Tibet

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Tibet
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Geography

• Located on Tibetan Plateau
• Worlds highest region
• Average height of region is between 5,000 and
  9,000 feet above sea level
• Average temperatures in Lhasa (biggest city)
• 84 F in summer
• -19 F in winter
• Thin air cant hold heat. Temperature changes
  day and night
• Air very dry, so very little snow.
• Receives some monsoon rain in summer.
• Thin air and UV rays major issues for outsiders

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History

• Tibetans first settle in region around 4000 BC
• Large Tibetan Empire ruled by series of emperors
• Often warred against Tang Dynasty in China
• Buddhism introduced around 600 AD
• Conquered by Mongols in 1200s
• China takes control in 17 and 1800s
• China thrown out during Chinese Revolution
• Conquered by China in 1959

This reason for Chinese claims to territory
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Tibetan Buddhism

• Version of Mahayana Buddhism
• Emphasizes monastic living
• Has lamas who are religious leaders
• Places much more importance in reincarnation
• Believe both the Buddha and the Dalai Lama are
  reincarnated

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Ace as a Tibetan Lama
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Problem with Tibetan Buddhism

• Men traditionally joined monastery at young age.
• Men in monastery no sex no kids low
  population

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Dalai Lama

• Traditional leader of Tibetan people
• Believed to be reincarnation of a famous
  Bodhisattva
• In charge of all Tibetan Buddhist monks
• When dies, reincarnation sought by team of senior
  lamas
• Current Dalai Lama is the 14th
• Lives in exile in India
• Is 66 years old

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Potala Palace Home of the Dalai Lama
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The Search

• Search usually takes years
• Senior lamas travel Tibet looking for child born
  around same time of death
• Familiarity with possessions is major test
• May give riddles
• Interaction with lamas is important

10
Chinese Occupation

• About 6 million Tibetans
• Over 130,000 fled and live abroad
• Free Tibet movement
• Most Tibetans farmers or yak herdsmen
• Buddhism teaches to live humble lives
• China considers itself rightful owner
• Compares to US ownership of Native American lands
• Allows it some autonomy or self rule

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(No Transcript)
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China (cont.)

• China sends dissidents to Reform through Labor
  Camps
• Oftentimes a death sentence
• 65 camps hold 1.2 million according to China
• Require Tibetans to take Patriotic Education
  classes
• Settlement of ethnic Chinese in Tibet very
  unpopular
• At least 122,000 Chinese in Tibet, probably more
• Cultural conflict
• Chinese hate Tibetan people and climate
• Tibetans see them as invaders

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Chinese Rule

• Numbers of Tibetan monks have diminished
• Dropped from 120,000 to 46,000
• Positives
• People make more money
• Standard of living highest ever
• Built transportation networks
• Consumer goods and modernization
• Develop the west campaign
• Mineral wealth
• Bring more Chinese from overpopulated parts

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Free Tibet movement became popular in USProblem
is that not all Tibetans want to be freed
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7 Years in Tibet