TIBETAN IDENTITY SURVIVES IN CHINESE PROPAGANDA
After invading Tibet with brute military force, Chinese Propaganda is using the native Tibetan Culture as a façade to attract tourists and to promote tourism related commercial enterprises.
Rudranarasimham Rebbapragada
SPECIAL FRONTIER FORCE
From language to medicine, Tibet’s ancient culture thrives in Chinese Propaganda
Respect for local culture: more than half the classes at this primary school are taught in Tibetan Credit: Wang Jing / China Daily
Tibet has seen rapid growth in its cultural and related industries
As a part of Chinese culture, Tibetan culture has been well preserved and developed by a sophisticated system covering many areas.
The Tibetan language in the written form, for instance, is an alphabetic system. It has a long history and is widely used in the Tibet autonomous region.
Qumig Yudron is a teacher from the No 2 Primary School of Nyingchi, who teaches the Tibetan language in grade 3.
In Tibet, the language is taught through primary school to university, Qumig Yudron said.
Tibetan culture has been well preserved and developed by a sophisticated system covering many areas
“The language should be learned and passed down as it is the essence of the local culture and the basic way of communication of the people.”
The primary school currently has a total of 44 classes with 24 taught in Tibetan and 20 in Mandarin Chinese. It has also set up courses related to Tibetan culture including dancing and music.
Traditional Tibetan medicine is also a major part of the Tibetan culture. Historical documents showed that the medicine has a history of at least 1,300 years. Nowadays, there are Tibetan medical hospitals in each city, prefecture and county within Tibet. The region has more than 90 Tibetan medicine clinics.
Tseten Namgyal is an attending physician at the traditional therapy centre of the Hospital of Traditional Tibetan Medicine. He said traditional Tibetan medicine consists of 18 main techniques including diagnosis and therapy.
The theoretical basis of Tibetan medicine is all in the Tibetan language. Traditional Tibetan medical methods are passed down through traditional therapies, he said.
Established in 1916, the hospital has more than 60 Tibetan medical professionals. It has introduced modern facilities including laboratories and medical equipment.
“I knew about Tibetan medicine in my childhood and have studied the course in university,” he said.
With the support of the State, many traditional techniques have been preserved and inherited, he said.
In 2018, Tseten Namgyal was selected as one of the national- level Tibetan medical inheritors, which requires three years of study and training.
“Tibetan medicine has unique advantages with its long history and profound theories,” Tseten Namgyal said.
In 2018, the autonomous region had more than 6,000 cultural companies with about 50,000 employees
“We have also innovated and developed the medicines by improving equipment and formulas,” he said.
The autonomous region has also seen rapid growth in its cultural and related industries.
Norbu Tsering, head of the industrial and resources development at the Tibet Culture Department, said Tibetan culture attracts worldwide attention with its distinct features.
In 2018, the autonomous region had more than 6,000 cultural companies with about 50,000 employees. The annual output value of the cultural industry reached 4.6 billion yuan (£532.25 million), according to Norbu Tsering.
“We are committed to developing more creative cultural products in a bid to adapt Tibetan culture to an innovative growth path,” he said.
This article was originally produced and published by China Daily. View more articles at chinadaily.com.cn
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