China View: The Lost World of Tibet
Formally recognized as the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of Southwest China, Tibet is a land with a complex history and unique culture that has little to do with the conventional Han Chinese customs. Immersed in the world’s highest mountains, in fact, Tibet is a region that, in the past, was for long isolated and protected by geography itself.
In the past, Tibetans had often called for foreign aid, but the period of affirmation of Mao’s Communist Party in China coincided with the World Wars, therefore even the most important superpowers were not able or not willing to help. The timeline below briefly gathers five pivotal stages in the history of Tibet. In archeological terms, experts have identified that already in the years B.C.E., religion was an important characteristic in Tibetan society. From this timeline, it is also clear that Tibetans have always struggled to affirm their state due to continuous conflicts with other civilizations: in particular, that of the Han Chinese.
The main difference China and Tibet have clashed against in the 20th century was that while Tibetans cherished a theocratic rule and a structured hierarchy with a god-like figure on top, Communism in Maoist China was expected to lead to a revolution that concerned the rural masses and promised equality among people. The term “People’s Republic” in fact, comes from the socialist idea that viewed the people at the center of politics. The reality of what then became the China of Mao Zedong, however, was debatably much more rigid. Before the revolution and civil war against the Nationalist Party of Chiang Kai-Shek, then escaped to Taiwan, the Chinese population was fighting against both local and settler imperial figures. Hence, the desire to eliminate this and build a society giving more decision-making power to the people. The authoritarianism that came after might indeed have been unexpected and desired by one individual only.
A common ideal of Communist China was that religion was redundant, and that the only right doctrine was that of following and elevating the image of the totalitarian leader. Subsequently, most Taoist temples, Christian churches and Buddhist sites were demolished. In fact, if one were to visit China today it would be clear that most historical sites have been re-built after Mao. Tibet too, could not be saved. As shown from the animated map below, geography stopped protecting this land at some point in history, as the Chinese army bravely made it through the mountains into the Tibetan Plateau.
The Chinese military, especially Mao’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), believed in their good deed of “liberating China”. According to an article by Chinese state-owned Xinhua News Agency of March 2008, “Even in the first half of the 20th Century, Tibet remained a society of feudal serfdom under a theocracy, one even darker and more backward than medieval Europe. The ecclesiastical and secular serf owners controlled the personal freedom of the serfs and slaves who made up more than 95% of the population of Tibet. By resorting to... extremely savage punishments, including gouging out eyes, cutting off ears, tongues, hands and feet, pulling out tendons, throwing people into rivers or off cliffs, they practiced cruel economic exploitation.” China's Foreign Ministry handbook of July 2007 in fact reports that “Since its peaceful liberation in 1951, Tibet has undergone profound social changes, including democratic reform, reform and opening up, and has achieved remarkable social and economic progress.”
Other Chinese sources like CGTN report that, since 1959, data regarding the socioeconomic development of Tibet appears optimal. Illiteracy rate has reduced from 95% to 0.52% (1959-2018), life expectancy has doubled and the average per capita income of urban households has increased from RMB 575 in 1978 to RMB 33,797 in 2018. In the same years, this has also increased ten-fold in rural areas. The contemporary government of the PRC is indeed encouraging the development of Western provinces significantly, due to the realization that there is a worrying wealth gap between the East and West of China. Phenomena of internal rural-to-urban and West-to-East migration are common in China, but they leave only a few people dedicating their lives to agriculture in big fertile areas that need manpower.
The policies and efforts put in place by the recent governments to aid the Tibet Autonomous Region seem genuine, so much so that religion is no longer oppressed as it was during the 20th century. Relevant data reported on CGTN shows that Tibetan Buddhist temples, mosques, and churches are no longer considered against the law, and the remaining residents are welcomed to pursue their individual beliefs.
The main issue, however, is that most of the information the international audience can now acquire on Tibet comes from Chinese sources rather than local. It is extremely hard to find the Tibetan perspective on policies, education, or economic development. Foreign sources such as The New York Times believe China may seek stability in the region through investments. The 2008 Chinese Consul General for Los Angeles Zhang Yun has stated that “It is unfortunate that a few Western media outlets, including some from the United States, are ignorant of the obvious truths and are basing their reports on distorted facts and unfounded claims.”
While the economic development of Tibet is without a doubt bringing great achievements for the welfare of locals, improving the living conditions of Tibetans significantly, it is true that China could allow more space for the wide-spreading of Tibetan culture back into Tibet and could give back local entities their long lost voice. Often, it is the inaccessibility to all information that regards Tibet that may create misconceptions among the public. Also, the global community views the current Dalai Lama as a peaceful figure and struggles to understand why the Chinese Government may see him as a threat. Similarly to the Pope, having his own Papal State inside Rome but no political power in the Italian Government whatsoever, the Chinese could, in the future, renegotiate a deal with the Dalai Lama and allow him to reside peacefully inside Lhasa.
This could imply a return of a vast workforce and alleviate the ageing population problem that is also affecting Tibet. On the other hand, Tibetans would return to their homeland and put a heavy history of repression and violence at rest. Pictures portraying the relocation of multiple poor families in newly built areas of Tibet seem promising, however, the path towards greater recognition and representation of Tibetan ethnic groups into Chinese politics and society appears long and tumultuous. Below, a supplementary documentary explains in detail why Tibet still struggles to find peace.
