What Does Tibet look Like? Is it Only High Mountains?
Yes and no. Tibet does indeed have the Himalayas, the highest mountains on the planet. Their peak, Mount Everest, stands at 8,848 meters. However, Tibet is not just mountains; it also has fertile valleys, deserts, rivers, and lakes. All of this is simply at a high elevation: the average height of Tibet is about 4,000 meters above sea level. That is why geographers and travelers have called Tibet the “swelling of the Asian continent,” “a table-like mass,” and “a giant pedestal.” For the same reason, many people think that Tibet is just mountains.
Which Is Older — Tibet or Rus’?
It depends on what you mean. If we take the adoption of a world religion and the formation of statehood as a starting point, then Tibet is older: Buddhism was adopted there as early as the 7th century, and the Tibetan Empire emerged at the same time. In Rus’, statehood began with the invitation of the Varangians in 862, and Christianity was adopted in 988. Chinese written records mention proto-Tibetan tribes that existed even before our era. Rus’ was less fortunate in this regard — among its neighbors, there were no historical record enthusiasts like the Chinese.
What Is Tibet: A State, a Religion, or a Place?
More of a place. Tibet is a geographic region consisting of a large number of separate areas inhabited by peoples who speak the same language. Additionally, they share a common religion, culture, and history. Today, these areas belong to different administrative regions and even countries. Central Tibet forms the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the northern region of Amdo is partially within the Qinghai and Gansu provinces of China, eastern Kham is in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, and western regions like Ladakh belong to India.
So Is Tibet Part of China?
Today, China is often referred to as the PRC, but in reality, it is only a part of the People’s Republic of China. Historically, China was a state mainly inhabited by the Han people. During the Manchu Empire, which established the Qing dynasty that ruled China from the 17th to the 20th century, Beijing’s power expanded to neighboring territories like Eastern Turkestan, Mongolia, and Tibet. After the 1949 revolution, a new state, the PRC, was formed, and parts of these regions joined it as autonomous regions.
In 1951, an agreement was signed in Beijing for Tibet’s incorporation into the PRC, and the People’s Liberation Army of China occupied Lhasa. This formed the Tibet Autonomous Region, which became part of the PRC. Other areas inhabited by Tibetan peoples became part of the PRC provinces: Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan. However, many Tibetans live outside the PRC — in India (notably in Sikkim), Nepal, and Bhutan.
Who Governs Tibet?
The government of the PRC. It manages all aspects of life — state, administrative, political, economic, cultural, and others. However, there is also a so-called government of Tibet in exile, which was formed in 1959 after the flight of the 14th Dalai Lama and the Tibetans who followed him from Tibet. The goal of this government is the liberation of Tibet. At the same time, it deals with issues of education and culture for Tibetans living in exile, of whom there are about 150,000.
Who Lives in Tibet: Chinese or Tibetans?
Tibetans. But it is not a monolithic ethnicity; it consists of various local groups: Amdos, Khambas, Sherpas, Ladakhis, and others. Today, Chinese (mostly officials and military personnel), Uyghurs (traders), and Mongols (Buddhist monks) also live in Tibet. Their relationships are purely functional: the Chinese govern, the Uyghurs sell pumpkins, and the Mongols pray. Interethnic marriages are quite rare.
Studies of the language, limited archaeological excavations, and most importantly, Chinese written sources from the 2nd century BC show that the foundation of the Tibetan ethnicity was made up of the so-called Qiang, who came from the northeast and, mixing with various groups of Indo-Iranian, Turkic-Mongolic, and Austro-Asiatic origins, formed the Tibetan people.
Do They Speak Tibetan in Tibet?
Absolutely. The Tibetan language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman subfamily of the Sino-Tibetan language family. The classical written language appeared in the 7th century. However, the different ethnic groups living in Tibet speak different dialects and do not always understand each other. For example, an Amdo resident from Qinghai province may not understand a resident of Central Tibet, and vice versa.
Are All People in Tibet Buddhists?
Not all, but the vast majority are. Buddhism is a true national idea for Tibetans and the foundation of their self-identification. However, it is not homogenous and consists of many local traditions. In European literature, these are often called sects, but this is not quite accurate: the term “sect” implies the existence of a main branch and a number of offshoots, whereas Tibetan Buddhism consists of local schools — Nyingma, Kagyu, Gelug, and others.
The Gelug school arose in the 14th century and became incredibly popular. It reformed church structure, religious rituals, canon, and the clothing of monks and hierarchs. For example, representatives of the Gelug school invented high yellow hats, so the school was initially called “yellow-hat,” and then simply “yellow.” The Dalai Lama and the second most significant hierarch of the Tibetan Church, the Panchen Lama, belong to it. Some Tibetans practice the ancient pre-Buddhist Bon religion. There are also a small number of Christians in Tibet
By the Way, Who Is the Dalai Lama?
The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetans. The current, 14th Dalai Lama is named Tenzin Gyatso: he is Tibetan and was born in the northeast, in the Amdo region, into a simple peasant family. Buddhists believe that, upon dying, people are reborn in other people or animals, but do not remember their previous lives. However, holy people are reincarnations of deities and great saints of the past: for example, the Dalai Lamas are reincarnations of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.
When a “living god” dies — as Buddhist saints are called in European literature — his companions go in search of the boy in whom the deceased was reincarnated. A set of magical (such as special omens, dreams of hierarchs) and physical (like the shape of ears and nails) signs indicate a particular infant. In the case of the 14th Dalai Lama, all signs pointed to a boy from Amdo.
Are the Shaolin Monks From Tibet Too?
The Shaolin Monastery is located in Central China and has no connection to Tibet. The only thing that unites Shaolin and Tibet is Buddhism: Shaolin, which was initially a Taoist monastery, became Buddhist almost a century before Tibet did.
The Words “Free Tibet” Immediately Cause a Scandal. Why?
The issue of political independence for a large ethnic group that has previously experienced autonomy and had its own statehood is very sensitive. After the current Dalai Lama fled in 1959, he gained significant popularity and support in Western countries.
This is why the northern, Tibetan branch of Buddhism is more widespread in the West than the southern branches (such as Thai or Burmese). This also explains why the issue of Tibetan independence is often more vocal than the question of independence for the Kurds, Uyghurs, or others.
Was Yoga Invented in Tibet?
No, yogic practices originated in India. They came to Tibet along with Buddhism, along with many other things: great literary monuments, writing, the Hindu pantheon of deities, and myths. Elements of yoga were incorporated into the tantric practices of Tibetan Buddhists, who use physical and mental exercises to achieve higher spiritual states. However, this is not the main direction of Buddhism in Tibet.
Is There Civilization in Tibet?
Tibet is changing rapidly. A few decades ago, it was a country where people lived much like they did in the Middle Ages. In the northern regions, nomadic herders tended yaks and sheep, as they did ten centuries ago. The inhabitants of the Tsangpo River Valley grew millet and vegetables, carrying water in wooden buckets. Wealthy landowners employed laborers. Goods were transported by caravan. Polygamy and polyandry (multiple husbands) were common.
The deceased were dismembered and fed to predatory birds. When the British invaded Tibet in 1904, they were confronted by people armed with bows and arrows, slings, spears, as well as spells and magical rituals. Now, there are five-star hotels in Lhasa. Tibet has excellent roads, and you can reach Lhasa by train. There are power plants, universities, and publishing houses. Of course, in some regions, people still live as they did in the old days. Additionally, all Tibetans still believe in magic and are very religious. However, the latter is typical of many peoples whose faith and superstitions coexist well with technological progress.
