Tibetan Culture under Chinese Rule

Entering the twentieth century Tibet was an autonomous state in which the Dalai Lama acted as both the religious head of Tibetan’s Buddhist populace and as the political head of the country. This unique characteristic of Tibet was the culmination of the intertwining of religion and politics in the country’s culture that had been developing since its earliest days. With such a weaving of politics and religion, a significant change in one necessarily will alter the other and in turn, the culture as a whole. This connection is evident with the People’s Liberation Army’s invasion of Tibet in 1951 and the subsequent rule of Tibet by the People’s Republic of China which maintains control of the area today. Historical Claims to the land of Tibet aside, it has become apparent that since this last invasion major cultural shifts are occurring in the area. Not just technological changes as the modernization of Tibet is undertaken by the Chinese, but fundamental changes in the region’s culture that foreshadow the death of a once rich heritage.

Centralization of Government

Lhasa, the capitial of the Tibetan Autonomous region, has been the theoretical capital of Tibet through most of its history. But before the modern era, this rule was tenuous at best. Most of Tibet was controlled by local rulers and who also wielded questionable and fleeting power. This lax system of rule in Tibet allowed for the creation and fruition of shamanic traditions, Tantric practices, and the importance of the lama. Under Chinese control, capable of maintaining a strict central government, this interplay of local traditions and their loose affiliations is removed, lessoning the influence of lamas and raising skepticism towards Tantric practices.

Language

In the years between the conquering of Tibet in the 1950's up until the 1980's, the native Tibetan language was strictly repressed and teaching of Chinese dialects was instituted. Today, many Tibetans do not speak their native language, only the Chinese they were taught. The massive settling of Tibet by Chinese workers and the necessity of knowing Chinese for anyone wanting to participate in higher positions in society has caused a still greater increase in Chinese speaking Tibetans while their native language becomes a thing of the past.

Populace

Han settlers now outnumber Tibetans by multiple millions in the Tibet Autonomous Region, and in the cities Tibetans are a minority group. This has created a scenario in which Chinese cultural goods are replacing Tibetan ones and the overwhelming feel of many Tibetan cities is now that of a Chinese one. The Chinese government is currently working on resettling hundreds of thousands of Tibetans from their ancestral homes and move them into or closer to cities. This move destroys the small communities in which Tibetan culture was still predominant.

Dissemination into Western Culture

Under the Chinese rule of Tibet, many lamas fled the country along with other refugees. The absence of many of these highly trained lamas reduces the quality and influence of Buddhism in Tibet. While most of the country are still devout followers of Buddhism, the continuing suppression of expression by the remaining monks means that there is a greater increase of superficial or only basic teaching of Tibetan Buddhism available. These lamas have spread Tibetan Buddhism to other areas of the world, with many gaining followings. These new practitioners, however, come from many modernized countries that are skeptical of the cultural background of shamanism and Tantric practices in their teachings. This leads to an increased marketing of Tibetan symbols without the knowledge of their meaning.

Dalai Lama Succession

Another drastic change in Tibetan culture will come with the death of the fourteenth Dalai Lama. As the official spiritual and secular leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama is the highest lama with the Panchan Lama seen as the penultimate lama. Currently, the last officially recognized Panchan Lama has disappeared at the hands of the Chinese, who replaced him with a person of their choosing from amidst the atheist Communist Party. Normally, the Panchen Lama heads the finding of the reincarnated Dalai Lama. Recognizing that the fifteenth one will probably be chosen again by the Communist Party, the Dalai Lama has questioned the continuation of his spiritual lineage, saying that he may not choose to reincarnate. Such a decision, clearly influenced by the Chinese occupation, would destroy one of the oldest and most sacred Tibetan traditions.

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