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"This trip may only last for 15 days, but the experience of Tibetan culture and memories of beautiful mountain scenery will last for a lifetime."
to foster people-to-people relations between China and USA
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On July 1, 2006 Qinghai-Tibet Railway put into operation
which changed the History of Tibet forever !!
click here
For the Train, a member of our 2006 Hiking Group has the following to say :
Mary : "... Hi Tony - Hope you're doing well. I think the web page has a lot of good information. The building of this railway was truly an engineering marvel. There was a small article about the railway in our local paper but it didn't have nearly as much information. I was particularly glad to read about the efforts that the Chinese made to protect the environment. After reading your web page, it made me really see that the Tibetan people deserve the technological advances that a railway like this will bring despite what some westerners think. I don't think that anyone in the west would want to go back to the days before modern utilities and transportation..."
2006 Hiking Group
What an Experience !
Sixteen people in this group completed the entire Hike,
nine USA citizens, six Canadians and one from U.K.
They covered of all ages and came from all walks of lives.
They were professionals: including doctors, nurses,
social workers, managers, engineer and students.
Almost half of this year 2006 group were women.
It was a good representation of a cross-section of our society.
Jokhang Temple
The most interesting experience of this group is that
they all went through the same patent of three stages, namely :
Stage 1 : they went with only the Dalai Lama version of Tibet.
Mary : "... I did a lot of reading on Tibet before the trip. Western literature makes you think that the Chinese came in and destroyed the Tibetan culture. Now I see the other point of view. ..."
Mary : " The books I read were more on the modern history of China and Tibet and left me with the impression that Tibet was always an independent country and the Chinese came in and took over. I believe I heard you say that Tibet was always a part of China. I guess I need to read the history books a little further back..."
Stage 2 : they saw what is the real and modern Tibet.
Jill: " ...I just wanted you to know that my trip to Tibet really impressed me - I learned so much and felt so welcome and safe in their country. I was impressed by all of the children going to school in their uniforms, some studying their books at the last minute for a test or assignment. The people were kind and very welcoming. We could walk safely everywhere by ourselves - people did not point or stare at us - we just fit in....I had a wonderful trip and even though I had a few sick days that I expected, I would do that trip again in a minute...."
Joe : " ...I definitely seeing it go through a transition period. The Chinese are doing amazing things in terms of rennovating the temples & monasteries, putting in irrigation and extending agriculture, constructing roads, buildings, commercial interests, etc. On the other hand, the Tibetan culture itself appears to be "caught" between a traditional past and this new future. I would be interested in returning in 5-10 years to see how much of the traditional Tibetan culture survives and how much of it will change under the guidance of the Chinese influence. It's most definitely an interesting time in that part of the world..."
Mary :" ...I definitely saw freedom of religion in Tibet and I saw good highways, medical care, and no signs of crime..."
George :" ... Now that I am back and recovered I have a better perspective on what a fascinating experience it was... the trip was what I expected and yet Tibet was a real contradiction to me. It was exotic, the people were incredibly friendly and hospitable (I had several great encounters during the trip) and I felt at times that I was in a place where life hadn't changed (except for modern shoes and cell phones) in a 1000 years. But I also felt that it was a region undergoing tremendous change, politically and economically.
What I did find different than what I expected were the Buddhist practices. While I was familiar with Tibetan Buddhism, I was surprised as to how it permeated almost every aspect of life in Tibet even among the younger, more modern Tibetans.
The trip was a great opportunity for me to get to see another part of China. For as sick as I was, it was still a great trip for me..."
Stage 3 : they concluded, " The trip did change my impression of Tibet."
For example, on departure in Gangkar airport terminal one of the group members told us, that she would tear off her " Free Tibet " label from the fender of her car when she had returned home in Arizona, USA. " Free Tibet " is a large global organization formed to support 14th Dalai Lama.
The letter below was written by a member of 2006 Tibet Hiking Group in response to this Editorial :
'The train from hell' (Editorial, July 17)
http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=1014656316146&c=Article&cid=1153087815966
"The train from hell-Viewpoint: Winnipeg Free Press"
I have sat looking at this editorial, along with the Spectator's recent articles on the Bejing-Lhasa train, for that past few days. I found the Spectator's articles interesting, but this editorial requires commenting on.
The tone of the editorial is consistent with that of several small 'Western' groups who would rather totally acquiesce to those with their own political agendas rather than look into the situation for themselves and risk becoming labeled politically incorrect.
I have just come back from Tibet. I spent just over 2 weeks hiking and traveling there, staying in three Tibetan cities and hiking through two mountain passes and numerous villages. I also visited several monasteries (no, the monasteries are not closed).
The land dispute between Tibet and China has been going on for centuries. Possession of land has gone back and forth between the two-depending upon who had the bigger army at the time. At one time, due to the size and power of the Tibetan army the land mass occupied by the Tibetan people extended well into China. Now the shoe appears to be on the other foot.
From the moment we got off the airplane in Lhasa it was visibly apparent that there are a lot of resources being poured into Tibet. The airport is new and ultra modern, as are the surrounding buildings. The road from the airport is new. The signs on the highways and roads are in Chinese, Tibetan and occasionally English. I guess that they are wiping out the Tibetan language like we are wiping out the French language, by putting it all over public signs!
Driving from the airport to Lhasa the land on the sides of the road is littered with new irrigation technology and greenhouses. The fields are full of produce. The locals tell me they are trying to become self sufficient in producing food, using the finances of the government. Even in the outlying villages we visited there is significant manpower and resources being put into reclaiming the desert by creating modern irrigation ditches, ditches that are decorated in a manner consistent with Tibetan culture and beliefs, in the belief that such decoration will encourage prosperity. It is a marvelous sight to see, in the middle of the desert, fields of green and yellow surrounded by sand.
While one of the tenents of Chinese political policy has been their intolerance of religion, I can assure you the monasteries are not closed. The Tibetan Buddhist religion and philosophy is alive and well in Tibet. In fact, the monasteries are being rebuilt and refurbished. They are open to local Tibetans and foreigners. The devout locals journey every day to perform their rituals, be it donating money, yak butter for the candles or prostrating themselves as they perform their prayers either inside the monasteries or as they circle them outside. They do this unhindered and with the respect of all who observe them.
Not once did we see any Chinese military or have anyone prevent us from going anywhere.
The pilgrims to the monasteries, for the most part, appear to be the poorest of the poor. They give all they have to a belief system that represents classic feudal serfdom. They wander from room to room in the monasteries, taking great care not to miss a room, pasting money on the religious icons or in the jars placed in front of the icons by the monks. If they do not have money they bring thermos jars of yak butter to add to the constantly burning flames ever present in most of the rooms and chambers. Despite this, the money that the monasteries spend on yak butter in a year is apparently enough to build 3 hospitals. At one point we entered a large room with dozens of monks apparently chanting prayers, or so we thought. Our Tibetan guide informed us that this was the time of day that they actually gathered to count their money from the donations! .
On one occasion there was a rather noticeable disturbance outside one of the monasteries involving a young child. The young child was apparently voicing a rather vocal objection to what was happening around him. It appeared that the local village 'council' had decided to 'give' this child to the monks in the monastery, and the child was rather loudly voicing his objections, to no avail.
In another monastery we saw, off to one side, a small room occupied by a lone child of no more than 10 years of age. The room was big enough to accommodate him and the tools he was working with. He was covered with ink, using blocks and paper to hand print prayer sheets. He would do this 10-12 hours day, for no pay, simply because he was told it was his duty to the monastery.
The reward for their subjugation to the feudal system is simply the promise of a better life in their reincarnation. Fortunately, many of the younger generation are now finding that they have a choice. They can preserve their heritage, philosophy and culture and yet at the same time avail themselves of education and an expanding future. At the airports in Lhasa and China we saw several groups of Tibetan teenagers in their equivalent of school uniforms (we would call them track suits). When we asked what kind of sports teams they were we were told that they wearing school uniforms and they were traveling back and forth in class exchange programs.
It appears to be the objective of certain politically orientated minority groups to dwell on the past. China, under Mao and even Deng, did commit many atrocities. China in many ways is trying to drag itself out of the quagmire these atrocities created, sometimes by trying to deny many things in order to 'save face' as part of their culture requires. But they are also trying to enter the 21st century. They have a lot to make up for, if you believe that they are responsible for the sins of past rulers. On the ground, from someone who has been there, they are making progress.
How much progress are we making after taking Native culture, language and religion and packing them off onto reservations in the isolated far reaches of most of our provinces? Ask not for whom the bell tolls¡&endash;¡&endash;
The above letter was sent by email to me on July 21, 2006.
On July 27, 2006 an Editorial was published by <<Spectator>> of Hamilton.
"In this traveller's tale, Tibetans can pray unhindered, and a younger generation has choices" ( Editorial, July 27)
http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=1014656316146&c=Article&cid=1153950612363
Our itinerary
On June 3, 2006 we flew from Beijing into Lhasa
where we spent three days for acclimatization and sightseeing :
Potala Palace, Norbulingka , Drepung Monastery, Jokhang Temple,
Barkhor Area, Tibet Museum and Sera Monastery.
Potala Palace
Barkhor Area
Drepung Monastery
Norbulingka visit
Barkhor Area
Debate at Sera Monastery
On June 7, 2006 we visited Ganden Monastery
and hiked from there to SamYe Monastery,
arriving SamYe Monastery on June 11, 2006.
By experiencing the wonders and part of the spiritual challenges
experienced by Tibet's pilgrims, we may gain an understanding of
why Tibetans draw an equal sign between religion and life.
Ganden Monastery
Our campsite
Our Tibetan yaks
Hiking along side with Tibetan yaks
A Tibetan nomad camp at a distance
Visiting aTibetan nomad family
A typical Tibetan nomad family welcomed us
Hiking at over 5000 km altitude
Our Tibetan yaks hiking with us at over 5000 km altitude
Hiking along our yaks
Our group crossing a river
Tibetan nomad family at a distance
Closer look of this Tibetan family
At this high altitude we camped near a beautiful lake
At this high altitude there were many Tibetan nomad families
Many Tibetan nomad families came out to welcome us.
our group crossing a stream
passing a nomad family
a nomad tent
Approaching a Tibetan village
A typical Tibetan village at lower level
Almost every family in a remote village can afford a tractor.
The most efficient transportation was still horse riding
Arrival at SamYe Monastery
Lamas were doing their ritual
For the first time seeing instant photos taken with digital camera
We spent June 13, 2006 in TseTang city, before heading to
Gangkar airport and flew back to Beijing on June 14, 2006.
The oldest Palace in Tibet
Our Tibetan yaks herdsmen
Enclosed are two letters( with false names ) from two group members.
It is a good representation of the trend of thought with most USA citizens.
*********** Letter from Jill ( false name ) **********
Hello Tony;
I read your email asking David lots of questions and I just wanted you to
know that my trip to Tibet really impressed me - I learned so much and felt
so welcome and safe in their country. I was impressed by all of the children
going to school in their uniforms, some studying their books at the last
minute for a test or assignment.
The people were kind and very welcoming. We could walk safely everywhere by
ourselves - people did not point or stare at us - we just fit in.
Every day my 'head' is still in Tibet - I see it so clearly when I sleep and
when I am awake.
I am glad it is not a big tourist attraction and I hope it never will be - I
just hope they find a way to manage the garbage and that the people smoke
cigarettes less - I feel sad when companies take advantage of people and
sell them unhealthy products and bring things to countries like plastic
bottles, bags and junk food etc.
I had a wonderful trip and even though I had a few sick days that I
expected, I would do that trip again in a minute....
Jill
******** Letter from Mary ( false name ) *******
Hi Tony,
Things aren't quite back to normal as I have still been traveling in the
States quite a bit. I'm traveling to Oklahoma next week and then hopefully
I'll be home for a while.
First, I just want to thank you for the wonderful trip. It was a great trip
for me - I like being active on vacations so naturally I enjoyed the hiking
amidst the beautiful landscape. I also like to learn the culture and you
provided that opportunity with the tours of the temples and monastaries and
the wonderful music lesson you gave us. I actually bought Butterfly Lovers
and another anthology of classical Chinese music that I listen to a lot now.
Martin Luther said that music is a gift from God and I truly believe that.
So thank you very much for the wonderful experience.
The trip did change my impression of Tibet. I did a lot of reading on Tibet
before the trip. Western literature makes you think that the Chinese came in
and destroyed the Tibetan culture. Now I see the other point of view. I
definitely saw freedom of religion in Tibet and I saw good highways, medical
care, and no signs of crime. We didn't see much of the government structure
so I don't know about the former serfs becoming modern leaders. What I read
in the western literature was that while it was a feudal system, the serfs
normally got along quite well with the landowners. And I know that the Dalai
Lama now says that he had plans for reforming the feudal system but that's
easy to say when you're in exile. I have not had the chance to read that
small book that I picked up in the Lhasa airport on the 14th Dalai Lama but
I'm anxious to hear the other side of the story.
The books I read were more on the modern history of China and Tibet and left
me with the impression that Tibet was always an independent country and the
Chinese came in and took over. I believe I heard you say that Tibet was
always a part of China. I guess I need to read the history books a little
further back.
So now that I've seen the way things are in Tibet, I'm very curious about
things such as freedom of religion in the rest of China. Are there such
things as temples or mosques in the cities such as Beijing and Shanghai?
What about educational opportunities? I would love to know more.
Hope all is well with you,
Mary
Mary : " The books I read were more on the modern history of China and Tibet and left me with the impression that Tibet was always an independent country and the Chinese came in and took over. I believe I heard you say that Tibet was always a part of China. I guess I need to read the history books a little further back..."
The Following History was written by a USA citizen and Professor of Purdue University after in-depth study at Tibet.
click here
Mary : " ... We didn't see much of the government structure so I don't know about the former serfs becoming modern leaders. What I read in the western literature was that while it was a feudal system, the serfs normally got along quite well with the landowners. And I know that the Dalai Lama now says that he had plans for reforming the feudal system but that's easy to say when you're in exile. I have not had the chance to read that small book that I picked up in the Lhasa airport on the 14th Dalai Lama but I'm anxious to hear the other side of the story..."
For Mary's opinion, I enclosed a paper about a recent interview with Tibetan legislator Raidi.
Tibetan legislator calls railway "road to heaven" for Tibetans
www.chinaview.cn 2006-07-06 22:55:58
BEIJING, July 6 (Xinhua) -- A senior Tibetan legislator said the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is a "road to heaven" that brings Tibetans harmony, happiness and economic prosperity.
"It is a railway that people of various ethnic groups in Tibet have expected for more than half a century," said Raidi, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) ** .
"It is bound to have a profound and far-reaching historical significance," he said.
Opened on July 1, the 1,956-km-long railway is the first to reach the Tibet Autonomous Region, on a route that averages more than 4,000 meters above sea level.
Slow mail to Beijing
"There was not even a single highway in old Tibet, not to mention air transport or railway transport," said Raidi, a native Tibetan who has been a leading provincial official for many years.
In the distant past, he said, Tibetans relied totally on people and livestock to transport materials to and from other parts of China. A round trip usually took seven to eight months.
"The transport capacity was extremely limited. This seriously influenced exchanges between Tibet and other areas, restricted economic and social development and hampered social progress in Tibet," said Raidi.
He said it took a central government official more than a month to make a trip from Beijing to Tibet in June 1951.
He also recalled that during his four years of study in Beijing more than 40 years ago, he received only one letter from his mother, which arrived six months after it was sent.
"After the peaceful liberation of Tibet, the Communist Party of China Central Committee made the construction of transport facilities in Tibet a top priority," said Raidi.
In the half century since the liberation, communications in Tibet had taken great strides forward.
The train trip from Beijing to Lhasa takes less than 48 hours.
Keeping up the call of the people
Nearly every year for 50 years, Tibetan deputies to the NPC submitted motions to NPC annual sessions on building a railway to Tibet. Leaders of Tibet kept up the call for the railway.
He said the CPC Central Committee and State Council made the decision to build the railway at the beginning of this century.
"Building the Qinghai-Tibet railway is a great event that the three leaderships of the CPC and the CPC Central Committee with Hu Jintao as the General Secretary care about very much," said Raidi.
The 1,956-km-long railway is regarded as a landmark project in implementation of China's western development strategy.
An epoch-making event
"The completion and opening of the Qinghai-Tibet railway is of epoch-making significance to social development in Qinghai and Tibet," said Raidi.
He said the railway was important to improving the lives of people in Qinghai and Tibet, lifting the level of reform and opening up, increasing exchanges, cooperation and unity and realizing common prosperity and development of different ethnic groups.
The railway, linking Xining in Qinghai with Lhasa in Tibet, is hailed as an "engineering marvel" because people used to think the permafrost and slush along the route could never support tracks and trains.
Builders also overcame low oxygen levels on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the "roof of the world", and took great care not to damage the fragile ecosystem. Enditem
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-07/06/content_4803030.htm
** National People's Congress (NPC) is equivalent to a Parliament of other nations. In fact, NPC and USA House of Congress/Senate had already held meetings in Beijing and Washington for the last three years.
Raidi, being Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of NPC, is one of the major players in top national structure of China politics.
Raidi was born in August 1938 as a ' serf ' during the era of 14th Dalai Lama ( who left Tibet in 1959 after cooperating for almost nine years with the present China Central Government formed in 1949). As a serf Raidi grew up with great hardship, until Tibet was peacefully liberated. During the period between 1959 to 1962 Raidi received his college education in Beijing and in 1979 Raidi became the Chief Leader of Tibet Autonomous Region. In March 2003 Raidi was elected Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of NPC and as a Tibetan Raidi is now one of the most powerful leaders in the highest hierarchy of the China national politics.
China Government Official website :
http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/58562.htm
http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/58360.htm
On Aug. 12, 2006 Ted Stevens( president pro tempore of the United States Senate) heading a senate delegation to China for the third annual meeting with the National People's Congress (NPC, China's top legislative body ) was received by Chinese President Hu Jintao . The NPC and the U.S. Senate set up a regular meeting mechanism in 2004 and have already held meetings in Beijing and Washington D.C. for the last three years.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-08/12/content_4953234.htm
Letter from Sandra, a 2006 Hiking group member
1."...I wanted to ask you more on the topic of religious freedom in China. What about the Falun Gong movement? I realize that the government probably considers them a cult rather than a religious or spiritual movement but is its practice sufficient justification for imprisonment?..."
Sandra, please view this video, from a professional in California :
http://news.xinhuanet.com/video/2006-07/06/content_4801509.htm
Dr. Margaret T Singer
Dr. Margaret Singer has been recognized as "the foremost authority on brainwashing in the entire world." She was the author of "Cults in Our Midst,'' the authoritative 1995 study on cults that she revised in 2003 with analysis of the connection between cults and terrorism. She was the winner of the Hofheimer Prize and the Dean Award from the American College of Psychiatrists and of achievement awards from the Mental Health Association of the United States and the American Family Therapy Association. She was a past president of the American Psychosomatic Society and a board member of the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute Review Board and the American Family Foundation. In the latest version of her book "Cults in Our Midst, '' she discussed in details that Falun Gong is a cult. Many families in USA were destroyed by Falun Gong. Former members of Falun Gong or the anguished families of members, like some of the people who lost relatives among the Branch Davidians in the Waco, Tex., in 1993, would often seek her advice. She died on November 23, 2003.
If USA can have cults and sometimes resulted as a disaster at Waco, Texas, can cults happen in China ?
If China has cults, can China deal with them ? without being labeled with ' no freedom of religion ' ?
The Dalai Lama supports the Aum Shinrikyo Sect in Japan that attacked Tokyo's subways with poison gas in 1995. (see below)
2."... Also, although I saw much evidence of religious freedom in Tibet, and the Chinese Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and freedom of speech, why is the mention of the Dalai Lama or the display of his photograph not permitted in Tibet? I would appreciate if you could help clear these points up with me..."
There was a period of time in the seventies when Dalai Lama photos were allowed to be displayed freely and his followers could enter/leave China at will but he took advantages of that situation and created a lot of sabotages and riots in Lhasa. Since then, there was a restriction.
But, the situation has changed recently and you should not be surprised that this retriction will be lifted someday.
When you have enemy who tries to split your country, you would most likely do the same thing as China had done.
Please remember, during the Civil War of USA many of the soldiers in the north, Union, did not fight to liberate the Negroes. They fought to keep the Federation in the south from splitting from United States. Tibetans inside Tibet do not want to separate from the family of ethnic minorities in China.
Dalai Lama and his people still create a lot of physical damages in Tibet everyday.
Tibetans know who is doing things good for Tibet, China government or Dalai Lama.
You have seen it in Tibet, for yourself !!!
In 1959 14th Dalai Lama left Tibet on his own free will, leaving behind a feudal serfdom. "There was not even a single highway in old Tibet, not to mention air transport or railway transport," said Raidi, a native Tibetan who has been a leading provincial official for many years. In the distant past, he said, Tibetans relied totally on people and livestock to transport materials to and from other parts of China. A round trip usually took seven to eight months. "The transport capacity was extremely limited. This seriously influenced exchanges between Tibet and other areas, restricted economic and social development and hampered social progress in Tibet," said Raidi. Raidi was born a Serf during the Dalai Lama era.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-07/06/content_4803030.htm
Since 1959, Tibetans inside Tibet know how to build a modern Tibet and without the 14th Dalai Lama. Tibetans inside Tibet do not need 14th Dalai Lama in Tibet, in fact his presence can be a problem.
Tibetans like most decent human beings reject feudal serfdom, which is represented by 14th Dalai Lama.
Tibetans inside Tibet want to tell the whole World that Dainzin Gyamco ( real name for 14th Dalai Lama ) is not a 'Solution', he is the 'Problem'. For the last forty years (since his departure in 1959) everything in Tibet has been working just fine and there is no room left for 14th Dalai Lama in the Tibetan Religious or Political arena. Due to the 'lack of rooms' Tibetans inside Tibet do not want Dainzin Gyamco to return to Tibet.
Please note that the USA Government does not officially recognize the government in exile of 14th Dalai Lama.
In this feudal system, all versions of Dalai Lama were born to be the political and religious leaders in Tibet for life. History tells us that it is dangerous to have a person being the authority of both political and religious leader. No one in his/her right mind should support to superimpose this neither 'democratic' nor 'freedom of choice' system in Tibet. It is especially true in USA whose people sincerely believe in a democratic nation with freedom of choice. This is why Tibetans in Tibet do not want this guy to return to Tibet.
For your information :
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-07/28/content_4889206.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-08/09/content_4937478.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-07/28/content_4889859.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-07/28/content_4889500.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-07/28/content_4889309_1.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-07/28/content_4889286.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-07/28/content_4889149.htm
more.....
In summary, three reasons why Tibetans in Tibet do not want 14th Dalai Lama to return to Tibet :
1. The 14th Dalai Lama left Tibet in 1959, on his own free will, after cooperating for almost nine years with the present China Central Government formed in 1949. Since his departure, Tibetans inside Tibet know how to build a modern Tibet and without the 14th Dalai Lama. Today, Tibet is a Autonomous Region (like a province) running by Tibetans with a blooming economic growth. Tibetan Buddhism is flourishing and "...it permeated almost every aspect of life in Tibet even among the younger, more modern Tibetans..." written by George, a member of 2006 Hiking Group. " ...I definitely saw freedom of religion in Tibet and I saw good highways, medical care, and no signs of crime..." written by Mary, another member of 2006 Hiking Group. Tibetans inside Tibet do not need 14th Dalai Lama in Tibet, in fact his presence can be a problem. He is out of touch with the modern Tibet, after forty six years being away from Tibet.
2. For the last forty six years, everything in Tibet has been working just fine and there is no room left for 14th Dalai Lama in the Tibetan Religious or Political arena. Due to 'lack of room', Tibetans inside Tibet do not want Dainzin Gyamco (real name of 14th Dalai Lama) to return to Tibet.
3. The 14th Dalai Lama wants to be the political and religious leader in Tibet for life again. Because Tibetans inside Tibet believe in 'Democracy' and 'Freedom', there is no place for 14th Dalai Lama and his feudal serfdom. No one in his/her right mind should support to superimpose this neither 'democratic' nor 'freedom of choice' system in Tibet. This is why Tibetans in Tibet do not want this guy to return to Tibet.
Thank you for your interest in Tibet !
----- Original Message -----
From: Sandra
To: China Hiking
Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 12:32 PM
Subject: Dalai Lama Book
Hi Tony,
Hope you are doing well. I finally got around to finishing the book I picked up on the 14th Dalai Lama at the airport in Lhasa. It was pretty interesting. It really tries to make the Dalai Lama look like a terrible person. The basic points of the book (**) were:
1. The Dalai Lama supports the Aum Shinrikyo Sect in Japan that attacked Tokyo's subways with poison gas in 1995.
2. The Dalai Lama exploits the time wheel abhiseka ceremony by performing it much too frequently for Tibetans living abroad, thus promoting Tibetan independence.
3. The Dalai Lama has prohibited the worship of the Buddhist Guardian Gyaiqen Xudain, whom he himself once worshipped, saying that it is harmful to the fundamental cause of Tibet.
4. The Dalai Lama goes against religious rituals and historical precedence in the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama.
5. The Dalai Lama has defended feudal serfdom.
6. The Dalai Lama claims that the Tibetan culture has been destroyed and what little remains will be destroyed by the infiltration of the Chinese Han.
7. The Dalai clique tore up the 17-point agreement and launched an armed rebellion in Lhasa.
( ** <<THE 14TH DALAI LAMA >> published by CHINA INTERNATIONAL PRESS ISBN 7-80113-299-8/K.55)
The author backs up these points pretty well. But then the Dalai Lama also has his own counterpoints, many of which I disagree with. There is no doubt that he has disregarded the 17 point agreement and after being in Tibet, I don't see where the Tibetan culture has been destroyed (at least not any more than what the rest of China had destroyed during the Cultural Revolution) and I don't think that there is a planned migration of Han Chinese in order to culturally wipe out what remains of Tibetan culture. Everything I saw made me believe that the Chinese have helped Tibet build a great infrastructure and improved education and utilities.
However, I don't believe that the Dalai Lama is quite as bad as he is made out to be in the book. For example, the book says "The 14th Dalai Lama worked hand-in-glove with the scum of Tibetan Buddhism to practice fraud with a view to hoodwinking the broad masses of Tibetans. His real purpose is to split the motherland and wreck Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism as well." and "He hates to see progress made in Tibet and improvement in the people's life, because the more developed Tibet becomes, the more stability society enjoys, and the more difficulty he has in stirring up trouble.". The only thing I believe in the above two sentences is that he wants to split China by creating an independent Tibet so he can once again be both political and religious leader.
I wanted to ask you more on the topic of religious freedom in China. What about the Falun Gong movement? I realize that the government probably considers them a cult rather than a religious or spiritual movement but is its practice sufficient justification for imprisonment? Also, although I saw much evidence of religious freedom in Tibet, and the Chinese Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and freedom of speech, why is the mention of the Dalai Lama or the display of his photograph not permitted in Tibet? I would appreciate if you could help clear these points up with me. Look forward to hearing from you.
Sandra
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