Who is doing a better job in preserving Tibetan culture? China or the CTA?

[michaela]

One of the reasonings the CTA made to appeal for support for Tibet cause from foreign countries and sponsors are the preservation of Tibetan culture. However, while they are talking and doing the small-scale preservation, China has done it on a much bigger scale. China has been promoting Tibetan culture and encouraging tourism growth to Tibet. In addition to that, they preserve and capitalise on Tibetan medicine practice and by doing so ensuring the self-sufficiency of Tibetan culture without having to depend on subsidy or donation from other countries like the CTA.

Now, who is doing a better job to preserve the Tibetan culture? China or the CTA?

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*Tibet recognizes more traditional medicine practitioners*

Twenty Tibetan medicine specialists were officially recognized at a ceremony in the autonomous region on Monday, as graduates of a program to boost the industry.

The 20 masters of traditional Tibetan medicine were certified in Lhasa, the regional capital, bringing the number of acknowledged specialists to 72. Two of those certified Monday hold doctor's degree and eight have master's degree.

Under the program, a specialist must undergo a three-year apprenticeship with a senior Tibetan medicine master.
"After 19 years of being involved in Tibetan medicine, my dreams have come true," said Cering Samzhub, 44, gesturing to his certificate. "I feel honored to be one of the few to hold such an important title."

Cering Samzhub is thankful for the apprenticeship. "I achieved so much thanks to the guidance of my teacher."
Tibetan medicine, known as Sowa Rigpa in Tibetan, has been used to cure aches and ailments for over 3,800 years. It draws on traditional Chinese, Indian and Arab medicine and is mainly practised in Tibet and the Himalayan region. It uses herbs, minerals and sometimes insects and animal parts.

Fifteen Tibetan medicine therapies and practices have been inscribed on the national intangible cultural heritage list.
"In the past, it was unusual for Tibetan medicine practitioners to have received formal education. This new system not only provides nationally recognized qualifications but, more importantly, it ensures that knowledge and practice are passed down to future generations," said Hu Xuejun, deputy head of Tibet Health and Family Planning Commission.

The first graduates of the master or doctor degrees completed their studies in 2012. Since then, the region has continued to increase support for Tibetan medicine practitioners.

Nyima Tsering, president the Tibet College of Tibetan Medicine, in Lhasa, said the college has more than 1,500 students at present, the most since it was founded in 1989.

"It is an exciting, dynamic time for the Tibetan medicine industry," he said.

http://www.ecns.cn/2017/04-11/252845.shtml

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*Tibetan medicine sees rising output in 2016*

LHASA, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Output of traditional Tibetan medicine rose to 2,300 tonnes, valued at 1.5 billion yuan (217 million U.S. dollars) in 2016, due to growing demand for the ancient medicine.

Twenty-one pharmaceutical companies in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region have been awarded the certificate of Good Manufacturing Practices for Pharmaceutical Products, according to the region's Commission of Industry and Information Technology Tuesday.

To meet rising demand, the cultivation area of traditional medicine across the region increased by about 200 hectares in 2016.
Tibet will increase investment in Tibetan medicine research, build more R&D centers, expand cultivation and enhance production technology in 2017, according to Qiu Chuan, deputy head of the commission.

Tibetan medicine, known as "Sowa Rigpa" in Tibetan, is at least 2,300 years old. It has absorbed the influences of traditional Chinese, Indian and Arab medicine, and is mainly practiced in Tibet and the Himalayan region.

Tibetan medicine uses herbs, minerals and sometimes insects and animal parts. It was put on the list of China's national intangible cultural heritage in 2006.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-04/11/c_136199883.htm

[grandmapele]

We have to realize that China has always kept their knowledge and practice of traditional medicine alive both due to expediency and availability of the ingredients during their tough years of war when modern medicine was unavailable.

However, this is the silver lining in the clouds as the thousands of years of knowledge has been preserved. Similarly, they do appreciate the knowledge and science behind traditional Tibetan medicine. It's main use is in the Himalayan is due to the availability of herbs that are known to them for treatment peculiar to the region.

Bottomline is  that it is good that these traditional medicines and their knowledge are kept.

[vajratruth]

This is a simple enough question to answer. Just look at the state of the Tibetans-in-exile. Do they look like they are well taken care of, given the amount of aid and sponsorship that has been flowing into a multitude of programmes for 50 years, all professing to be for the Tibetan people's welfare?

If I am not mistaken, the Chinese Government provided Tibetan language classes for schools in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) BEFORE the CTA saw it fit to make made it compulsory for Tibetan schools to teach Tibetan language in the exile settlement schools. Whether the Chinese did it with an agenda or not is besides the point. The fact is the Tibetan language language is preserved.

The Chinese have every reason to win over the Tibetan people and preserving the language and culture is one way to do that. The CTA in the meantime still treats the Tibetans like serfs, to be told what to do by their feudal lords.

[Pema8]

Unfortunately, instead of preserving their culture and giving education and good opportunities and finally finding a way to go back to Tibet, the CTA has focussed on creating problems for their people. By implementing the ban against Dorje Shugden, all areas of life of the Tibetan people in exile, such as friends, family, education, medicine, were cut short as so many people did practice Dorje Shugden. All the Dorje Shugden practitioners were not allowed to benefit from basic human daily needs such as buying food in the store, eating at the restaurant, they were not allowed to receive medical care or the kids were bullied at school and they could not travel,...

In this way, we can see clearly that the CTA did not focus on the Tibetan people and the Tibetan Culture. There are no graduates in Traditional Tibetan Medicine from Dharamsala as far as I know.

Thank you for the good news!

[Matibhadra]

Unfortunately, instead of preserving their culture and giving education and good opportunities and finally finding a way to go back to Tibet, the CTA has focussed on creating problems for their people. By implementing the ban against Dorje Shugden, all areas of life of the Tibetan people in exile, such as friends, family, education, medicine, were cut short as so many people did practice Dorje Shugden. All the Dorje Shugden practitioners were not allowed to benefit from basic human daily needs such as buying food in the store, eating at the restaurant, they were not allowed to receive medical care or the kids were bullied at school and they could not travel,...

The only motivation of your post is to shift the blame for the ban from the evil dalie to the “CTA”.

You just want to save the evil dalie's face.

Your criticism of the ban is fake and hypocritical.

You are an accomplice of the ban you pretend to criticize.

You are a zombie of the evil dalie.

[Tenzin K]

I have read about China preserving and refurbishing monastery in Tibet and now China is supporting  and preserving Tibetan traditional medicine practice. It’s a rejoicing news.

CTA appeal for sponsorship and fund for so many years but we have not heard anything like what China has done for Tibetan. Some may think this is China strategy to gain benefits for their own but it’s also a win win situation for the Tibetan in China. What important is the essence of Tibetan  tradition and culture preserved and able to pass down to the next generation. Looking at what China is doing is not just preserve but also recognised by crediting the knowledge through certification. This make it more valuable.

Tibet is within China and this is the fact. What make the situation better is China is helping Tibetan to preserve their culture and make it part of China rather than treating as secondary. This is how China build the harmony and respect for their people.

So far after 1959 what actually CTA had achieve in giving and supporting Tibetan? Everyone around the world able to see these very clearly.

[Matibhadra]

Some may think this is China strategy to gain benefits for their own

People thinking along this line actually want to send a very serious message: that the CIA's strategy while supporting the evil dalie and assorted Tibetan terrorists is motivated by pure altruistic bodhichitta...

Once my holy Lama praisingly mentioned the extensive support given by China to Buddhism, but when I rejoicingly commented “Good for China!”, he immediately corrected me saying “Good for the World!”.

Indeed, when Western perverted Abrahamic financiers and terrorism sponsors such as George Soros ostensibly “support” Tibetan Buddhism (as via Tsadra Foundation), this is a poisonous support which is not good for anyone, except for the short-term personal gain of himself and his ilk, because their intention is to instigate sectarianism, to divide and control, and ultimately to destroy Tibetan Buddhism (and Buddhism as a whole) from the inside; but when a country like China supports Buddhism, this is good for Buddhism, for China, and for the World as whole, because the intention is to bring peace, prosperity and stability for all.

As you said, it's a win-win situation.

The reason behind this reality is that the deeply ingrained mentality in Chinese culture, in Eastern culture, and even in non-Abrahamic culture in general, is one which values diversity and harmony, whereas the Abrahamic (Jewish-Christian-Muslim) quintessencial mentality is one of thorough destruction of other cultures, and uniteral, absolutistic imposition of their own.

This is reflected, for instance, in non-Abrahamic (including Buddhist) polytheism and synchretism, while monomaniac Abrahamists (Jews, Christians, and Muslims) venerate their own violent, bloodthirsty, mass-murdering, envious, absolutistic “god” to the exclusion of any other, and obsessively demand that others do the same, threatening and enforcing individual and collective death punishment against those refusing to comply.

Indeed, what the Islamic State and al-Qaeda are maniacally doing right now in the Middle East (with the support of US and Europe), Muslims have maniacally done for the last 1400 years (starting with the destruction of the Kaaba's 360+ gods of the pre-Muslim Kalachakra-like astrological religion in Mecca); Christians have maniacally done for the last 2000 years; and Jews, according to their own legends, have manically done since the time of mass-murderers such as Moses and Joshua, until current-day mass-murderers such Henry Kissinger, Ariel Sharon, or Paul Wolfowitz.

[michaela]

Dear All

Thank you for the interesting discussion on this topic. The CTA always said that they would like to preserve Tibetan culture and use this as a basis to appeal for donation from developed countries. However, as China is doing more to preserve Tibetan culture such as Tibetan medicine, the CTA's effort will become irrelevant. I hope they will realise this. If the CTA want to stay relevant, they should think less about themselves and their welfare and focus more on the welfare of their people.

At this stage, the best thing they can do is to build sufficient rapport with China to resume negotiation and stop creating division and schism among Tibetans through Dorje Shugden ban and stop encouraging self-immolation that will just create more suspicion from China.

If Dr. Lobsang Sangay is really serious about wanting a meaningful autonomy from China, he should start to work on it.

Michaela

[Matibhadra]

If the CTA want to stay relevant

Actually, there is no need for the CTA to stay “relevant”. CTA is just a joint creation of CIA and disgruntled, self-exiled Tibetan theocratic feudal lords, used to treat people like animals as they do right now. They can go to the garbage bin of history and Tibet will not miss them.

Indeed, Tibetan legitimate leaderships, within Tibet and in collaboration with China, are effectively promoting Tibetan language, culture, traditions, and religion, and they are able to do so precisely because they are free from the malignant influence of the evil dalie and the CTA.

[Pema8]

Unfortunately, instead of preserving their culture and giving education and good opportunities and finally finding a way to go back to Tibet, the CTA has focussed on creating problems for their people. By implementing the ban against Dorje Shugden, all areas of life of the Tibetan people in exile, such as friends, family, education, medicine, were cut short as so many people did practice Dorje Shugden. All the Dorje Shugden practitioners were not allowed to benefit from basic human daily needs such as buying food in the store, eating at the restaurant, they were not allowed to receive medical care or the kids were bullied at school and they could not travel,...

The only motivation of your post is to shift the blame for the ban from the evil dalie to the “CTA”.

You just want to save the evil dalie's face.

Your criticism of the ban is fake and hypocritical.

You are an accomplice of the ban you pretend to criticize.

You are a zombie of the evil dalie.

Dear Matibhadra,

I write this to point out that instead of preserving the culture, the Tibetan Government has done nothing but only worked against the Tibetans.

I don't feel that there is no benefit to talk bad against HH the Dalai Lama as I don't know his motivation. The motivation of the CTA seems clear to me and so I write my thoughts about this.

You may like it or not but it is a fact that the ban has damaged all of the Tibetan people, the Tibetan Society, the Tibetan culture and much more.

Thank you

[Matibhadra]

I don't feel that there is no benefit to talk bad against HH the Dalai Lama as I don't know his motivation. The motivation of the CTA seems clear to me and so I write my thoughts about this.

Either you are a clairvoyant buddha to know the motivation of the CTA, or you are totally blind not to know the motivation of the evil dalie.

In any case, what is obvious is that you want to save the face of the evil criminal dalie, which confirms my previous post.

If he would kill a child you would not stop him, under the ridiculous allegation that you “don't know his motivation”.

This lame excuse just shows how much of a zombie you indeed became, under the power of your bloody cult leader.

You may like it or not but it is a fact that the ban has damaged all of the Tibetan people, the Tibetan Society, the Tibetan culture and much more.

While you pretend to, you don't actually care about the ban; you only care about protecting your evil cult leader.

--

Actually, the kind of behavior above exposed shows how much the religious fanaticism around the evil dalie characterizes dalaism as a dangerous cult, whose members are ready to support any crime perpetrated by its leader just because “they don't know his motivation”.

[SabS]

Thank you Michaela for this interesting post on growth of Tibetan medicine masters. From my previous encounter with one in the past, I would say that Tibetan medicine will be beneficial worldwide and have the potential to grow just as Chinese traditional medicine had. Some herbs are only found grown in high altitude and Tibet will benefit from the increase in cultivation of these herbs. As China grows, they had not left Tibet behind and had pumped in billions to preserve Tibetan culture, restored their heritage & holy buildings, upgraded the infrastructure, protected the free choice of religious practices, given the people possibility of property & business ownerships, improved the living & educational conditions and so much more. Whilst CTA had only appealed and received such generous funds for the welfare of their people and yet what progress have we seen that justify the sponsorships. Their people are still "refugees" living off the kindness of others. The practice of protector Dorje Shugden had been widely practiced by Tibetans and I believe that in placing the illogical ban on Dorje Shugden & his practice, CTA had pocketed much of the sponsorship meant for these practitioners using discrimination, segregation and persecution. Who is doing a better job in preserving Tibetan culture? Definitely China, hands down.

[michaela]

If the CTA want to stay relevant

Actually, there is no need for the CTA to stay “relevant”. CTA is just a joint creation of CIA and disgruntled, self-exiled Tibetan theocratic feudal lords, used to treat people like animals as they do right now. They can go to the garbage bin of history and Tibet will not miss them.

Indeed, Tibetan legitimate leaderships, within Tibet and in collaboration with China, are effectively promoting Tibetan language, culture, traditions, and religion, and they are able to do so precisely because they are free from the malignant influence of the evil dalie and the CTA.

Dear Mathibhadra

Thank you for your comment. Yes I agree with you. The old Tibet is not as idealistic as what the CTA like to paint to the world. There are many documented evidence about how bad Tibetan lords were treating their slaves.

At the rate they are going, there is no need for the CTA to stay relevant. They are not doing a good job in preserving Tibetan culture or ensuring the welfare of their people. They are not even near to negotiate with China and secure a meaningful autonomy.

Michaela

[bambi]

So far, most of the things done to preserve Tibet is done by China. Whether it is for their personal gain or not, IMO, it doesn't matter. Why? Because if China flourish so will Tibet. Its a win win situation for both to grow. If not, why would China do something to encourage Tibetans to grow medically? Why not just promote TCM? If China does not care for the welfare of the Tibetans, I don't think they'd actually care about anything to do with Tibetans.
In fact, from posts that I have read so far, in the past, I have only read about Tibetans being unhappy with the corrupted CTA. And may I ask, what has CTA done that they can claim to be proud of and of their own initiative? 
Moreover, this is medicine we are talking about, to heal people and make them well. China and Tibetans should be proud of themselves for achieving so much more compared to last time.

[michaela]

Dear Bambi

You are correct in saying that most of the effort to preserve Tibetan culture these days is done by China. In the example that I will provide below, China is not only preserving the Tibetan culture, but also expanding to make it richer.

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China adds over 150 new words, terms to Tibetan language

BEIJING: More than 150 new words and terms related to politics and economy have been translated into the Tibetan language, officials in north-west China said today.

Qinghai Province's Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee said the 154 words and terms related to politics, economy and technology such as "e-commerce," "car-hailing app," "digital economy" and "Internet plus" have been translated into Tibetan.

"It is important that we translate new words and terms into accurate Tibetan," committee official Me-Tsering said.

"So that new words can be used and understood," state-run Xinhua news agency quoted him as saying.

Qinghai, adjacent to the Tibet Autonomous Region, started a project to collect and translate new vocabulary in 1999.

About 8,100 emerging words and terms have been translated since the project began. Tibetan is one of the most ancient languages dating back to the seventh century.

Beside Tibet Autonomous Region, Tibetan-speaking people also live in parts of Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan and Gansu provinces.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/china-adds-over-150-new-words-terms-to-tibetan-language/articleshow/58209230.cms