REPORT 1964-1968

- ”political action, propaganda, and paramilitary activity”

-”support subsidy to the Dalai Lama's entourage at Dharmsala, India”

Total--$ 1,735,000/year

“ Educational program for 20 selected junior Tibetan officers-- $ 45,000”

“ Expenses of covert training site in Colorado--$ 400,000”

A controversial issue “ The purpose of the program at this stage is to keep the political concept of an autonomous Tibet alive within Tibet and among foreign nations”… http://www.state.gov/www/about_state/history/vol_xxx/337_343.html

“ The purpose of the program at this stage is to keep the political concept of an autonomous Tibet alive within Tibet and among foreign nations”…

A controversial issue About misinformation

About misinformation

A controversial issue About misinformation

About misinformation

&quot;Our conflict with the Dalai clique is not an ethnic problem, not a religious problem, nor a human rights problem. It is a problem either to safeguard national unification or to split the motherland,&quot; Hu Jintao 胡锦 涛 General Secretary of the Communist Party of China

&quot;Our conflict with the Dalai clique is not an ethnic problem, not a religious problem, nor a human rights problem. It is a problem either to safeguard national unification or to split the motherland,&quot; Hu Jintao 胡锦 涛

General Secretary of the Communist Party of China

A controversial issue Exiled Government view: Historical point of view No freedom of speaking No freedom of religion No freedom of Government Invasion by the Han

Exiled Government view:

Historical point of view

No freedom of speaking

No freedom of religion

No freedom of Government

Invasion by the Han

Thanks for your attention