Cultures and Religions of the Himalayan Region

Mei-wang Shao
Shady Side Academy, Pittsburgh
Tibet Unit

Geography

History

Religion

Art

Social Structure& PEOPLE'S LIVES

COMPREHENSION

The Dalai Lama

2. HISTORY OF THE SINO-TIBETAN RELATIONSHIP:

The relationship between China and Tibet is a long and painful one. It started in the 7th century and continued through the Yuan and Qing Dynasties and the period of Republic of China. Today the Tibet Question pits the right of Tibetans to self-determination and independence against the right of a multiethnic state ( the People's Republic of China) to maintain its historic territorial integrity. The resource book I recommend is " The Snow Lion and the Dragon" written by Melvyn C. Goldstein. It is a great book for teachers to read. It provides an objective view of both the Tibetan and Chinese sides of the question. The films " Compassion in Exile" made by Dhramsala and " ............. " made by Beijing are recommended for classroom viewing although both were made for propaganda purposes. They nevertheless provide information about the life of Tibetan people both in exile and in Tibet. Moreover, Professor Van de Kujip's lectures and handouts on ancient, medieval and modern Tibet provide detailed information of the Sino-Tibetan relationship, which I will definitely use in my teaching.