KeepingPacewithaNewEra
IwasborninGarzeCountyofGarzeTibetanAutonomousPrefectureinSichuanProvince.Ajournalistoncedescribedmeas“aTibetologistthatgrewfromaboyofaserfs’familyonalongandwindingpath.EverybladeofgrassintheTibetan-inhabitedregionislinkedtohimasitissignificanttohislife.Allthejoyandpainofhislifethathehasexperiencedthereshedslightintothedarkestcornersofhisheart.”
Beforethedemocraticreformwhichwascarriedoutinthe1950s,myparentswerebothserfs.Atthattime,wedidn’thaveourownhousetolivenorlandtogrowcrops,sowecouldonlysurviveasserfs.SinceIwasveryyoung,Iaccompaniedmysisterupthemountaintoletthecowsgrazeandgatherdungasfuelforthefire.Wewouldleaveearlyinthemorningandreturnlateatnight.MymotherhadhopedthatIwouldbecomealamabecauseonlylamashadbetterprospectsforthefuture.
Inthe1950s,myhometownstartedademocraticreform,confiscatingpropertyfromthelandownersanddistributingitamongthepoor.Ourfamilygotanewhousewithaglasswindow,afewmuofland(15mu=1hectare),andacoupleofcows.Afterthepeacefullib-erationofTibet,thepeople’sgovernmentofTibetestablishedthefirstelementaryschoolinmyvillage,despitetheoppositionofthetempleandrumorsofrebellion.Wantingabetterfutureforherson,mymothertookmetothenewschoolthreetofourkilometersawayandregisteredme.ShehopedIwouldbecomeateacher.Duringmysubsequentacademiccareer,everytimeIencountereddifficultiesorsetbacks,IalwaysthoughtofthehelpandsupportthePeople’sLiberationArmygavetous.Irecalltheexpressiononmymother’sfacewhileworkingherownlandfortheveryfirsttimeafterthedemocraticreform.
Therealchangetomylifecameaftertheimplementationofreformandopening-uppolicy.In1977,theChinesegovernmentreinstatedthenationalcollegeentranceexaminationsystem.Iimmediatelyregisteredandinthespringofthesecondyear,wasacceptedtotheSouthwestMinzuUniversity,becomingoneofthefirstbatchofundergraduatestudentsintheChineselanguageandliteraturedepartmentafterthe“culturalrevolution”(1966-1976).Rightafterthefirstsemester,Ireceivednewsofthereinstatementsofgraduateprogramsnationwide.Withthesupportandencouragementofmyteachersandfriends,IappliedtostudyethnichistoryattheChineseAcademyofSocialSciences(CASS).In1978,IcametoBeijing,thecapital,andenteredthecovetedhallsofacademia.
From1983to1986,IstudiedformydoctorateatSunYat-senUniversity.Thisacademicexperiencehadaprofoundinfluenceonmycareerdevelopment.Threeyearsofstricttraininglaidasolidfoundationformyacademicpursuits.
Iwasfortunateenoughtoattendtwogreatinstitutionsofhigherlearning:thegraduateschoolattheCASSandSunYatsenUniversity.IwasalsofortunateenoughtobeguidedbytwoexcellentHanChineseteachers:ProfessorsLiYouyiandLiangZhaotao.
Asabeneficiaryofreformandopening-up,systematicstudymademeevolvefromalargelyignorantshepherdontheQinghai-TibetPlateau,dubbedastheRoofoftheWorld,intoadoctorwhohasmadeoutstandingcontributionstothecountry.InJanuaryof1991,intheGreatHallofthePeopleinBeijing,JiangZemin,formergeneralsecretaryoftheCentralCommitteeoftheCommunistPartyofChina(CPC)personallyawardedmethehonorarytitleandcertificateof“DoctorwithOutstandingContributionstoChina.”Heaskedme:“AreyouaTibetanwhostudiedanthropology?”Yes,IamaTibetananthropologist.Iamthedescendantofafamilyofserfs.WithoutthepeacefulliberationanddemocraticreformledbytheCPC,Iwouldhaveatmostbecomealamarecitingandchantingscriptureandbarelybeingabletofillmybelly.ThereisnowayIwouldhaveenjoyedthehonorandesteemofbeingthefirstTibetanPhDinanthropology.Itisevenmoreunlikelythatthegovernmentwouldhaveawardedmethehonorandsubsidyformycontri-butiontothedevelopmentofChina’ssocialsciences.OnatourofinvestigationinLhasain1993.WitnessingChangeinTibet
Overthepast40years,IhavetraveledwesttoNgariPrefecture,northtothevastgrasslands,southtoShannanPrefecture,andeasttoQamdoPrefectureandTibetanautonomousprefecturesinYunnan,Qinghai,andGansuprovinces.IhavetravelledtoalmostallofthetownsandvillagesoftheTibetan-inhabitedregions.IhaveenthusiasticallyunraveledthemysteriesofXiangxiongKingdom,GugeKingdom,andthesacredmountainsandlakes.Ihavecontemplatedthehumanspirit,thetrajectoryofcivilization,themeaningoflife,andhumansuffering.IalsospentmuchtimeponderingtheTibetanculturebetweentraditionandmodernity.
However,whatgavemeimmensepleasureandenthusiasmistheexperienceofconductinganumberofkeynationalprojectsdedicatedtomaterialandculturalprogressinTibetan-inhabitedareas.TheseprojectsincludedtheStudyonTraditionalCultureandModernizationofTibetan-inhabitedAreasinChina,theSurveyon100TibetanHouseholds,ChallengesandOpportunities:AcceleratingtheProgressofModernizationinTibetan-inhabitedAreas,andtheStudyontheStrategyofCulturalProtectionandModernizationinTibetandTibetan-inhabitedAreasinOtherProvinces.
Forthepast40years,oneareaofinterestformyresearchhasbeenthechangesinTibetanfarmersandherdsmenwhocarryalonghistoryandculturaltraditionafterthepeacefulliberation,especiallyafterChina’sreformandopening-up.Accordingtoourfieldstudyofover1,000householdsinthreedifferenttypesofTibetanregions(cities,farms,andpastures),sinceChinastartedthereformandopeningup,ruralandurbanTibetansocietieshavegonethroughmanychanges.Themostobviousofwhichareasfollows:
Afterthereformandopening-uppolicywascarriedout,thehouseholdcontractresponsibilitysystemwasimplementedintheruralareasofTibet.Therighttouselandandpossesslivestockhasbeentransferredfromcollectiveorganizationstoindividualfarmersandherdsmen.Thislinkedtheirinitiativeoverthemanagementofproductiondirectlytotheirrespectiveinterests.Itthereforepromotedthedevelopmentofproductivity,increasedtheincomeoffarmersandherders,andsignificantlyimprovedtheirlivingstandard.
Afterthereformandopening-upwascarriedout,Tibet’sagriculturalandpastoralareashavegraduallyseenachangefromaunitary,self-sufficienteconomytoanopenanddiversifiedcommodity-basedeconomy.Nolongerlimitedtogrowingcropsandraisinglivestock,farmersandherdsmenbegantotakeadvantageoftheopportunitiesofferedbytheopenmarketsandimprovedtransportation,engaginginindustry,architecture,transportationandshipping,business,andthecateringindustry.
Alongwitheconomicdevelopmentandtheimprovementinpeople’slives,bothcitydwellersandruralfarmersareexperiencingashiftintheirlivesfromearningjustenoughforsubsistencetohavingmoremoneyforconsumption.Moreover,theconsumptionisincreasinglyleaningtowardstechnology,education,tourism,andentertainment.Modernappliancesliketelevisions,washingmachines,VCRs,cars,motorcycles,cellphones,cameras,andmicrowaveovens,haveallmadetheirwayintoTibetanhouseholds,graduallyfromurbantorural,afterthereformandopening-upwasimplemented.
Afterthereformandopening-up,thenormalreligiousactivitiesofBuddhistworshipareprotectedandrespectedunderstatepolicies.TheTibetanpeoplehaverestoredtheirrighttofreedomofreligiousbelieftothefullest.Accordingtoasurvey,theTibetanpeoplearehighlyawareofthepolicyoffreedomofreligiousbeliefanditisamongthebestunderstoodpoliciesbytheTibetanpeople.Itiswidelybelievedtobeaverygoodpolicy.IntraditionalTibetansociety,becomingamonkwasbelievedtobeoneofthebestoccupationsforyoungmen.Afterdecadesofreformandopening-up,nowover60percentofparentshopethattheirchildrencanbecomedoctorsandgovernmentstaff.ThisdoesnotmeanthattheydonotbelieveinBuddhism,rathertheirideasofemploymenthaveclearlychanged.
Intermsofhousing,thebasicresidentialnecessitiesofruralfarmersandcitydwellershavebeenadequatelymet.Theaveragepercapitahousingspaceis2.6timesthesizeitwasbeforethedemocraticreform.Nowthepeopleaspiretorenovatetheiroldhousesandmoveintonewly-builtmulti-storyapartments.Manynewhomesareevenmorebeautifulandlavishthantheestatesofthepre-liberationaristocracy.
Intermsoffood,bothurbanandruralresidentshavealltransformedfromhavingasubsistencediettoeatingwell.Althoughthedemandfortraditionalstaplefoods,rawgrains,andcoarsegrainsisstillverylarge,ithasshownadownwardtrend.Thisisevidencethatthedietarystandardhasgraduallyincreased.
Intermsofclothing,thedemandsofTibetanfarmers,herdsmen,andurbanresidentsarenolongersatisfiedwithmerelykeepingwarm.Instead,theyseekmorevarietyandstyle,drivingademandformedium-andhigh-endapparel.Forexample,therearemoreandmorepeoplewearingsuitsinLhasa.
Intermsofpoliticallife:afterthereformandopening-upkickedoff,democraticelectionsatthecommunitylevelhavebecomeanimportantwayforTibetanstoparticipateinpoliticalmanagement.Theselectionofthemembersofthenewadministrativeorganizationsisbasedontheirtalentsandsocialachievements,replacingtribalorfamilystyleelectionsinthepast.
IntroducingtheRealTibettotheWorld
Asananthropologist,Ioftenreceiveinvitationstoattendacademicconferencesandmeetingsabroad.IseethemasagreatopportunitytointroducetherealTibettotheworld.
In1989,Ideliveredaspeechtoover80AmericanscholarsatthePacificLutheranUniversityonthetopic:“IsTibettheShangri-Laorafeudalserfdomsociety?”AttheUniversityofCalifornia,Ilecturedtomorethan60AmericanstudentsthatChinaisabigfamilyof56ethnicgroups.IexplainedKarlMarx’stheoryofethnicstudies,aswellasethnicregionalautonomy,andnationalunity.Throughthesetypesofunofficialandnon-governmentalculturalexchanges,youngAmericanshavelearnedabouttherealityofethnicminoritiesinChina,includingofcoursetherealityofTibet.
Overthepast40years,Ihavetravelledhalftheworld,findingthatscholarsofWesterncountriesexhibitaclearambivalence:theynaturallyliveinmodernsocieties,butoncetheydiscussthemodernizationofTibet,theytendtomakeaccusationsandcauseconstantcontroversy.TomanyWesterners,Tibetisanexoticmyth,especiallyafterthepublicationofLostHorizonin1933,inwhichthe“searchforShangri-La”seducedtheworld.TheyimagineTibetasthespiritualhomeandrefugeaspeoplehavedreamedabout.
AsaChineseTibetologist,mymaterialdreamistorealizetheeconomicmodernizationofTibet,andmyspiritualdreamistoseetheTibetans,togetherwithpeopleofotherethnicgroupsinChina,entertheneweraofsocialismwithChinesecharacteristics.
NowthatIamalmostinmy70s,Iamhappytohavecontinuedteachingandconductingscientificresearch,makingmycontributiontothecultivationoftalentsinTibetologyandanthropology,thedevelopmentofTibet,andsafeguardingthecountry’sterritorialintegrityandnationalunity.Thishasalsobeenmylife-longambition.C
GELEG,bornin1950,usedtobevicesecretarygeneralandresearcherofChinaTibetologyResearchCenter,andnowisadoctoralsupervisorinethnicstudiesandTibetologyatMinzuUniversityofChinaandSouthwestMinzuUniversity.
1962Wearingascarf,Gelegandhissister’sfamilyposeforagroupphotoinaGarzephotostudio.
1980
LiYouyi,super－visorofGeleg’smaster’sdegreeprogram,withhiminLhasaonaninvestigativetour.
2009
GelegattheUniversityofCambridge.
2012
Infrontofhisalmamater,GarzeMinzuMiddleSchool.