CONTENTS
Introduction
Promoting Buddhism or Making a Mess of It
Benefiting Tibetans or Doing Them Harm
Driving Tibet to Paradise or Hell
Concluding Remarks
Introduction
The 14th Dalai Lama Dainzin Gyamco, born in July 1935 in Qijiachuan (present-day Hongya Village), Huangzhong (present-day Ping'an) County, Qinhai Province, was called Lhamo Toinzhub when he was chosed by the former laocal government of Tibet in 1938 as the sole reincarnate of the late 13th Dalai Lama. The central government of the Republic of China (1912-49) approved the request of the local government of Tibet for him to be confirmed as the soul boy without going through the traditional procedure of drawing lot from the golden urn. A sitting-in-the-bed ceremony was held in Lhasa in 1940 to enthrone him as the 14th Dalai Lama under the supervision of Wu Zhongxin, special envoy fo the central government, and the Prince Regent Razheng. The 14th Dalai Lama came to power on November 17, 1950 at the age of 16, thus becoming one of the Buddhist leaders in Tibet.
On May 23, 1951/>, the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet, also known as the 17-Article Agreement, was signed in Beijing/>/>. On October 24, the 14th Dalai Lama cabled the Central People's Government and Chairman Mao Zedong expressing his public support for the agreement. In the fall of 1954, the 14th Dalai Lama attended the First National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing/>/> in the capacity of a Tibetan deputy to the NPC, and was elected vice-chairman of the NPC Standing Committee. On April 22, 1956/>, when the Preparatory Committee for the Founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region was launched, the 14th Dalai Lama became its director. The 14th Dalai Lama then had the full trust of the Central Government and love of the people. The man, however, failed to cherish the honor he received from the Central Government and love he enjoyed from the people.
In late November 1956, the 14th Dalai Lama was invited to take part in the activities marking the 2,500th anniversary of Sakyamuni's entry into Nirvana in India/>/>. He delayed his return for close to three months, allowing himself to be besieged by separatist forces. From then on, he consciously or unconsciously became controlled by these forces.
After 1957, the 14th Dalai Lama worked in coordination with the separatist forces in the upper echelon of the ruling class in Tibet/>/>, tearing up the 17-Article Agreement to support armed rebellion which expanded from a regional to a Tibet-wide one. The 14th Dalai Lama fled to India/>/> on March 17, 1959/>.
In the past 30 or so years since the 14th Dalai Lama went into exile, he threw himself under the wing of the anti-China forces in the West. Donning the cloak of "religious leader'', he travelled around to spread rumors to mislead international opinion. Out of their own need, some in the West hailed him as the deity and lauded him as "the peace envoy'' and "human rights fighter''. However, it is this ex-leader of Tibetan Buddhism who, discarding the tradition of his predecessors of loving the motherland to trample on religious doctrines, hoodwink the religious sentiments of Tibetan Buddhists, organize an illegal government-in-exile, trumpet "Tibetan independence'' to split the motherland, and undermine internal unity and rules of Tibetan Buddhism. Indeed, he has gone far to betray the motherland and the Tibetan people.
This book shows the road embarked on by the 14th Dalai Lama with facts bringing to light his efforts to work against the motherland, Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan people.
Promoting Buddhism or Making a Mess of It
The 14th Dalai Lama, a grand Living Buddha of Tibetan Buddhism, who had been intiated into the bishksuni-hood at a grand ceremony should, naturally be working to maintain the normal order of tibetan Buddhism. But, in reality, is he doing? The answer wan be from the following religious activities in which he has been involved over the last few years.
I. Supporting the Aum Shinrikyo Sect of Japan/>/>
Japan/>'s Aum Shinrikyo Sect's poison gas attack in Tokyo/>/>'s subways on March 20, 1995/> shocked the world and became a hot news in newspapers. On October 26, the
The 14th Dalai Lama maintained close relations with the Aum Shinrikyo Sect.
When people in Tokyo who suffered from the poison gas attack and the peace-loving people in the world were condemning the Japanese sect, the 14th Dalai Lama, who styles him to be "a Sakyamuni bhiksu'' and "a human rights fighter'', told the Japanese that he still believes the Aum Shinrikyo Sect works for the spread of Buddhist doctrines and he regards Shoko Asahara as "a friend''. A shocked and puzzled world keeps asking why.
The why can be found from the following facts:
Fact No.1: The 14th Dalai Lama has since 1987 met Shoko Asahara five times. Acting in accordance with the 14th Dalai Lama's instruction, Shoko Asahara twice sneaked into Tibet for "missionary'' purposes.
Fact No.2: Shoko Asahara claimed that his sect tenets are a mixture of the Yoga system with the primitive Buddhist and Tibetan Buddhist Tantric systems; following his sect tenets, time needed for one to become a Buddha will be shortened from 2,000-3,000 years to 10 years; in order to live longer or become Buddha, one, instead of leading a pristine life, just has to follow Triratna (Three Treasures: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) and Four Silas (Rules), recite Buddhist scriptures, accept unusual guidance and conduct meditation. Shoko Asahara claimed that this method of living longer and becoming Buddha is unique to his own sect, and it is "the 14th Dalai Lama who personally leads him into the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism.''
Fact No.3: Beginning in May 1989, the 14th Dalai Lama wrote certificates or letters of recommendation for Shoko Asahara, which stated that Shoko Asahara is "a very capable religious teacher'', and "the Aum Shinrikyo Sect propagates Mahayana Buddhism...to promote public goodwill''. The 14th Dalai Lama pleaded the Tokyo/>/> authorities to "allow the Aum Shinrikyo Sect to be exempt from tax payments''. This made it possible for Shoko Asahara to be able to quickly accumulate funds for the development and production of poison gas.
Fact No.4: On May 26, 1989/>, the 14th Dalai Lama released a document which expressed thanks for "the Aum Shinrikyo Sect's generous donation to our Buddhist collective in exile, especially lama students who had just been back from Tibet/>/>.''
The above facts show that the 14th Dalai Lama and Shoko Asahara have over the past few years cemented good religious teacher-student relations, a relationship characteristic of mutual economic benefits and "cooperation and support in cause''. The German weekly Focus reported that without the support of the 14th Dalai Lama, it is absolutely impossible for Shoko Asahara to build up his sect empire and, within a short few years, gain status as cult leader in Japan/>/>. In other words, it is the 14th Dalai Lama's all-out "support'' that turned Shoko Asahara, a swindler, into "a religious teacher'' who was able to accumulate funds to produce poison gas and eventually become chieftain of a terrorist group.
Why is it that the 14th Dalai Lama does all these things?
According to Buddhism, sarana (conversion to Buddhism) is a ceremony for entering the Buddhist door and calls for whole-hearted worship and dependence on Triratna (Three Treasures). Tantrism of Tibetan Buddhism boasts stricter demands in this regard: the Tantric master should be up to five standards (pure in body, language and mind; desire for assisting all; great achievements in Buddhist studies); conversion to Buddhism contains four demands in awareness (to correct mistakes, tell good from bad, to persist in Buddhist studies and to strictly follow Buddhism) and four more demands in the practice of Buddhism (getting close to good people, study correct Buddhist doctrines, think according to Buddhist tenets, and act in accordance with Buddhist doctrines); master and his disciples should make their own choice carefully; the master should lecture in accordance with the Buddhist level of his disciples, "refraining from lecturing profound Buddhist tenets to disciples who know only a little''. Buddhism also requires strict observation to rules, standing for "taking rules as the teacher''.
The 14th Dalai Lama, as a grand Living Buddha, should know all these Buddhist stipulations. Why is it that he failed to conduct strict investigation into Shoko Asahara when accepting his conversion to Buddhism? And why did he fail to be prudent in selecting Shoko Asahara when teaching him Tantric tenets? Why is it that the 14th Dalai Lama called Shoko Asahara "Buddhist teacher'' and produced certificates and letters of recommendation to Shoko Asahara? In his Supreme Guidance, Shoko Asahara revealed that it was the 14th Dalai Lama who "entrusted me to carry out Buddhist reform in Japan/>/>''.
Japanese Buddhism has a long history. It is complete with Tantricism and an open school. Since there are so many senior abbots and lamas in Japan/>, why is it that the 14th Dalai Lama entrusted Shoko Asahara to carry out Buddhist reform in Japan/>/>? While this reveals his cool attitude towards the Japanese Buddhist circles, it also reveals the vicious attempt of the 14th Dalai Lama, which he hides in the depth of his mind.
The 14th Dalai Lama hates to see the restoration of the "gold tie'' between the Buddhist organizations of China/>, the Republic/> of Korea/> and Japan/>/>. Out of his need to "internationalize the Tibetan issue'', he bought over Shoko Asahara in an attempt to build up a special arm in his service. However, the 14th Dalai Lama has suffered an ignominious defeat.
II. Exploiting Buddhist Ceremonies to Hawk "Tibetan Independence/>/>''
The time wheel abhiseka is a boundless dharma door of extreme solemnity in the Yoga of Tantrism of Tibetan Buddhism. It commands unique features in theory and self-cultivation, plus strict rituals. According to Tibetan Buddhism, it contains the law governing the birth and death of the universe and life in time, showing the mysterious ties between the laws governing universe, man and Buddha. It holds that corresponding self-cultivation will lead to change in the law governing birth and death, purified detachment and achievement of Buddhahood. Time wheel doctrine has been followed for a very long period. Zongkapa, founder of the Gelug Sect, spoke highly of the doctrine and listed it as one of the dharma doors of his sect. He personally passed it to Kaizhubgyi (the 1st Panchen) who later wrote 2 million word notes to the dharma door, hence held as the time wheel master and reincarnation of the time wheel master.
Large in scale, the time wheel abhiseka ceremony strictly follows set rituals in form and content, which brook no change. The one who presides over the time wheel abhiseka ceremony must be a Buddhist master steeped in Buddhist doctrines. Before the holding of the time wheel abhiseka ceremony, which usually lasts about half a month, he is supposed to sequester himself for one to six months to worship the Time Wheel Buddha.
The 14th Dalai Lama has held frequent time wheel abhiseka ceremonies for Tibetan Buddhists residing abroad ever since 1980. In 1996, he did so four times, which is rare in the history of Tibetan Buddhism and should be counted as a Guiness record.
However, people can not but keep asking: Is the 14th Dalai Lama working hard to propagate Buddhism?
Here, we are not going to expound the concept of time of the time wheel doctrine--"year is taken as the unit intertwined by four seasons; all things rise and fall incessantly.'' For a busy man like the 14th Dalai Lama who has to tour the world to visit politicians and statesmen so as to seek sympathy and support, how could he have time to shut himself behind the door for self-cultivation? Obviously, he could not. Then, why did he take so much time to hold these ceremonies? The answer to this question could be found from his speech at the 1985 ceremony.
During that ceremony, the 14th Dalai Lama said that the Tibetans led a happy life in old Tibet, trying to avoid the fact that the Tibetans groaned under the feudal serfdom; "Tibetan religion and culture are on the verge of distinction''; "The Han is the bane....No hope should be placed on the Han''; "In a nutshell, Tibet is absolutely not a part of China....An excellent situation has emerged under the flag of the snowland state, which we should cherish....Our nation is in a position to accomplish everything....It is the most precious to fear no sacrifice and pursue truth for our own cause....Everyone should be bold enough to struggle for our great cause.''
The above shows the 14th Dalai Lama "spreads Buddhist doctrines'' by promoting "Tibetan independence'' and inciting national hatred and fratricide. The abhiseka ceremonies unveil how the self-styled "human rights fighter'' stands for "non-violence'', and does his best to betray Tibetan Buddhism and do harm to Tibet and China at large under the cloak of a religious leader who works to save all from the bitter sea.
III. Prohibiting and Even Persecuting the Mass Worship on a Buddhist Guardian
According to Tibetan written records, in his late years, Master Zongkapa, founder of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, summoned his eight major disciples to his Qudang Chamber in the Sera Monastery, Lhasa/>/>, to discuss matters concerning propagation of Buddhism. The master said that there should be a more awe-inspiring Buddhist Guardian to ensure continuation of the Gelug Sect. Toinze Zhaba Gyaincain rose to his feet and said: "If you, my kind teacher, give me permission, I am willing to shoulder this responsibility and punish severely those who do harm to our sect.''
Banqen Soinam Zhaba was the reincarnation of Toinze Zhaba Gyaincain. Steeped in Tibetan Buddhist doctrines, Banqen Soinam Zhaba used to be the abbot of the Zhaibung and Sera monasteries, the chief abbot of the Gandain Monastery and the sutra teacher of the 3rd Dalai Lama. His high position and prestige invited envy, and finally he was murdered. Instead of reincarnating, he has since been worshipped as the Buddhist Guardian Gyaiqen Xudain. Various generations of the Dalai Lama and the Panchen worshipped the statues of Buddhist Guardian. The 5th Dalai Lama spoke highly of the Buddhist Guardian in his work Guru Bkrashis. Gradually, the Buddhist Guardian gained popularity among monasteries of the Gelug Sect and ordinary Buddhists.
The 14th Dalai Lama worshipped the statue of the Buddhist Guardian Gyaiqen Xudain, too. In the 1970s, however, the 14th Dalai Lama suddenly changed his mind. He ordered an end to worshipping the Buddhist Guardian and, for this reason, maintained a tense relationship with his sutra teacher. So few people followed his order that the matter ended up with nothing definite. In 1994, the 14th Dalai Lama condemned the Buddhist Guardian again, saying that the Buddhist Guardian "is harmful to the fundamental cause of Tibet/>/> and is no good for the Dalai Lama's health.'' It is quite baffling that the 14th Dalai Lama even accused the Buddhist Guardian of being "pro-Han''. In March 1996, the 14th Dalai Lama gave two lectures on Buddhist doctrines, during which he ordered the participants to stop worshipping the Buddhist Guardian and demanded that all monasteries, Living Buddhas and religious people must do so, otherwise they would be taken as "betraying the common cause of Tibet'' and "wishing the Dalai Lama to die a tragic death.'' He asked those who refused to stop the worship to let him know their names, and he would pay them a visit and condemn them door by door. He even shouted at those who refused to give up worshipping the Buddhist Guardian and ordered them to leave the lecture site right away. Organizations in exile and lower-level institutions issued resolutions and statements, and made a fuss in the mass media. People were sent to monasteries and residential quarters, where they forcefully dismantled the statues of the Buddhist Guardian Gyaiqen Xudain, and beat people who refused to obey them. Those who still refused in spite of these efforts were suppressed, with lamas and nuns driven out of monasteries or nunneries, "officials'' in exiles dismissed from their offices, students given no more subsidies, and ordinary people driven out of their societies or associations.
Many overseas monasteries, Living Buddhas and Tibetan compatriots, who suffered directly from the pervasive acts of the 14th Dalai Lama and his like, resisted in varied ways. Some hid statues of the Buddhist Guardian in places inaccessible to the 14th Dalai Lama's men; some refused to sign the pledge; some exploited modern mass media to bring this act to light for condemnation; some sent letters to UN organs concerned or state leaders of countries where they resided, appealing to them to stop the 14th Dalai Lama from continuing his religious persecution and human rights violation; some filed law suits with local courts, demanding compensation; and some got together to hold demonstration.
When the news spread into Tibet/> and Tibetan-inhabited areas in other parts of China/>/>, there was a public outcry among Living Buddhas, eminent monks and religious people who worship this Buddhist Guardian. Some said in the public: "The 14th Dalai Lama's slander is that the Communist Party gives us no freedom of religious belief, but he should be condemned for depriving us of such freedom.'' Some, cupping their hands in front of them, said the 14th Dalai Lama's move goes against the teachings of Zongkapa and the 5th Dalai Lama. Many of the 14th Dalai Lama's disciples, who are now famous Living Buddhas, expressed their dissatisfaction, too. Showing this writer the statue of the Buddhist Guardian which they continue to worship, one said with a serious manner: "My heart sank at what the 14th Dalai Lama has done to the Buddhist Guardian! I cherish no hope in the 14th Dalai Lama any more!''
It is stipulated in the World Human Rights Declaration that every one is equal before the law, and individual freedom involves not hampering the freedom of the others. What the 14th Dalai Lama has done to the Buddhist Guardian Gyaiqen Xudain reveals his true color as a slave owner.
IV. Going Against the Religious Rituals and Historical Precedence in the Reincarnation of the Panchen Lama
The reincarnation of the major Living Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism is conducted in accordance with set religious rituals and historical precedence.
The Dalai clique has said that "the titles for the Dalai Lama and the Panchen were not given by the Qing Dynasty.'' They bolstered their view by arguing that, firstly, the title of the Dalai Lama was granted by Al-than Khan, chieftain of the Mongol Tumet tribe; and, secondly, the wording in the title is used by other Living Buddhas.
It is true that the honorific title of the Dalai Lama contains such words as "Buddha of Great Compassion in the West'', "Vajra-Holding'', "Dalai'' and "Lama'' which are used by other Living Buddhas, and this is not rare for the Han and various ethnic groups. However, words, which lack fixed attribute, can be used by anybody, while an honorific title has a fixed attribute which cannot be freely used.
There exists a fundamental difference between the honorific title bestowed by Al-than Khan to the 3rd Dalai Lama in 1578 and the honorific title given by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Emperor Shunzhi to the 5th Dalai Lama in 1653. In no way can they be mentioned in same breath.
First, they were totally different in meaning. Al-than Khan bestowed the honorific title to the 3rd Dalai Lama for the latter's achievement in practicing Buddhism; the honorific title given by Emperor Shunzhi to the 5th Dalai Lama was awarded not only for his religious achievements but also giving him the right to "oversee the Buddhist faith on Earth''. Only an emperor had the power to grant such a right.
Second, the two holders of the title enjoyed different positions. The 3th Dalai Lama was the 12th Abbot of the Zhaibung Monastery and the 13th Abbot of the Sera Monastery in Lhasa; while the 5th Dalai Lama was the leader of not only the Gelug Sect but also of the entire Tibetan Buddhism.
Third, the bigger difference lies in the difference in position and power of the persons granting the honorific title. Al-than Khan was a tribal chieftain in Qinghai/>/> with no power to handle Tibetan affairs. He was only in a position to give honorific titles to others. The Qing Dynasty Emperor Shunzhi, as the head of the country, enjoyed the power to handle Tibetan affairs because Tibet/> had since the Yuan Dynasty been a part of China/>/>, and also the power to grant honorific titles. Only with the title granted by Qing Emperor Shunzhi were the Dalai Lama's title, position and power established and inheritable.
Everyone who knows history knows, if the honorific title granted by Al-than is set against that granted by Emperor Shunzhi, how then could the 14th Dalai Lama, win your position in Tibetan Buddhism?
In regard to the selection process for the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lamas, the 14th Dalai Lama claimed: "The system of drawing lot from the golden urn was accepted with a view to freeing Tibet from alien invasion.''
It is an historical fact that the Korgas invaded Tibet/>/> in July 1788 and again July 1791; and Qing General Fukang'an and his army put the invaders to rout and accepted their surrender in August 1792. When the golden urn cast for the reincarnation of grand Living Buddhas was sent to Lhasa/> in December 1792, the Korgas had surrendered and the agreement in which they pledged no more aggression against Tibet/>/> had been signed for four months. The 14th Dalai Lama is obviously telling lies when he asserted that "the system of drawing lot from the golden urn was accepted with a view to freeing Tibet/>/> from alien invasion.''
Drawing lot from the golden urn to determine the reincarnated soul boy of the Living Buddhas conformed with the tenets of Tibetan Buddhism, and was beneficial to overcoming the drawbacks arising from the enforcement of the temporal and religious system in Tibet/>/>. Hence, the 8th Dalai Lama went down the Red Hill, on which the Potala/> Palace/> was built, to greet the golden urn being escorted to Lhasa/>/> and said: "Issuing the Jinbenba urn ...to defend Buddhism shows great concern for which I am deeply grateful. In the future, we will follow His Majesty's advice and recite Buddhist scriptures devoutly and draw the lot publicly and impartially to determine Hubilehan (the reincarnated soul boy)....The entire Tibetan clerical and secular population is indebted to His Majesty's kindness.'' The 7th Panchen also said: "The Jinbenba urn was escorted to Tibet/>/> totally for the protection of the Yellow Sect....(we) are grateful for His Majesty's kindness....'' How could the 14th Dalai Lama who, going against the teachings of his predecessor, made it a pretext to oppose the lot-drawing system, inherit the mantle of his predecessors?
The 14th Dalai Lama and his men said: "The golden urn was used only at the time when opinion varied greatly over the identity of the reincarnated soul boy.''
Since the introduction of the system, drawing lot from the golden urn to determine the reincarnated soul boys of the Dalai Lama, the Panchen and other great Living Buddhas has emerged as the set Tibetan Buddhist ritual with historical precedence. With regard to the fact that certain soul boys were given special exemption from the lot-drawing procedure in special cases, having no major difference as to whether they were the real soul boys was not the only reason; no matter how special the situation was, only the Central Government enjoyed the power to decide which could be confirmed as the reincarnation of the late Living Buddha without having to go through the lot-drawing procedure, and no local political powers or individuals were allowed to do so.
Here are historical facts concerning the confirmation of the 10th Dalai Lama: In 1813, the 7th Panchen Master and Hotogtu Living Buddha Demo, who was charged with commercial business, joined others in filing a report with the two High Commissioners stationed in Tibet by the Qing Dynasty court, stating: "Only one soul boy candidate had been located and he is very intelligent; various localities could find no more candidates; please be so kind as to agree to his succession as the 10th Dalai Lama without having to go through the lot-drawing ceremony.'' The two High Commissioners also sent a report to the Qing Government requesting special permission for the exemption. Although there existed no diverse view on the soul boy in Tibet/>/>, Emperor Jiaqing seriously rebuked the officials for their request and refused to allow the exemption. Instead, he ordered them to "locate two more so that the names of three candidates may be sealed and put into the urn....The one drawn out of the urn will be the real incarnation of the Dalai Lama.'' Nine years later, with the approval of Emperor Daoguang, three candidates were approved to attend the lot-drawing ceremony held on February 14, 1822, and one of the three named Galsang Gyaincain from Litang was determined as the reincarnated soul boy of the 9th Dalai Lama. The result was reported to Emperor Daoguang for approval. The Biography of the 10th Dalai Lama in Tibetan stated that the lot-drawing ceremony to determine the reincarnation of the 9th Dalai Lama "was completed truly and authentically; so everyone felt very much happy and held him in great esteem.''
An article contributed by an organization in exile under the 14th Dalai Lama said: "It is an historical precedence that the 8th Dalai Lama determined and confirmed the 7th Panchen, and the 6th Panchen determined and confirmed the 8th Dalai Lama. Similarly, the 14th Dalai Lama determined and confirmed the reincarnated soul boy of the 10th Panchen in accordance with this tradition, which has not sabotaged the historical precedence and the set religious rituals, and is not illegal.''
What is the reality?
First of all, what the 14th Dalai Lama said is not an "historical precedence''. The 7th Panchen was confirmed after the Tashilhungpo Monastery had determined him as the reincarnated soul boy of the 6th Panchen. While the Buddhist Guardian Lhamo was invited to do the confirmation work, people were sent to the 8th Dalai Lama for his opinion. The opinions of the Buddhist Guardian and the 8th Dalai Lama were the same. The results were reported to Emperor Qianlong who gave his approval. With regard to the 8th Dalai Lama, when Emperor Qianlong had sent State Tutor Canggya to Tibet, where he joined hands with the 6th Panchen in deciding on ways and means concerning the location of the reincarnated soul boy of the 7th Dalai Lama, the 6th Panchen told Demo he had a cousin who was intelligent enough for consideration as the soul boy candidate. Demo sent people to make investigation and the result was reported to the Qing High Commissioners stationed in Tibet/>/> for further checking. A report was filed with the Qing court, and Emperor Qianlong gave his approval to the soul boy.
Second, the Buddhist rituals involved in the reincarnation of Living Buddhas and the reincarnation system itself became increasingly perfected along with the development of history, and finally were set in the 29-Article Ordnance for the More Efficient Governing of Tibet. It is really shocking for people to see the 14th Dalai Lama, who is winner of the highest Buddhist academic degree of Geshi and who claims to be an expert in logic, to negate the Living Buddha reincarnation system through distorted historical materials.
Third, drawbacks of the reincarnation system made it possible for the deceased Living Buddhas to reincarnate within the same tribe. With the 8th Dalai Lama in the core, such a situation lasted for decades: The 7th Panchen was his brother on the paternal side, Doje Pagmu was his sister on the paternal side, the 10th Red-Hat Living Buddha and Zomba Hotogtu of the Tashilhungpo Monastery was his uncle (brother of his father), the 5th Zebozaindainba was his nephew, and Dorin (the chief Galoin official of the local government of Tibet) was husband of his niece. While the religious and government administration was monopolized by people of the same tribe, infighting fueled foreign invasion, posing a serious threat to the security of Tibet/> and China/>/> at large.
The 14th Dalai Lama cited this segment of history to bolster his view. While failing to legalize his illegal move, the segment of history testifies to the need and correctness of drawing lot from the golden urn in determining the reincarnation of the Living Buddhas.
The 14th Dalai Lama claimed that he enjoys the power to locate and confirm the reincarnation of the Panchen. Is this true?
In terms of the reincarnation system, the answer is no. The Imperial Records of the Qing Dynasty written and published in 1713 stated: "Honorific title is given to the Panchen Erdeni following the precedence of the Dalai Lama.'' In his imperial edict, Emperor Kangxi stated: "The Panchen Hotogtu is hereby granted the title of the Panchen Erdeni with a view to ensuring that taxes levied from monasteries newly put under the Tashilhungpo Monastery will not be embezzled by others.'' The 29-Article Ordnance for the More Efficient Governing of Tibet enacted in 1793 stipulated in explicit terms that the Qing Dynasty High Commissioners, when supervising Tibetan affairs, should enjoy equal power with the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Erdeni. This is fact that the Qing court placed the Dalai Lama and the Panchen on an equal status politically, religiously and economically. Then, as two local chieftains who enjoyed equal power under the leadership of the Central Government, how could one of the two enjoy the power to determine and confirm the reincarnation of the other?
In terms of the history of locating the soul boys, the answer is also no. After the 5th Panchen received honorific title from the Qing Dynasty Central Government, his soul boy was located by people organized by the Tashilhungpo Monastery and determined by Prince Pholhanas at a ceremony during which Buddhist Guardian was invited to make the decision; he succeeded as the 6th Panchen with the approval of Emperor Qianlong. The soul boy of the 6th Panchen was located, determined and approved to be the 7th Panchen in a way already mentie soul boy of the 7th Panchen was located by people organized by the Tashilhungponed. Tho Monastery and determined through the method of drawing lot from the golden urn; he succeeded as the 8th Panchen with the approval of Emperor Xianfeng. The soul boy of the 8th Panchen was located by people organized by the Tashilhungpo Monastery and determined through the method of drawing lot from the golden urn; he succeeded as the 9th Panchen with the approval of Qing Dynasty Emperor Guangxu. As the 9th Panchen upheld the tradition of loving the motherland and religion as well, he was forced to leave Tibet/> for China/>'s hinterland by pro-imperialist forces in Tibet/>/>; and the Tashilhungpo Monastery was deprived of its power in religious affairs. His soul boy was located by people organized by the Panchen Kampus Assembly. As the pro-imperialist forces opposed and obstructed the method of drawing lot from the golden urn, the soul boy of the 8th Panchen succeeded directly to be the 9th Panchen without going through the lot-drawing ceremony with the special permission given by Li Zongren, acting president of the Nationalist Government of the Republic of China (1912-1949). The historical facts concerning the reincarnation of the five generations of Panchen show that none of them was located and confirmed by people organized by the Dalai Lama.
In terms of religion, the answer is no, too. The Panchen and the Dalai Lama are two major Living Buddhas of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Both the Dalai Lama and the Panchen were disciples of Zongkapa, founder of the Gelug Sect. The Dalai Lama, however, is not included in the statues of the "revered trinity (Zongkapa and his two pupils including the 1st Panchen) commonly worshiped by the sect's monasteries. Moreover, in Tibetan Buddhism, the Panchen is the incarnation of the Buddha of Infinite Light and the Dalai Lama the incarnation of the Goddess of Mercy. The above facts show the Panchen enjoys a higher position in Tibetan Buddhism than the Dalai Lama; it is absolutely wrong for the 14th Dalai Lama to set his office at a position higher than the Panchen and to claim that the Dalai Lama enjoys the power to confirm the reincarnated soul of the Panchen.
In order to legalize his nomination of the reincarnated soul boy of the late 10th Panchen, the 14th Dalai Lama claimed that the Dalai Lama and the Panchen maintain the teacher-student relationship and the teacher is in a position to determine the reincarnated soul boy of his student. In the history of Tibetan Buddhism, while only three of the 10 generations of the Panchen had the Dalai Lama as their teachers, eight of 14 generations of the Dalai Lama had the Panchen as their teachers (excluding the 1st Dalai Lama who studied Buddhist scriptures from the 1st Panchen for years). From this we see the teacher-student relationship does not exist from the beginning to the end; it exists whenever there is the need. Such on-off ties do not constitute a religious ritual. Moreover, the 10th Panchen and the 14th Dalai Lama had maintained no teacher-student relationship at all. Zhao Puchu, president of the Buddhist Association of China (BAC), commented on the claim of the 14th Dalai Lama as follows: "The 14th Dalai Lama enjoys no right to speak and no right to provide guidance in the search of the reincarnated soul boy of the 10th Panchen, not to speak of the right to confirm the soul boy.''
How did the 14th Dalai Lama work to meddle with the search for the reincarnated soul boy of the late 10th Panchen?
In August 1989, with the approval of the State Council of the People's Republic of China/>/>, a group was formed to search for the reincarnated soul boy of the late 10th Panchen. Headed by the Living Buddha Gyamya, sutra teacher of the late 10th Panchen, the search group was composed of Living Buddhas, kainbos and eminent monks of the Tashilhungpo Monastery, and people close to the late master. An advisory group was also formed to help with the search. With BAC President Zhao Puchu and Pagbalha Geleg Namgyi, honorary president of the BAC Tibet Branch, as the chief advisors, the advisory group was composed of famous Living Buddhas and eminent monks from various localities. In accordance with religious rituals, recitation of Buddhist scriptures and prayer sessions were organized; lake observations conducted; and discrete searches made. On this basis, soul boy candidates were screened. Such painstaking efforts yielded important results, and the reincarnation work entered the decisive stage.
Though the 14th Dalai Lama enjoys no power to search and confirm the reincarnated soul boy of the late 10th Panchen Erdeni, and though leading an exile life abroad deprived him of objective conditions required if he was to play any such role, the 14th Dalai Lama still worked hand-in-glove with the scum of Tibetan Buddhism to practice fraud with a view to hoodwinking the broad masses of Tibetans. His real purpose is to split the motherland and wreck Tibet/>/> and Tibetan Buddhism as well.
The 14th Dalai Lama learned from Qazha the progress made in the search of the reincarnated soul boy of the late 10th Panchen. He selected one of the candidates the search group had located and sent a letter to Qazha in May 1994 demanding fresh lake observation in order to find reasons to bolster his forthcoming confirmation. Paying no heed to the Living Buddha Gyamya's instruction that "lake observation has ended'', and despite having made similar remarks one month earlier, Qazha repeated the lake observation again in October 1994, behind the back of most search group members, and created "results'' in favor of the 14th Dalai Lama.
In late January 1995, the search group met to further screen soul boy candidates. Qazha inserted the boy chosen by the 14th Dalai Lama into the list of the few major candidates against the majority's objections.
In early February 1995, when three candidates were to be selected from among the few major candidates for the lot-drawing ceremony, Qazha created excuses and sparred for time by saying: "I don't have the power of understanding and the competence to make judgement of the reincarnated soul boy of the Panchen Master.'' Three days later, when he received a letter from the 14th Dalai Lama that the boy he previously favored might be confirmed as the soul boy, he said he had discovered the most intelligent boy who could be confirmed as the reincarnated soul boy of the 10th Panchen. When asked how he came to that conclusion, he said he had practiced divination in front of the holy stupa for the 10th Panchen Erdeni. As a matter of fact, he practiced divination using highland barley flour balls containing the names of soul boy candidates 11 days later. When he did so, he shunned the presence of others, so that he was the only person to be present. With regard to the boy, the search group agreed that further investigations had to be made of his birthday as his parents were unable to give accurate data. The cheating that took place violated Tibetan Buddhist tenets on the "Buddha of the past, present and future'' and "reincarnating according to conditional causation.'' Good will be rewarded with good and evil with evil. In the end, the fraud was exposed, and Qazha was dismissed from his office with the Democratic Management Committee of the Tashilhungpo Monastery and the People's Political Consultative Conferences at the national and Tibet/>/> regional levels. Many eminent monks of Tibetan Buddhism commented: "The 10th Panchen Erdeni, who loved the motherland and loved Tibetan Buddhism during his lifetime, makes his presence felt. It is also the embodiment of the three transcendental realities of the nirvana of Buddha.''
Why did the 14th Dalai Lama oppose drawing lot from the golden urn to determine the reincarnated soul boy of the 10th Panchen?
Drawing lot from the golden urn in front of the statue of Sakyamuni, founder of Buddhism, in the Jokhang Monastery is the most open and most fair method to determine the reincarnated soul boy of the grand Living Buddhas. It embodies the Buddha's compassion and pity, wisdom and holy judgement as well as the public dependence on the Buddha. It also conforms with the unfulfilled wish of the late 10th Panchen Erdeni. As early as February 3, 1989, Ngapoi Ngawang Jigmei, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of the People's Republic of China, said that it did not matter whether various Tibetan-inhabited areas held diverse view as to where the late 10th Panchen would reincarnate; none of them would have objection to the method of drawing lot from the golden urn in front of the statue of Sakyamuni in the Jokhang Monastery to determine his soul boy. The Living Buddhas and eminent monks attending the NPC and CPPCC (Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) sessions voiced public opinion by demanding that the lot-drawing method be adopted.
Tibetan compatriots living abroad have little knowledge about the origin of drawing lot from the golden urn to determine the reincarnated soul boys of the Living Buddhas. While instructing Qazha to work against the adoption of this method, the 14th Dalai Lama, out of his political need to split the motherland, brazenly distorted history and spread rumors to mislead the public, stating: "Drawing lot from the golden urn does not conform with the tenets of Buddhism'' and that the method has never been adopted in history; "the Dalai Lama has the power to make change of religious rituals;'' "the Dalai Lama enjoys the power to decide whether there is the need to adopt the lot-drawing method''. This was meant to create confusion to achieve his treacherous purpose.
The Central Government decided to adopt the lot-drawing method to determine the reincarnated soul boy of the 10th Panchen in order to protect the feeling of religious figures and the broad masses of Tibetan Buddhists and their legitimate rights and interests, and defend the supreme authority of the Central Government in the reincarnation of the Living Buddhas. This decision conforms with the public will and is entirely correct.
Aware of the imminent failure of what he had plotted and executed, the 14th Dalai Lama jumped from the rear to front stage to challenge Tibetan Buddhists and the Central Government by exploiting "his appeal as the religious leader''. Putting all his eggs in one basket, the 14th Dalai Lama nominated the boy he previously chose as the "reincarnated soul boy of the 10th Panchen.''
The 14th Dalai Lama's action invited public indignation and condemnation throughout China/>/>. Delegates attending the People's Congress and the People's Political Consultative Conference of the Tibet Autonomous Region were the first to voice their opposition. Pagbalha Geleg Namgyi issued a solemn statement to the effect that it is illegal and void for the 14th Dalai Lama to announce unilaterally the "reincarnated soul boy" of the 10th Panchen; only the reincarnated soul boy of the 10th Panchen located and determined in accordance with the religious rituals and historical precedence and endorsed by the Central Government, was acceptable. Sengqen Lobsang Gyaincain, one of the eight major Living Buddhas of the Tashilhungpo Monastery and a member of the group for the search of the reincarnated soul boy of the 10th Panchen, said: "The 14th Dalai Lama arbitrarily announced the confirmation of the reincarnated soul boy of the Panchen in total disregard of Central Government policy, which brazenly violates Buddhist rituals and hurts the feelings of the broad masses of religious people.'' The Living Buddha Byilung Bema Dainzin said: "As a Living Buddha with the Tashilhungpo Monastery, the resident monastery of the Panchen Erdeni, I am fully qualified to testify that various generations of the Panchen Lama received Central Government approval. The 14th Dalai Lama enjoys no power to arbitrarily confirm the reincarnated soul boy of the Panchen Lama.'' Punlha, deputy director of the Democratic Management Committee of the Tashilhungpo Monastery, said: "Personally, I and the Democratic Management Committee of the Tashilhungpo Monastery will not recognize and accept his choice.''
The People's Congress and the People's Political Consultative Conference of the Tibet Autonomous Region as well as the BAC Tibet Branch issued resolutions or statements expressing resolute opposition to the illegal act of the 14th Dalai Lama and condemning his use of religion to split the motherland, undermine national unity, infringe people's interests, violate the state law, despise the rights and dignity due to Tibetan Buddhism, and trample upon the feelings of the Tibetan monks and nuns and the broad masses of religious Tibetans for Tibetan Buddhism. They demanded the 14th Dalai Lama shoulder responsibility for what he had done and vowed to fight the separatist clique to the end.
November 29, 1995 was an unforgettable day in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. On that day, the golden urn was used for the first time since the founding of the People's Republic of China/>/> in 1949 to determine the reincarnated soul boy of the late 10th Panchen, an outstanding leader of Tibetan Buddhism.
The reincarnation of the 10th Panchen finally was conducted in accordance with religious rituals and historical precedence, a fruit achieved after having eliminated the interference from and sabotage by the 14th Dalai Lama.
The group for the search of the reincarnated soul boy of the 10th Panchen, which underwent organizational readjustment, selected three candidates. These were widely accepted by the Living Buddhas and eminent monks of Tibetan Buddhism in China/>/>, and won the approval from the Central Government. On November 29, 1995, some 1,000 eminent monks of Tibetan Buddhism, and representatives of various walks of life gathered in the Jokhang Monastery. The lot-drawing ceremony, presided over by State Council Representative Luo Gan and State Council Special Commissioners Gyaincain Norbu and Ye Xiaowen, was held in front of the statue of Sakyamuni. Thanks to the holy judgement of the founder of Buddhism, Gyaincain Norbu, a six-year-old boy from Jiali County/>, Tibet/>/>, was chosen as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen. The Living Buddha Bome Qamba Lozhoi, acting Gandain abbot, presented the tonsure to the chosen reincarnated soul boy, and gave him the religious name of Jezuin Lobsang Qamba Lhunzhub Qoigyi Gyaibo Baisangbu (meaning the Kind Prince of the Buddha's Teachings With Boundless Power).
On November 30, 1995, the Tashilhungpo Monastery and Xigaze, where the monastery is located, were permeated by an air of festivity. Local residents, in their holiday best, swarmed into streets with hada scarves representing auspiciousness and fresh flowers in their hands. There, they sang and danced to greet the arrival of the 11th Panchen approved by the Central Government. When the caravans reached the welcome tents in the suburb, they saw a streak of sunlight fall onto the yellow car of the new Panchen, who is believed by the Tibetans to be the Buddha of Infinite Light. The auspicious sign invited wide cheers and veneration.
When the first ray of sunlight fell on the Sunlight Hill on the morning of December 8, 1995, sounds of religious horns and holy drums as well as undulating Buddhist music rang over the Tashilhungpo Monastery and the rest of Xigaze. Escorted by State Council Representative Li Tieying and State Council Special Commissioners Gyaincain Norbu and Ye Xiaowen, the 11th Panchen ascended the holy sandalwood bed in the Yegarqunzen Hall.
At the grand and solemn enthronement ceremony, State Council Representative Li Tieying read out the written reply of the State Council to a report submitted by the Tibet Autonomous Regional government on the ceremony for consecrating the 11th Panchen. On behalf of the State Council, Li presented the 11th Panchen with a golden certificate of appointment and a golden seal of power. He also displayed a golden placard given by President Jiang Zemin to the Tashilhungpo Monastery. The placard bears Jiang's inscription of "Safeguarding the Motherland and Working in the Interests of the People.'' Eminent monks from various parts of China/>/> and representatives of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries presented the 11th Panchen with mandalas and prostrated themselves before the 6-year-old 11th Panchen as a token of their sincere and whole-hearted support and veneration. Local residents stood in a long line waiting to offer congratulatory gifts and receive a blessing touch on the forehead. The exciting sign shows public support and veneration for the new Panchen.
Benefiting Tibetans or Doing Them Harm
The 14th Dalai Lama living in foreign exile always labels himself a savior of the Tibetan people, who works "for the happiness of the Tibetan people". He even goes to so far as to say:" So long as I, the 14th Dalai Lama, remain in this word, I will excert all my efforts to benefit the Tibetans"!
Is this really so? There is a saying of the Tibet/>/> nationality: "Speaking is nothing, but doing is yellow gold.'' It means it is no use simply saying something; one has to act. The following are what have happened to Tibet in the past 30 or so years, revealing to the people of the world what, if anything, the 14th Dalai Lama has done for the Tibetan people, and whether or not his deeds are for the benefit of the Tibetan ordinary people.
Efforts to Defend Feudal Serfdom
On March 10, 1959, the Dalai clique openly launched an armed rebellion in Lhasa/>/>. On the night of March 17, the 14th Dalai Lama fled, arriving nine days later in Lhunze Town of Shannan, where he desperately announced: "Tibet is now independent''. He arrived at Tezpur/>, Assam/> State in India/> on April 18 through the Himalaya/> pass. There, he issued the so-called "statement of the Dalai Lama'' to foreign correspondents, totally denying the 17-Article Agreement on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet and advocating "Tibetan independence''. On April 25, the leaders of the Tibetan separatists held a meeting in Mussoorie/>, India/>/>, to create a "government-in-exile''.
The core of his rebellion and separatist activities is that he wanted to retain feudal serfdom. Of course, his actions were also closely related to the instigation of imperialist powers in the West.
The old Tibet/>/> under the 14th Dalai Lama had no human rights. In the 1980s, however, this chief representative of the feudal serf system overnight became a "human rights fighter''. Repeatedly, he excitedly accused the Central Government of violating human rights.
There are some things in the world which are so strange for people to understand. The Tibetan feudal serf system represented by the 14th Dalai Lama was extremely cruel and barbarous, and finally was cast aside as an anachronism in human history. The 14th Dalai Lama thought since he is a Living Buddha, Westerners will implicitly believe whatever he says. Therefore, he hit upon the peculiar idea of describing the serf system as being most humane, as beautiful as a flower and as a Paradise/>.
On March 10, 1983, he said in India/>/>: "In the past, we Tibetans lived in peace and contentment under the Buddhist light shining over our snow land''. "Our serf system is different from any other serf system, because Tibet/>/> is sparsely populated, and Buddhism which is for the happiness and benefit of the people advises people to love each other. Therefore, our society practiced a serf system based on Buddhism, possessing lofty ideals of benefiting the people''.
What on earth was the Tibetan feudal serf system like?
Szixim Village, Doilungdeqen County, 50km northwest of Lhasa, was a manor of the 14th Dalai Lama's family before the democratic reform in 1959. Till now, old folks in the village still remember the life they led in the old days.
At that time, the manor had 20 households of tralpa (unpaid serfs) who had to send the most able-bodied laborers every day to till on the manor land with their own farm tools and food. The serfs worked 16 hours, even 20 hours a day during busy seasons, while being supervised by a bailiff and a supervisor of the 14th Dalai Lama's family, with leather whip and wooden club in their hands. Serfs who were late or expressed any resentment would immediately be whipped or beaten with club or stone. Except for one serf who worked at a water mill, no one escaped by sheer luck. The serfs saw Saixim Manor as the hell, and often swore: "We'd rather be reincarnated into a horse or cattle after death than work on the Saixim land''.
It was very common for serfs to be whipped and humiliated while having to work in a painstaking way despite lack of food and clothing. No longer willing to bear this life, 18 serfs and slaves fled together in the autumn of 1950. The Dalai Lama's family searched for them with the aid of local governments. The escapees were arrested at the side of the Yarlung/> Zangbo/> River/>/>. They were tied up with yak-hair ropes and driven back like animals. On their return, they were fastened to trees and beaten with clubs 100 strokes each. Then they were fettered and thrown into a private prison to be flogged and interrogated. It was the autumn harvest season. As the manor was short of laborers, they were forced to harvest qingke barley in fetters.
Old folk in Saixim/> Village/>/> recalled that five people were beaten to death and 11 wounded in the service of the Dalai Lama's family during a 10-year period. This is neither a myth nor a folk story. It is a reality which took place on this land four decades ago. Several former serfs who escaped and were brought back are still alive. They will never believe that the serf system is a humane paradise. Democratic Reform in 1959 completely altered their fate. They are really free and getting rich indeed.
Under feudal serfdom, all wealth and power belonged to serf owner, while the vast majority of serfs and slaves had nothing, not even the basic right of being human. They offered endless unpaid labor for aristocrats, monasteries and officials generation after generation. They had to endure unbearably heavy labor, while living a miserable life rare in the history of mankind. They had no personal freedom. Their owners could wantonly insult, punish, buy and sell, give away as gifts, whip and even brutally kill them. They never had enough food and clothes, and over 90 percent were illiterate. They were not able to afford a doctor when falling ill. Smallpox, plague, cholera and other epidemic diseases prematurely deprived thousands of people of their lives. The child mortality rate exceeded 60 percent, and the average life span was only 35. This system is so unfair, irrational and inhuman that all conscious people expressed their surprise and indignation after witnessing this or hearing about it. It went even farther than the darkest aspects of European and Russian serfdom in the Middle Ages. But the serf system there was eliminated hundreds of years ago, and is a synonym for barbarity and backwardness in the mind of later generations.
Considering special social and historical conditions in Tibet, the 17-Article Agreement Between the Central Government of the People's Republic of China and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet, signed in 1951, stipulates in Article 11: "In matters related to various reforms in Tibet, there will be no compulsion on the part of the Central Government. The local government of Tibet should carry out reforms of its own accord, and demands for reform raised by the people shall be settled by means of consultation with the leading personnel of Tibet''.
The Preparatory Committee for the Founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region was established in April 1956. As news of reform came from other Tibetan-inhabited areas in several neighboring provinces, the masses in various parts of Tibet/>/> all asked for reform. The 10th Panchen Erdeni also expressed his willingness to conduct pilot reforms in areas under his jurisdiction. At that time, Tibet/>/> indeed planned pilot reforms. But after fully soliciting the opinions of the 14th Dalai Lama, the Central Government decided to delay reform and the pilot reform suspended. No reform would be conducted until proper arrangement was made for aristocrats and upper officials.
On August 18, 1956, Chairman Mao Zedong personally wrote a letter to the 14th Dalai Lama, saying that it was not the right time for Tibet/>/> to undertake a reform program. Following this, Premier Zhou Enlai held talks with the 14th Dalai Lama three times, conveying Chairman Mao's message that Tibet/>/> would not carry out reform in six years. It was left to the 14th Dalai Lama to decide whether or not to start the reform process after the six years had elapsed. However, the 14th Dalai Lama and some serf owners still launched armed rebellion, because what they needed was not the postponement of reform, but continuation forever of the unfair and inhumane feudal serf system.
The Dalai clique openly tore up the 17-Article Agreement. The Democratic Reform, which was postponed repeatedly because of the opposition of 14th Dalai Lama, naturally developed throughout Tibet/>/>. The serfs who had worked like horses and cattle for generations won emancipation and became masters of their fate.
By the end of 1960, the Democratic Reform had been basically accomplished in agricultural areas with a total population of 870,000, and 200,000 peasants households had received land use certificate. The reform abolished the serfs' subordinated relations to their owners, and established peasants' private ownership of land. Serfs and slaves were given land, domestic animals and other means of production. The dreams of having their own families and land came true.
When fires consumed the usurious loan documents; when serfs were given land, houses and livestock; when they got land-use certificates, the serfs sang and danced around the bonfire, drinking and celebrating. Some of them held the land certificate in both hands, with warm tears running down their cheeks. Others rolled on their newly acquired land, while still others embraced and kissed their domestic animals. That was really the most grand and moving festival of the Tibet/>/> nationality in the highlands.
In spring of 1960, peasants of Tibet/>/> for the first time sowed wheat and qingke barley on their own land. They applied manure and worked in the field with unprecedented enthusiasm, obtaining a good autumn harvest. Incomplete statistics show that the total grain output of Tibet/>/> reached 205,934 tons in 1960, an increase of 12 percent over 1959.
Following the good harvest, democratic elections were held in rural and urban areas. In the past, serfs had no right to exercise their basic rights as humans; had never heard of the right to vote and the right to stand for vote. (The village, township and county leaders are all elected by ordinary people). The former serfs didn't know how to write, so they put a soybean in a wooden bowl on the back of candidates. Those who got the most number of soybeans were elected. According to statistics compiled in July 1965, 567 of the 1,359 townships and towns throughout Tibet/>/> elected deputies to local People's Congresses, and 54 counties held People's Congresses to elect county heads and set up the county people's committees. The Tibet/>/> Autonomous Region was formally established on September 1, 1965, with Ngapoi Ngawang Jigmei elected as chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Committee. Thus, Tibet/>/> entered a new period where the people became masters of their own affairs.
It is a very simple choice as to whether keep serfdom in Tibet/>/> or conduct reform. The exploitive system was abolished. People who had nothing got land, houses and cows and sheep.
However, the 14th Dalai Lama, who has been praising himself as "striving for the happiness of Tibetan people'', should agree with the reform which benefitted the Tibetan people if he really is concerned about them. But his attitude shows he neither likes Democratic Reform, nor favors the emancipation of Tibetan serfs. After he had fled abroad, he said he hated to see serfs share out land. He went so far as to secretly send people back to Tibet/>/> to undermine the reform by distributing leaflets, putting up posters and spreading rumors. He reorganized the "four river and six mountain range religion protecting army'' and invited the CIA to help train them before sending them to Mustang in Nepal group after group. They stole sheep and cattle in several counties in western Tibet/>/>, resulting in disruption to Sino-Nepalese border trade. The Nepalese King, greatly angered by this, sent his army to suppress these activities. Some of the perpetrators surrendered and others were wiped out.
What kind of benefit has the 14th Dalai Lama brought to ordinary people in Tibet/>/> through these actions?
The Way to Care for Ordinary People
China's "cultural revolution" (1966-76) brought about disasters to the whole of China, not even sparing Tibet. In October 1976, the Chinese Communist Party cleared out the "gang of four" who were so hated by the people. The third plenary session of the 11th Party Central Committee held in December 1978 marked China's implementation of the reform and opening program. Thereafter, China entered a new ear of building a mordern socialist country, and the Chinese leadership, headed by Deng Xiaoping, guided the people onto a prosperous road.
In March 1980, the CPC Central Committee held the First National Conference on Work in Tibet/>/>. It was decided at the conference that six major things needed to be better dealt with. They include firmly carrying out the policy for rehabilitation; relieving the burden on ordinary Tibetans; following special and flexible policies to promote economic development; using the state investment to develop agriculture and animal husbandry and other aspects badly needed by Tibetan people; fully and energetically developing scientific and cultural undertakings; as well as strengthening the close relations and unity between the leaders of the Tibetan and Han nationalities.
Under the direct guidance and concern of the central leaders, the state policies for nationalities, religious freedom and culture were well implemented. The burden on farmers and herdsmen was relieved within a short time. A new and exiting atmosphere soon appeared in rural and pastoral areas. The situation of Tibet/>/> was also inspiring. People were in a happy mood and a lively atmosphere was seen everywhere throughout the region. Good news could be heard every day. People were full of great hope for Tibet/>/> future.
In addition, Tibet/>/>'s senior personages again played their active role in participating in the administration and discussion of state affairs. People who were wrongly charged during the "cultural revolution'' were announced rehabilitation. In the nine years from 1980 to 1988, more than 1,700 ethnic cadres and senior religious figures were elected as deputies to the People's Congresses and the People's Political Consultative Conferences at the national, regional or lower levels. Some of them held leading posts at various levels in government departments. A batch of professionally competent people were employed by schools, hospitals, media, cultural relics, archaeological, social science and art departments. Many of them became professors, research fellows or senior editors, and others were granted titles of experts making special contributions.
The buying-out policy carried out during the Democratic Reform in regard to the feudal lords and agents who did not take part in the armed rebellion was not followed during the "cultural revolution''. Now, over 7.7 million yuan of redemption money was reissued to a total of 2,300 people. Those who were in custody for taking part in the 1959 rebellion have all been released. No longer regarded as rebels, they enjoy rights as citizens. Class status has been corrected for those who were formerly classified as rich peasants or rich herdsmen and also for those who were formerly designated as capitalists in cities and towns.
During the long-term practice of socialist revolution and construction, people who were formerly on the upper ruling class received profound education and took the patriotic road. Some of them have become deputies to People's Congresses and People's Political Consultative Conferences at various levels.
The Tibetan people, who have followed their own version of Buddhism for generation after generation, now again enjoy freedom of religious belief. The Central Government earmarked huge sums of money to repair and renovate Buddhist monasteries and religious sites. People go for a ritual walk in
At present, Tibet/>/> has 1,787 monasteries and meditation halls, almost one for each township, with 46,000 monks and nuns. The proportion of monks and nuns in the total population of 2 million is very high. Buddhist associations at various levels have resumed work. Eminent monks and Living Buddhas wronged during the "cultural revolution'' have been rehabilitated. Religious festivals have also resumed throughout the region, such as the Grand Summons Ceremony at the Jokhang Monastery of Lhasa; the Xaimo Chenpo Festival in Xigaze, the Dama Festival in Gyangze; the Buddha Painting Display Festival at the Gandain Monastery; the Shoton (Sour Milk Drinking) Festival at the Zhaibung Monastery; the Tent Peg Guardian Spirit Festival at the Sera Monastery; the Sorcerer's Dance Festival at the monasteries of Razheng, Samye, Curpu, Sagya and Zhigung. The ritual walk around the Gangdese/> Mountain/> in the Tibetan Year of the Horse, around the Nam Co Lake in the Tibetan Year of the Sheep, and around the Derzhombo/> Mountain/>/> in the Tibetan Year of the Monkey is very spectacular. Scripture printing houses have been restored in Lhasa/>/> and Xigaze. Also scripture printing among local people is very popular. Buddhist believers hang sutra streamers at the gate of their houses during festivals, burn tree branches for auspicious smoke; perform rituals around holy places and go to monasteries to worship Buddha. They invite Lamas to chant scriptures on auspicious days, or to mourn the deceased for 49 days after death. All these activities have become component parts of Tibetan people's daily religious life.
The Central Government has attached great importance to Tibet/>/>'s traditional culture, and organized manpower, materials and funds to rescue and protect cultural relics. It can be said that the 1980s saw a great revival of traditional Tibetan culture. The Tibetan language has been universally applied. The Tibetan Autonomous Regional People's Congress passed a law stipulating that Tibetan must be used in conferences and government documents, house number plates and telegraphs. Tibetan newspapers and magazines must be read, and TV and radio programs must be viewed every day.
Considerable books have been printed in Tibetan, with the number more than any period of history. In addition to many contemporary Tibetan books and teaching materials, the ancient treasured private copies of rare books have also been published again after being collated by experts. This would have been unbelievable in the past.
Traditional Tibetan medicine enjoys an increasingly high reputation. Tibetan operas and traditional Tibetan dances are performed in various parts of the region, such as Gorcho in pastoral areas, Gorxai in agricultural areas, and Guozhuang and Xuanzi in Khams areas, and Doexai (pop dance) and Nangma in Lhasa-Xigaze areas. All these songs and dances are performed either during festivals or even on a regular basis. Tibet/>/> again has become a home of song and dance. Tibetan folk songs, tales, proverbs and, in particular, the epic King Gesar are gaining increasing popularities. All of them have been published and well preserved after being collected and sorted.
Tibetan professional and folk artists have toured all over the world, bringing traditional Tibetan arts to international audiences. Foreign people are full of praise after seeing Tibetan songs and dances. One said: "Didn't the 14th Dalai Lama say Tibetan culture has been all destroyed? He is wrong. No doubt, Tibet/>/> has preserved the most beautiful art in the world''.
Beginning from the late 1970s, the Central Government and the people showed concern for Tibetans in exile. Policies were adopted to forgive their past misdeeds, to welcome them to settle down or merely to visit friends and relatives in Tibet/> and in other parts of China/>/>. They are allowed to come and go freely. As for their relatives, efforts have been made to restitute what was taken from them, and to help them with their difficulties. Tibetans residing in India/>, Nepal/> and Europe/> were very happy when hearing the good news. They lived abroad for more than 20 years and dreamed of returning to their hometowns to see their dear relatives. Now their dreams have come true. Tibetan compatriots at home and abroad contacted and visited each other. At the Friendship/> Bridge/> on the China-Nepal boarder, the scene of Tibetans entering and leaving China/>/> is very moving. Reception centers for Tibetan compatriots abroad have been set up one after another in Tibet/> and Tibetan nationality autonomous prefectures and counties in Sichuan/>, Qinghai/>, Gansu/> and Yunnan/>/> provinces. All returned Tibetans have been warmly received and ensured of their right to enter and exit freely. In addition, they are offered convenience in communications and accommodation. Incomplete statistics reveal from 1979-1997, that Tibetan compatriots returning to Tibet/> and other Tibetan areas in China/>/> for a visit exceeded 20,000 people, while those returning to live reached more than 2,000.
In those years, the 14th Dalai Lama came across many difficulties internationally. In the early 1970s, the US/> government adjusted its global strategies and policies to China/>/>. Henry Kissinger and President Richard Nixon came to visit China/>/> to improve American-Chinese relations. In 1972, the United States/>/> partially stopped its political, financial and military aid to the Dalai clique. In 1974, the "four river and six mountain range religion protecting army" was completely put to rout in Nepal/>/>. The 14th Dalai Lama led an exile life abroad for more than two decades, but no country recognized his "government in exile''. Under such circumstances, he played down his tone of "Tibetan independence'', and pretended to reconsider his own position. He asked the Central Government for permission to send representatives to Beijing/> for discussions and to Tibet/>/> for visit. The Central Government accepted his requirement. Deng Xiaoping clearly stated: "The 14th Dalai Lama may come back but as a Chinese citizen.... Our only requirement is that he should love the country''.
Between 1979-80, the 14th Dalai Lama successively sent five groups of people to visit Tibet/>/>. They received warm welcome wherever they went. They visited wherever they wanted. However, these visitors did not behave in a friendly way. They did many dishonest things. They came to "gather information'' instead of "making a visit''. They didn't come to visit their hometown folks, but for stirring up national disputes; separating the relationship between the Tibet/>/> and Han nationalities; and encouraging religious fanaticism. For example, when the second group arrived in Lhasa/>/>, Zhamdong Dainzin Namgyi, the group leader, gave a speech in front of the Jokhang Monastery, inciting the public hatred for the Hans. During his visit to the Gandain Monastery, he organized a mass rally, at which he called on "people in areas of Kamba, Amdo, Lhasa/>/> and Xigaze to unite and strive for a common cause''. He said: "We should not just shout `Tibetan independence' slogans only. We must remember them in our heart''. He encouraged participants in the mass rally to engage in a struggle for "Tibetan independence''. The Lhasans were so angry with such behavior that the people's government of the Tibet Autonomous Region declared these people to be "persona non grata'' and ordered them to leave Lhasa early.
In accordance with the opinions of Tibetan leaders and masses, the Central Government decided to temporarily stop the 14th Dalai Lama from sending his people back for "visit''. So the 14th Dalai Lama asked for permission to send Living Buddhas back to visit relatives, friends and monasteries. When a Living Buddha returned for the purpose, he came back with his sutra teachers, a steward, family members and servants. They stayed in their birth place or original monastery for several months to a year. Some Living Buddhas sent by the 14th Dalai Lama investigated the local situation in detail, and at the same time, lectured on Buddhist scriptures and gave tonsure to young monks with a view to expanding their influence. The 14th Dalai Lama said: "We can control a monastery if we can determine a reincarnated Living Buddha. If we can control a monastery, we will be able to control the place where the monastery is located''. And this is exactly what they tried to do.
During this period, the 14th Dalai Lama also played many double games. As a Buddhist believer, he should not behave in this way because Buddhism prohibits lies. On March 10, 1989, the 14th Dalai Lama said at a Dharamsala mass rally: "It makes no difference as to who serves as the king so long as the hometown can get prosperous. I have no objection''; "So long as the Tibetan people can be happy, I will give up the advocacy of Tibetan independence''; "It absolutely won't do for our Tibetan people to only be satisfied with the temporary improvement of life, ritual walk and prayer''! "No matter how hard or soft the attitude of the Han people, the vast Tibetan people will always unite and fight for our own national rights and benefits. This is a terrific thing''. This reminds me of what he said in May 1978 to a foreign reporter: "If Beijing/> invites me to visit Lhasa/> and parts of Tibet/>/>, I will be glad to accept it. If I can see and hear that Tibetan people are living a happy life under the rule of China/>/>, I will abandon the demand for Tibetan independence''. On September 20, 1980, when he met the Japanese journalists, the 14th Dalai Lama said: "If the problem can be solved, I am prepared to go to China/>/>. I might leave for China/>/> next year to have discussion with the Chinese side.''
However, almost at the same time, the people beside the 14th Dalai Lama spoke out about the fundamental purpose of his return to Tibet, saying: "The travel of the Dalai Lama will be a turning point in the history of the Tibetan people. It will be a political earthquake in Tibet/>, just as the Roman pope, who visited Poland/>/> twice, greatly encouraged millions of Polish people and world Catholics. The visit of the Dalai Lama will revitalize the mood of Tibetan people, arousing their political enthusiasm and starting a upsurge of Buddhism.... Some people said we should continue to wait until a certain change occurred. Wonders might take place. But how long shall we wait?'' These are voices from the heart of the 14th Dalai Lama.
The Chinese Government sincerely implements the policies on religion and nationality in Tibet; genuinely protects and develops traditional Tibetan culture, promotes the region's economy and improves the life of Tibetan people; wholeheartedly welcomes the vast Tibetan compatriots who are exiled abroad to return to jointly build Tibet into a prosperous and culturally advanced region. But the 14th Dalai Lama, exploiting the Central Government's policy of free entry and exit, secretly sent people to stir up trouble in Tibet/>/>, undermining the region's public security, economic construction and improvement of the Tibetan people's life. Who is actually concerned about Tibetan ordinary people? The Central Government or the 14th Dalai Lama? What actions exactly benefit Tibet/>/>? Those of the Central Government or those of the 14th Dalai Lama? People who experienced this historical period all can make a correct judgement.
Attitude Toward Prosperity in Tibet/>/>
The Second National Conference on Work in Tibet/> was held by the CPC Central Committee in Beijing/>/> in spring 1984. Given the specific characteristics of Tibet/>/>, it was decided that efforts be made to do a better job of the national, religious and united front work, and measures be taken to further develop agriculture, animal husbandry and Tibetan handicraft industry, so as to improve the life of the Tibetans as soon as possible.
In order to rapidly improve the region's situation, the Central Government decided to build 43 small and medium-sized projects with investments from the three municipalities of Beijing/>, Shanghai/> and Tianjin/> and six provinces including Jiangsu/>/>. These projects, badly needed to develop the Tibetan economy and improve people's life, included power stations, schools, hospitals, cultural centers, municipal facilities and hotels. Construction started in 1984, with 20,000 inland engineers and technicians entering Tibet/>/> to work far from home in severe cold and thin air. Some even gave their lives for Tibet/>/>'s development.
Most of the projects were completed in August 1985 as scheduled. Apart from handing over the facilities to Tibetan related units, the inland engineers and technicians also personally passed on the technology and management methods to their Tibetan counterparts.
Construction in Lhasa/>/> developed apace. It was in those years that 15 asphalt roads extending 70 km were built. Lhasa/>/>'s street became smooth and wide. A total of 48 km of sewage pipes were installed, serving an area of 20 square km. As a result, Lhasa/>/> is no longer muddy during the rainy season. Two waterworks were built and connected through a 70-km network of pipes to some 60 percent of homes.
Posts and telecommunications services are spreading from Lhasa/>/> to other parts of the region. Direct telephone links have been established not only with the rest of China/>/>, but 180 countries around the world. The Tibet/>/> and Lhasa TV stations provide a wide range of programs in both Tibetan and Han languages. Over 75 percent of households in Lhasa/>/> possess color TV sets, while radio cassette recorders are even more widespread.
Lhasa has two universities, nine secondary technical shcools and 12 middle schools, providing young people with ample opportunities to study. The city has 14 hospitals and medical institutions, seven of which are large or medium-sized, staffed by 1520 doctors of Chinese and Tibetan nationalities and providing 1100 beds. The former difficulty of Lhasa people in getting medical treatment has been solved.
The old, cold and damp houses have been replaced by new ones, with per-capita living space averaging nine square meters. The city has built 25 residential areas and new villages, where the per-capita living space reached 22 square meters. Thus, the housing problems have also been solved in the main.
A decade of afforestation has increased the per-capita share of the green coverage around the city to 12 square meters, thus considerably reducing the depredations of wind and sand. Lhasa/> has become a new city/>/>, where new and ancient architectures set off each other beautifully, attracting an endless flow of tourists and pilgrims at home and abroad. Lhasa/>/> has emerged as a world-famous tourist city.
On April 27, 1984, the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region made public a nine-point measure for relieving the burden of farmers and herdsmen and promoting economic development in agricultural and pastoral areas. The following is the full text of the nine-point measure.
Notice of the People's Government of the Tibet/>/> Autonomous Region
Notice is hereby given that the following policies have been adopted for agricultural and animal husbandry areas to enable people there to rehabilitate and further increase the actual income so as to boost the Tibetan economy and help people get rich soon.
1. The tax exemption policy for agriculture and animal husbandry shall extend to 1990.
2. The contract period for land and domestic animals will remain unchanged for 50 years, and the contract period for collective fruit trees, collective forests, barren hills, waste beaches and uncultivated land will remain unchanged for 50 years; but subcontract for these is possible. The development of the barren hills, waste beaches and uncultivated land are allowed to inherit.
3. Cereals, butter and meats shall no longer be purchased according to regional plan or be purchased according to regional plan in a disguised way. The market of farm, livestock and sideline products (except for a few valuable medical materials stipulated by the state) shall open all the year round for free trade and free exchange.
4. No unit and no individual is allowed to apportion or obtain any funds and materials from the masses.
Subsidies to commune (township) and production brigade (village) leaders shall be paid from local finance sources. The living expenses of five guarantees family (the aged, the infirm, old widows and orphans taken care by the collective in five ways--food, clothing, medical care, housing and burial expenses) shall be paid with the social relief fund.
5. Farmers and herdsmen shall enjoy guaranteed decision-making power in production and operation. No enforcement shall be imposed to them in this regard, and no plan or disguised plan concerning cultivation and breeding shall be issued.
6. All middle and primary schools run by counties and districts shall practice a boarding system, supplying room and board and clothing. All shall be paid for by the state.
7. The development of diverse economy is encouraged. Efforts be made to support and assist various specialized and key households. Farmers and herdsmen are encouraged to develop diverse forms of joint, collective and individual operations of the national handicraft industry, business, services, repair, transport and building industries. They are allowed to hire workers, technicians and apprentices, with wages to be decided by the two sides.
8. Farmers and herdsmen are allowed to engage in business and other operational activities beyond their townships, counties or districts.
Long-distance transportation is encouraged and vehicles and tractors used by collectives or individuals engaging in farm, livestock breeding, sideline production or transport shall be exempt from road toll.
9. Individual laborers, collective and state-run enterprises from other provinces, municipalities directly under the Central Government and other autonomous regions are welcome to build hotels and factories in Tibet/>/>, to attend trade fairs and exhibitions, or to engage in processing, transport, construction and service activities. We shall provide them with convenience and protect their legal interests.
People's Government of the
Tibet/>/> Autonomous Region
April 27, 1984
The Central Government is very considerate and shows great concern to Tibetans, who benefit greatly from its care. Farmers and herdsmen have high enthusiasm in tilling land, making money and building houses. In the past, few ordinary Tibetans could buy tractors or other vehicles, but now these are generally affordable. Farmers, herdsmen, and citizens in the whole region possess more than 10,000 tractors and other vehicles. The number is very surprising.
All in all, the Central Government has taken all kinds of measures to reduce poverty and increase the number of rich households, villages and townships year by year. Donggar/> Township/>, in the western suburbs of Lhasa/>, for example, is a place often visited by this writer during his 30-year stay in Tibet/>/>. The changes taken place there are immense, and it has also quickly become prosperous. A survey shows the township has 1,751 people in 330 households, with 162 hectares of cultivated land. The annual grain output reaches 800,000 kg, averaging 5,100 kg per hectare. The annual per-capita income is 1,280 yuan. The township has 41 motor vehicles and tractors, one for every eight households, and 231 color TV sets, an average two sets for every three households.
With surplus grain and money, farmers there have become more farsighted. In the past, they would store grain, because they were afraid of starvation. But now they sell their grain for reproduction, and send their children to school. Take farmer Puncog Cering for example. He has got rich by growing vegetables, running a grocery and establishing a hada (prayer scarf) factory. Most of his income has been used to support his children's study. Three of the four children have reached university.
Generally speaking, Tibet/>/>, no matter in rural, urban or pastoral areas, is indeed changing into a prosperous and beautiful place. People eat good food, are well clothed and live comfortably. They face no restraints on their religious belief. No one prevents them from worshipping Buddha in monasteries or inviting lamas to pray and conduct other religious activities at home. They have freedom and are living a happy life. Beautiful songs can be heard both in the theater and parks, in cities and countryside, or even in remote pastoral areas. All these are witnessed by tourists in Tibet/>/>, and no one can deny it. If the 14th Dalai Lama really loves Tibet/>/> and its people, he should bless them with a smile. However, his attitude is just the opposite. He hates to see progress made in Tibet/> and improvement in the people's life, because the more developed Tibet/>/> becomes, the more stability society enjoys, and the more difficulty he has in stirring up trouble. Therefore, he held a Kalachakra Grand Prayer Ceremony and repeatedly made speeches through the Western media, fabricating Tibetan history, distorting Tibetan reality and attacking the Central Government's Tibetan policy. He did these to create public opinion for the later Lhasa/>/> riot.
In his speech made on March 10, 1983 in Dharamsala/>, India/>/>, he said: "Today, 20-30 years later, it indeed will develop into a national contradiction. Either prison inmates or school students, or staff members of government organs will naturally differentiate Tibetan areas from the Han. Wide gap between the two will develop into a national struggle''.
During the Kalachakra Grand Prayer Ceremony held in Dojidan/>, India/>, in December 1985, the 14th Dalai Lama met with those Tibetans who went a special trip from China/>'s Tibet/>/> to attend the ceremony. In May 1986, he again made a long speech among Tibetan compatriots residing in Europe/>, saying: "Our homeland suffered an unprecedented disaster in the past decades. About 100,000 Tibetans including myself were forced to leave home for other countries and were subject to untold sufferings, just as our fellow Tibetans at home have suffered over the past 20 or so years. The Tibet/>/> nationality of our generation is the most unlucky''; "Our fellow Tibetans at home are very brave. They are very great. They can live tenaciously in spite of such sufferings and at the point of bayonet of the Han''.
He spoke even more frankly on other occasions: "We not only rely on Tibetans abroad, but more on Tibetans at home to engage in Tibetan independence''! "We must unite all Tibetan people both at home and abroad. Only in this way can we overthrow the CPC rule''.
All his speeches were nothing but a mobilization order for the Lhasa/>/> riot.
On September 21, 1987, the 14th Dalai Lama proposed a "five-point peace plan'' to the US Congress. At a press conference in Indiana/> University/> on September 24, he openly proclaimed: "Tibet/> is not a part of China/>/>. Tibet/>/> is an independent state''. His statement inspired a small number of separatists in Lhasa/>/> to hold a demonstration in support of the 14th Dalai Lama's plan. That was the start of a series of turmoil at the end of the 1980s. They endlessly stirred trouble in the following two years, which is inseparably linked with the 14th Dalai Lama.
Lhasa/> is Tibet/>/>'s political, economic and cultural center, and also a religious site attracting world attention. Thus, the 14th Dalai Lama believes that "to make a mess in Lhasa means to make a mess in Tibet; then the day will come soon for Tibet to win independence''. Out of this motive, his followers created many riots in Lhasa/>/>, three of which were the most serious. The modus operandi each time was virtually the same. At first, several lamas and nuns holding snowland lion banners shouted slogans in favor of "Tibetan independence'' in Barkor Street to attract the public attention. This was followed by organized attack against government organs. They beat security guards and policemen, destroyed buses, ransacked and burned shop malls and public buildings. On October 1, 1987, the rioters burned seven buses and attacked a police station for a whole day. In March 1988, rioters attacked the Office in charge of the Grand Summons Ceremony of the Buddhist Association, attacked the autonomous regional government leaders, beat to death a Tibetan squad leader of the local armed police, and wounded 399 policemen and other staff members. They looted hotels, restaurants and shops flanking the
In March 1989, the turmoil surged up again. In two days, 10 people were killed and over 100 wounded; more than 900 state and private shops were looted and destroyed. Some 24 government institutions, enterprises and schools were attacked, and over 20 vehicles destroyed, causing direct economic loss totalling more than 10 million yuan. The State Council proclaimed martial law in Lhasa/>/> in order to safeguard the city's social stability and prevent further heavy loss of state property.
The Lhasa/>/> riot was plotted and launched by the 14th Dalai Lama. This has been clearly revealed through various mass media over the past few years. As early as in 1986, the Dalai clique frequently held various meetings in Dharamsala, mobilizing and plotting the Lhasa/>/> riot. They included the 6th session of the "Tibetan youth congress'', the first working committee of the "Tibetan women's association'', the work symposium of the "Tibetan independence movement'', the biannual meeting of the "government-in-exile'', as well as the special political and educational meetings for top officials. The subject of these meetings included "what kind of actions that should be taken for Tibetan independence'', and how to "mobilize 6 million Tibetans at home to fight against China/>/>'s tyranny''.
In April 1987, the Dalai clique again held a top-level meeting in Dharamsala to analyze the internal and external situation, and to make plans for separatist activities and demonstrations to create social chaos. Following the meeting, the "Tibetan youth congress'' secretly sent people to Lhasa and other parts of Tibet, where they plotted and created turmoil together with local separatists. The "congress'' also sent people to Nepal/>, where they tried to organize Tibetan compatriots there to move into Tibet/>/> in September and October.
After each riot ended, the 14th Dalai Lama would bolster up the morale of the separatists and advised them to continue their actions. In his speech in Dharamsala on October 7, 1987, he expressed "complete support'' for the Lhasa/>/> riot and called for the separatists not to give up. On March 5, 1988, the fifth day after the Lhasa/>/> riot, he spoke highly of the riot at a mass rally, saying: "Tibetans at home have a high aspiration and determination. They dare to shed blood and to die''. In his written statement released on the same day, he repeated: "Our heroic brothers at home, not afraid of the suppression of the Chinese army, waged a brave and non-violent struggle.... This is an evidence of Buddhist spirit and our national spirit.... Everyone of us must exert utmost efforts to strive for our just cause of Tibet/>/> which belongs to Tibetans''.
Recalling the period in the late 1980s, the Central Government engaged in construction in Tibet/>/>, while the 14th Dalai Lama stirred up riot there. Which benefitted the Tibetan people? Construction or riot? Do the Tibetan people really welcome construction or turmoil? Facts show that the vast majority of Tibetans oppose riots. Some people who were involved in the riots were overcome with regret. The saying that "turmoil does not enjoy popular support'' is not an empty word but truly reflects the feelings of many people in Lhasa/> and Tibet/>/>. This author discussed riots with many Lhasans. They said, "We neither support nor get involved in turmoil because it harms the motherland, the society and ourselves''. A well-known painter, who once drew pictures for the former residence of the 14th Dalai Lama in Norbu Lingka, Lhasa, in the 1950s, told this author: "So long as I found that something was going to happen, I would call all my children and apprentices back home and advise them not to get involved in it''! A farmer in Donggar/> Township/> said frankly: "Some people in Lhasa/>/>, with enough to eat and wear, have nothing to do but stir trouble on street. We farmers won't follow them. We are very busy with our work for a prosperous life''!
Along the Road Parted From the Motherland and Tibet/>/>
The period 1989-91 witnessed many major events in the world, with the former Soviet Union disintegrating and Eastern Europe/> undergoing power changes. The anti-China forces in the West headed by the United States/> turned the focus of peaceful evolution onto socialist China/>/>. After the Tiananmen Square event in June 1989, international anti-China forces jointly imposed political isolation and economic sanction on China/>/>, and sought to turn public opinion against the country.
The 14th Dalai Lama, who had been given the Nobel Peace Prize at that time, got dizzy with such international adulation, as if he had been drinking qingke barley wine. He travelled throughout Western countries and Eastern Europe, praising the tremendous changes in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe/>. At the same time, he issued various predictions, acting more like a psychic than a Living Buddha. He repeatedly predicted that within five to 10 years, "Tibet/>/> will be independent'' and "the Communist Party of China will collapse''. In December 1989, he told a reporter of the French newspaper Le Figaro: "Marxism, born in this century, is highly likely to die before the end of the century. What a sad end that the life of Marxism is so short''.
In June 1990, in Spain/>, he predicted that "the bamboo curtain of mainland China/> will disappear soon like the Berlin Wall'', "China/>/>'s Communist system will collapse soon''. In Paris/>/> in August 1991, he repeated the prediction: "The Chinese Government now looks like the setting sun and the days of the CPC regime are numbered. China is bound to change within 10 years like the former Soviet Union''; "Tibet will become an independent state within three years''; "Tibetans will never enter the 21st century under the present situation''. In 1995, he predicted again: "China might split, disintegrate and completely crumble''; "China will experience dramatic changes this year (1995) and next year''; "My personal observation and divination also show some optimistic development, while an Indian psychic has the same prediction''.
The 14th Dalai Lama wrongly estimated the world situation and the situation of China/>/>. Thinking that there is no need to deal with the Chinese Government which would collapse soon, he proclaimed a plan to "readjust the relationship with Beijing/>/>''. He even decided to "recall the five-point peace plan and the five-point new suggestion''. He declared to "deal nothing with the Chinese Government'' and said that he would "declare Tibetan separation and complete Tibetan independence from China/>/>''.
Prediction, after all, cannot replace reality. Neither socialist China/> collapses because of the 14th Dalai Lama's curses, nor Tibet/>/> returns to feudal serfdom through the 14th Dalai Lama's divination. The sky above the snow mountains is still blue and clouds are still white. Farmers are tilling on their land and herdsmen shepherding their flocks on the grassland. China/>/> has withstood Western political pressure and economic sanctions, and become even stronger and more prosperous. The country enjoys stability, national unity and economic development. People are living and working harmoniously and pleasantly. The comprehensive national strength is being enhanced day by day. The Western countries, which once tried by all means to blockade, control and isolate China/>/>, are working to improve their relationship and do business with the country. The 14th Dalai Lama's "prediction'' became an empty word and his so-called "new hope'' appeared to be "new disappointment''. After being embarrassed for a time, he changed his tone and proposed on July 23, 1992 to "negotiate with China/>/> without prerequisite''.
When visiting Australia/>/> in 1996, the 14th Dalai Lama stated, "I don't ask for Tibetan independence, but for autonomy''. However, despite these words, he by no means gave up his efforts to attack China/> and create trouble in Tibet/>/>. He organized a "peace march to Tibet/>'', and plotted to "conduct a referendum on issues concerning the status of Tibet/>/>''. He goes farther along the road parted from the motherland and Tibet/>/>.
In July 1994, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council held the 3rd National Conference on Work in Tibet/> in Beijing/>/>, approving 62 aid-Tibet construction projects with a planned investment of 2.38 billion yuan. Actual investment totalled 3.366 billion yuan. China/>/>'s national strength has enhanced gradually after 15 years of reform and opening policy. Those provinces, municipalities directly under the Central Government and autonomous regions, especially the coastal areas, which have registered economic development, didn't forget the Tibetan people and were willing to provide manpower, materials and financial support to help with Tibet's production and the improvement of people's lives. "The Central Government is concerned about Tibet/>, and Tibet/>/> enjoys support from the rest of the country''. Though the Qinghai/> and Guizhou/>/> provinces and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region are not rich themselves, they make a contribution to the Tibetan people.
Most of the 62 projects had been completed in September 1995 when the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region was celebrated. They have begun to serve the Tibetan people, who again felt loving care from the motherland and the warmth and friendship of all nationalities. At the same time, the repair project of the Potala/> Palace/> in Lhasa/>/> was successfully completed. The comprehensive development of the Yarlung Zangbo, Lhasa/>/> and Nyang Qu river valley is smoothly underway. The reincarnated soul boy of the late 10th Panchen Lama was determined and enthroned successfully according to historical precedence and religious rituals. More than 80 percent of farmers and herdsmen have enough to eat and wear and are working toward a well-off life. The average life expectancy of Tibetans has increased from 35 years since the Democratic Reform in 1959, to 65 years; the overall population growth from 1.05 million to 2.32 million; and student population increased from 3,000 to 175,000. The Central and regional governments adopted concrete measures to eliminate poverty within this century. The day is not far for all the Tibetan people to live a well-off life.
History is developing. The people are the real judges and masters of the history. Some 38 years have passed since the 14th Dalai Lama fled abroad in 1959. Looking back over these 38 years, the Tibetan people are really aware of their social stability, economic prosperity, cultural and living standards improvement brought about by the Central Government. But what has the 14th Dalai Lama brought to the Tibetan people? He has done nothing but creates rumors, plots riots, and stirs up trouble. All these are shown by his words and behavior. Many Tibetan compatriots at home and abroad and many people in the world clearly saw the point. And as time goes on, it will come to be recognized by more and more people.
Driving Tibet to Paradise or Hell
Tibet has, since the yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), been an inalienable part of China, and the Tibetan race is an important member of the great Chinese family. The so-called " Tibetan issue" is therefore not born in Tibet, but rather is the product of imperialist aggression against it in the early 20th century. From 1949, the year which witnessed the founding of the People's Republic of China, to 1959, the struggle found concentrated expression in the follwoing historical events: The signing and implementation of the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet which is known as the 17-Article Agreement; the Chinese People's Liberation Army's march into Tibet; the attempt of the reactionary clique in the upper echelon of the ruling class in Tibet to tear up the 17-Article Agreement and the armed rebellion they launched; the action of the Chinese People's Liberation Army to put down the rebellion. In March 1959, the Dalai Lama separatist clique, with support and aid from the international anti-China forces, staged an all-round armed rebellion in Lhasa. When it was soon suppressed, the 14th Dalai Lama feld to India. In the ensuing 30-plus years, he has presisted in his stand for "Tibetan independence". In order to split the motherland, he has concocted vqrious kinds of lies and engaged in numerous criminal activites geared towards splitting China.
Let's look at the behavior of the 14th Dalai Lama to see whether he is working to promote or undermine social development in Tibet/>/>.
Obstructing and Sabotaging the Implementation of the 17-Article Agreement
Prince Regent Dagzha stepped down in early 1950, and the 14th Dalai Lama came to power. In February 1951, the 14th Dalai Lama sent a delegation to Beijing/>/> for peace negotiation with the Central Government. The delegation was composed of Chief Delegate Ngapoi Ngawang Jigmei and Delegates Tubdain Lemen and Sampo Dainzin Toinzhub, who went from Qamdo; and Delegates Kemo Soinam Wangdui and Tubdain Dainda, who went from Yadong via India/>/>. The 14th Dalai Lama issued each a stamped certificate and granted them full negotiating powers.
When all the Tibetan delegates had gathered in Beijing/>/>, the Central People's Government appointed Li Weihan as the chief delegate and Zhang Jinwu, Zhang Guohua and Sun Jieyuan as delegates to negotiate with the Tibetan delegates. The negotiations started on April 29 on the basis of friendship. After repeated consultations, both sides reached and signed the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet on May 23, 1951. Conclusion of the agreement, known as the 17-Article Agreement, marked a great victory on the part of the Chinese people, and the thorough failure of the imperialists to separate Tibet/> from China/>/>. It also marked an epochal turning point in the historical development of the Tibetan nationality.
Acting in accordance with the stipulations of the 17-Article Agreement, the Chinese People's Liberation Army and workers entered Tibet/>/>. With their exemplary actions in strictly following the 17-Article Agreement, they won support and praise from the monks and lay people as well as patriots in the upper echelon of the Tibetan ruling class. Unreconciled with their failure, however, imperialists and pro-imperialist separatists continued their plot to oppose and sabotage the implementation of the 17-Article Agreement. As a matter of fact, the complicated struggle for and against the agreement started in the early days of its conclusion.
It was explicitly stipulated in the 17-Article Agreement: "The local government of Tibet/> shall actively assist the People's Liberation Army to enter Tibet/>/> and consolidate national defense.'' Soon after the signing, however, Lukangwa, then a Sicab official, blatantly declared an intent to "starve out the People's Liberation Army'' by issuing an order which banned sale of cereals to it. With the secret instigation of, and support from, Lukangwa and another Sicab official named Lobsang Zhaxi, the so-called "people's assembly'' event occurred. Some elements of the Tibetan armed forces, lamas and hooligans were urged to petition and stage armed riots in Lhasa/>/>, besieging the residential quarters of Zhang Jinwu, the Central Government representative, and Ngapoi Ngawang Jigmei, a Galoin official. They opposed the 17-Article Agreement and unity of the motherland. They went to an extreme and were totally in the wrong. They met with struggles waged with good reason, advantage and with restraint. In the end, the 14th Dalai Lama was compelled to disband the "people's assembly'' and dismiss the two Sicab officials from office.
While on his way back to Tibet after attending the First Session of the First National People's Congress in 1954, the 14th Dalai Lama was greeted by representatives of the "people's assembly'' in Kangding and Yangnge. They demanded that the 14th Dalai Lama restore the name of the "people's assembly'' and rescind the penalty imposed on the two Sicab officials. Such blatant opposition to the 17-Article Agreement was protected and shielded by a small handful of reactionaries in the upper echelon of the ruling class in Tibet/>/>.
April 1956 witnessed the establishment of the Preparatory Committee for the Founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region, a major move toward autonomy in Tibet/>/> as stipulated in the 17-Article Agreement. Before and after the establishment of the Preparatory Committee for the Founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region, members of the "people's assembly'' resumed activities. They made petition here and there, voicing opposition to the establishment of the Preparatory Committee for the Founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region and the Democratic Reform. The small handful of reactionaries in the upper echelon of the ruling class connived in and supported these activities.
In November 1956, the 14th Dalai Lama received an invitation to attend the 2,500th anniversary of the nirvana of Sakyamuni, founder of Buddhism, in India/>/>. The Central Government decided to let the 14th Dalai Lama make his own decision as to whether he should go. As soon as the 14th Dalai Lama reached India/>, Tibetan and overseas separatists worked with might and main to lure him into staying in India/>/> to engage in the so-called "Tibetan independence'' movement. The 14th Dalai Lama and some of the Tibetan officials who went with him wavered. The People's Liberation Army troops stationed in Tibet/> made necessary preparations to cope with possible changes and, together with the local government of Tibet/>/> and people from all walks of life, waged political struggle against the reactionaries. In the meantime, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the late Chairman Mao Zedong made and announced a major decision that no Democratic Reform would be conducted in Tibet/>/> during the Second Five-Year Plan, namely in six years; whether it would be conducted during the Third Five-Year Plan depended on the situation at the time. This was meant to give the local government of Tibet/> and upper-class people enough time to consider these matters, and facilitated the good arrangements being made by the Central Government politically and in the life for those in the upper echelon of the ruling class in Tibet/>/> and paving the way for peaceful and stable reform when conditions became ripe. During his visit to India/>/>, the late Premier Zhou Enlai informed the 14th Dalai Lama and Tibetan officials who went with him of the major decision made by the CPC Central Committee, and did painstaking work to talk them over. Regarding the efforts to persuade the 14th Dalai Lama to stay in India to work for Tibetan "independence'', Premier Zhou solemnly pointed out: The 14th Dalai Lama may stay in India, but Tibet would not be moved to India. He went on to say that persuading the 14th Dalai Lama to stay in India would do great harm to the 14th Dalai Lama himself and Tibet as well; if the 14th Dalai Lama was made to stay in India, work in Tibet would not come to a standstill. But the door would remain open. No matter when the 14th Dalai Lama came back to Tibet/>/>, he would be welcome. Thanks to these efforts, the 14th Dalai Lama changed his stand and returned to Lhasa/>/> on April 1, 1957.
Tearing Up the Agreement and Launching an Armed Rebellion With the 14th Dalai Lama Fleeing Abroad
The Dalai clique had never stopped obstructing and undermining the implementation of the 17-Article Agreement. Towards the end of the 1950s, they plotted armed rebellion in Qamdo, Dengqen, Nagqu and Shannan, conducting armed harassment and even publicly organizing a "religion protection army'' in the Shannan area, establishing a rebel "base,'' destroying national defense highways, and besieging and attacking offices of the Preparatory Committee for the Founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region at various levels. On March 10, 1959, the Dalai clique tore up the 17-Article Agreement and launched an all-out armed rebellion in Lhasa/>/>, finally embarking on the road of betraying the motherland. On the evening of March 17, 1959, when the Dalai clique's armed rebellion was suppressed, the 14th Dalai Lama hastily fled Lhasa/>/> by a secret way. He reached Tezpur/>, India/>/>. There he distributed his English "statement of the Dalai Lama'' through Indian diplomatic officials, stating that "suzerainty is what the Han has imposed upon the Tibetans.'' Such a written statement contained wording similar to that of imperialists who were obsessed with separating Tibet/> from China/>/>. It showed that the 14th Dalai Lama had begun working to split the motherland in a foreign country. On June 20, the 14th Dalai Lama made his debut in Mussoorie by holding his first press conference, at which he vowed to "restore freedom and the independent position Tibet enjoyed before the Chinese invasion in 1950.'' In March 1991, when the 14th Dalai Lama was paying a visit to Britain/>, he told the British media that Tibet/>/> "is the largest occupied state in the world.'' Since the 14th Dalai Lama fled abroad, he has openly advocated "Tibet is an independent state'' in total disregard of the historical fact that Tibet has been part of the Chinese territory for more than 700 years, with the Central Government always exercising effective sovereign rule over it.
Organizing the So-called "Government in Exile''
In the early 1960s, the 14th Dalai Lama threw himself under the wing of the West. He secured a foothold with the protection and support from the West, and established the so-called "government in exile'' and he himself served as the "head of state.''
In September 1960, the 14th Dalai Lama convened the so-called "first Tibetan people's congress'' in Dharamsala, India, which was attended by members of the former local government of Tibet and aristocrats, as well as headmen of Tibetan areas in others parts of China, upper-class lamas and rebel leader--all leading an exiled life. Wielding the banner for "Tibetan independence'', they announced the establishment of the "Tibet Gaxag government'' which was later renamed "the government of the grand snowland state'' (or Gamqengyixong in Tibetan language), which is the very "government in exile''. The so-called "government in exile'' issued the "constitutional outline of the state of Tibet/>/>'' (draft) which announced the 14th Dalai Lama as the "head of the government''. When it was revised in 1991, it became the "constitution of the Tibetans in exile''. It was stipulated in the so-called "constitution'' that "the 14th Dalai Lama serves as the head of the state....and is entitled to issue orders through officials under him....appoint ministers....issue medals and the rank of nobility.'' According to the "constitution'', the Gaxag assembly functions under the leadership of the 14th Dalai Lama and assumes the responsibility for "government'' affairs; all the Galoin officials, the president and vice-presidents of the "people's congress'' and the major judge all have to "sworn'' into office before the 14th Dalai Lama; the 14th Dalai Lama shall chair the meeting between the "government'' head and ministers; and the 14th Dalai Lama is entitled to decide on the substitution of all Galoin officials. In the "government in exile'', the 14th Dalai Lama established such departments as security and diplomacy (which later was changed into the international relations and propaganda department). The "government in exile'' set up the 14th Dalai Lama offices or liaison offices in more than 10 countries, and compiled and published many journals and books to advocate "Tibetan independence''. The "government in exile'' also set up the "Tibetan youth assembly'', "Tibetan women's association'' and other radical organizations, reorganized the "Tibet congress party'', and collected donations for "Tibetan independence''. All these proclaim to the world that the 14th Dalai Lama and his "government in exile'' have become a political group functioning to split the motherland and achieve "Tibetan independence'', and the 14th Dalai Lama is the chief representative and ringleader of this separatist political group. This is why the group is referred to as the "Dalai clique''.
The Dalai clique, in order to achieve its political goal of splitting the motherland and winning "Tibetan independence'', reorganized two rebel armies with the support and aid from anti-China forces in the United States, India and other countries. In September 1960, it reorganized the "four river and six mountain range religion protection army'' (or Quxigangzhol in Tibetan) in Mustang in northern Nepal/>/>. In the beginning, the "four rivers'' referred to the Jingshajiang, Lancangjiang, Nujiang and Yarlung rivers, and the "six mountain ranges'' to the Cawa, Mangkam, Maze, Muyarao, Sermo and Zegung mountain ranges. The four rivers and six mountain ranges were used to represent the Tibetan areas in Sichuan/>/>. Later, the "four rivers'' referred to the Yellow, Yangtze, Lancangjiang and Nujiang rivers, representing all areas inhabited by Tibetans in Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan provinces. In 1962, the "Indian Tibetan special frontier army'' composed mainly of the Tibetans was formed. The "four river and six mountain range religion protection army'' conducted military harassment in China/>'s border areas, endangering China/>/>'s national defense and the production and life of residents. What's more, they harassed residents in Nepal/>/>, forcefully occupying grasslands and land, and demanding money and materials. They stopped at nothing in doing evil, emerging as the scourge of the Nepalese government. In his memoir entitled Four Rivers and Six Mountain Ranges, Anzhugcang Goinbo Zhaxi, the first general commanding the reactionary army, confessed that he "had organized a series attacks on the Chinese sentry posts; sometimes, 100 to 200 Tibetan guerrillas penetrated some 100 miles into the area occupied by the Chinese''. The 14th Dalai Lama wrote articles profusely praising activities organized by Goinbo Zhaxi. As the "four river and six mountain range religion protection army'' continuously made trouble in the Nepalese-Chinese border area, the Nepalese government disarmed it with force in 1974. The rebel armed forces survived in Nepal/>/> for 14 years before finally being disarmed. Thereafter, the Dalai clique sent people to learn "guerrilla warfare'' from the American CIA. Some 10,000 special agents received "special training'' there. These facts show that the Dalai clique works to split the motherland politically, organizationally and militarily.
In an Isolated Position
In the early 1970s, the United States/> and the former Soviet Union/>, the two superpowers, intensified their struggle for world hegemony. The West readjusted its China/>/> policy, and the strategic position of the Dalai clique weakened. In order to contain the former Soviet Union, the Nixon administration of the United States/> adopted policy measures to improve US relations with China/>/>. To pave the way for President Nixon to visit China/>, the United States/>/> stopped public political support and military and economic aid to the Dalai clique in 1972 on the eve of the presidential visit. It closed the Kathmandu Office of the United Nations Refugee Relief Administration, providing the Tibetans with no direct aid and revoking visas for the "Tibetan ensemble troupe'' to visit the United States. In the meantime, it refused the 14th Dalai Lama a visa to visit the United States/>/>, which lasted until 1977. During this period, however, the CIA never totally gave up use of and support for the Dalai clique.
The Nepalese government resorted to military means to wipe out the "four river and six mountain range religion protection army'' entrenched in Mustang. The Bhutan/>/> government arrested diehards sent there by the 14th Dalai Lama, and put restriction on Tibetans becoming Bhutanese citizens, saying it would deport anyone violating its rules. All these steps combined to isolate the 14th Dalai Lama, who remained silent and desolated. In March 1980, the 14th Dalai Lama said that Tibetans in exile must contact Han Chinese, otherwise they would have no other way out. He advised them to accept China/>/> as a great country, and expressed his belief that Communism and Buddhism had common foundations. He declared that so long as the Tibetans could enjoy happiness, he would give up his proposition for "Tibetan independence''. And truly, he seldom mentioned "Tibetan independence'' in public during this period, and spoke in favor of the Communist Party of China and the state leaders of the People's Republic, with a view to currying favor with them. He also said he would go back to Tibet/>/> for a visit, and planned to resume contacts with the Chinese Government.
The "Five-Point Plan'' and "Seven-Point Suggestion''
In the mid- and late 1980s, the West, with the United States/>/> as its head, followed a general strategy for the peaceful evolution of socialist countries. The disintegration of the former Soviet Union and the dramatic change in Eastern Europe/> led to changed international pattern and the termination of the Cold War. Following the June 4 political turbulence in 1989, some Western countries directed their spearhead against China, attempting to take the "Tibetan issue'' as the breach for splitting China and reducing China to a mess. They made fresh efforts to support the Dalai clique and make use of the 14th Dalai Lama. While granting the Dalai clique huge amounts of financial aid, the international anti-China forces bestowed the 14th Dalai Lama with the Nobel peace prize. Changing its attitude for improved relations with the Central Government, which it had held for years, the Dalai clique intensified infiltration into China/>'s Tibet/>/> and created riots there. Its intention was to internationalize the Tibetan issue. During this period, the Dalai Lama frequently visited Europe, the Americas and some Asian countries in the capacity of "religious leader of Tibet'', "guardian of peace'', "human rights activist'' and "winner of the Nobel peace prize''. He met with state leaders and parliamentary members, held press conferences, and delivered speeches. Exploiting major international meetings such as the UN conference on human rights and various international academic seminars, the Dalai Lama went all out to trumpet "Tibetan independence''. Following the line of the international anti-China forces, he did his best to internationalize the Tibetan issue. Incomplete statistics show that the 14th Dalai Lama has over the past 30 or so years paid more than 120 visits to 50-odd countries. He is visiting more countries, and making more speeches for "Tibetan independence''. For example, he paid a visit to the United States in 1987, where he revealed to Congress his "five-point plan'', which was really meant to split China. In June 1988, the 14th Dalai Lama held a press conference in a meeting hall of the European/> Parliament/> Building/> in Strasbourg/>, France/>/>, during which he had his "seven-point suggestion'' distributed to promote "Tibetan independence'' in a disguised way. The so-called "five-point plan'' of the 14th Dalai Lama is as follows:
(A) The whole of Tibet/>/>, including the eastern provinces of Kham (Qamdo area) and Amdo, be transformed into a zone of ahimsa, a Hindi term used to mean a state of peace and non-violence.
(B) The population transfer of Chinese into Tibet/>, which the government in Beijing/>/> pursues, must be stopped because this threatens the very existence of the Tibetans as a distinct people.
(C) Fundamental human rights and democratic freedoms must be respected in Tibet/>/>.
(D) Serious efforts must be made to restore the natural environment in Tibet/>/>. Tibet/>/> should not be used for the production of nuclear weapons and the dumping of nuclear waste.
(E) Negotiations on the future status of Tibet/>/> and the relationship between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples should be started in earnest.
This "five-point plan'', drafted by foreigners for the Dalai clique, is not meant for peace and security of Tibet/>/>. Instead, through the US Congress, the Dalai clique replays the old tune of "Tibetan independence''. "Turning Tibet into a peace zone...a buffer zone'' and "withdrawing its armies and military installations from this state'', referred to in the first point of the "five-point plan'' in the final analysis is meant to turn Tibet into an "independent'' state.
The 14th Dalai Lama's so-called "seven-point suggestion'' is as the follows:
(a) The whole of Tibet/> should become a self-governing democratic political entity, which is in association with the People's Republic of China/>/>.
(b) The Chinese government remains responsible for Tibet/>/>'s foreign policy, while the Tibetan government sets up foreign affairs offices in such fields as religion and culture.
(c) The Tibetan government participates in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
(d) The Tibetan government should b comprised of a popularly elected chief Executive, a bi-cameral legislative branch, and an independent judicial system.Its seat should be in Lhasa/>/>.
(e) The social and economic system of Tibet/>/> should be determined in accordance with the wishes of the Tibetan people.
(f) The manufacture, testing and stockpiling of nuclear weapons and other armaments as well as the use of nuclear power must be prohibited.
(g) A regional peace conference should be called to ensure that Tibet/>/> becomes a genuine sanctuary of peace through demilitarization. Until such a peace conference can be convened and demilitarization and neutralization achieved, China/> could have the right to maintain a restricted number of military installations in Tibet/>/>. These must be solely for defence purpose.
In spite of his changed tune when compared with the "five-point plan'', the "seven-point suggestion'' is still designed to split China by proposing that the "Chinese Government be responsible for diplomatic affairs of Tibet'' and "China may enjoy the power to keep a limited amount of `military installations' in Tibet for defensive purpose.'' The purpose is obviously to negate the reality that the Chinese Government exercises holy sovereignty over Tibet, and attempts to turn the subordinate relationship between the Central Government and the local government of Tibet into the relations prevalent in the West between a suzerain and a vassal state, and between a protector and a protected state, thereby altering the legal position. Although the 14th Dalai Lama called the "seven-point suggestion'' a new one, there is nothing new in it. It is a mere reproduction of the statement that "China/> enjoys suzerainty instead of sovereignty over Tibet/>/>'' under new historical conditions. The British and Russian imperialists made the statement early this century.
Both the "five-point plan'' and the "seven-point suggestion'' center on "Tibetan independence.'' They are full of rumors or slanders against the Chinese Government, and distortion of the history and status quo of Tibet/>/>. The following is an analysis of the "plan'' and the "suggestion''.
1. It is absurd for the 14th Dalai Lama to propose to turn the whole of Tibet/>, including eastern provinces of Kham and Amdo into a peace zone, and to state that Tibet/> should become a democratic political entity, which dictates its own fate, and which maintains (alliance) relations with the People's Republic of China/>/>. First of all, the statement with regard to turning Tibet/> into a peace zone and a buffer zone between major powers through the so-called de-militarization and neutralization is meant to confuse the problems that existed in Sino-Indian relations, and is an issue concerning whether China/> can exercise sovereignty over Tibet/>/> and maintain Chinese territorial integrity. Using China/>'s Tibet/> to build, together with India/>, a peace zone or a neutral zone will undermine China/>/>'s territorial integrity in the end. Secondly, the 14th Dalai Lama's proposition that Tibet/> should become a democratic political entity and maintain (alliance) ties with China/>/> is obviously an insidious, yet ignorant suggestion. It is in essence an attempt to dismember and split China/>, which is a historically formed united multi-national country, and to make Tibet/> become independent of China/>/> in a disguised way. So far, we have found no change at all in the 14th Dalai Lama's stand to negate China's sovereignty over Tibet and take covert action to win "independence''. In July 1994, the 14th Dalai Lama filed a letter with the Central Government through his private representative, in which he made suggestions for the solution of the Tibetan issue, including the establishment of "great Tibet autonomous region'' or, in other words, "a great Tibetan administrative region which enjoys high autonomy''. Such a statement finds concentrated expression in the first point of his "five-point plan''. The 14th Dalai Lama said: "The whole of Tibet, called the three parts of the Tibetan zone (U-Tsang, Kamba and Amdo), should become a democratic or autonomous entity which maintains relations with the People's Republic of China....in accordance with the law.'' The sketch map of the "Tibetan zone'' inserted in the biography of the 14th Dalai Lama not only takes in the present-day Tibet Autonomous Region and 10 Tibetan nationality autonomous prefectures and two Tibetan nationality autonomous counties in the four provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan, but also many places such as Xining City of Qinghai Province, the Dongxian Nationality Autonomous County in Gansu Province and the Lili Nationality Autonomous Prefecture in Nujiang, Yunnan Province. These cover one-fourth of the Chinese territory. In doing so, the Dalai clique and its like should take time to consider the following facts: (1) The Northern Warlord government refused to give up the 90,000 square km of Chinese territory south of the "McMahon line'' early this century. How can a powerful socialist China/>/> give up the Tibet Autonomous Region with an area of 1.2 million square km and the Tibetan areas in some provinces with a total area of more than 1 million square km? (2) Upwards of 54 percent of the 4.59 million Tibetans in China/> live in Sichuan/>, Qinghai/>, Gansu/> and Yunnan/>/>. Given prolonged historical evolution, they live in areas also inhabited by the Han, Qiang, Hui, Manchurian, Mongolian, Baoan, Yugu, Naxi, Yi, Pumi and other nationalities. They live harmoniously together to form closely related minority areas which are interdependent economically, politically and culturally, and maintain an inalienable relationship. It is absolutely impossible for the 14th Dalai Lama to incorporate the vast expanse of the three regions inhabited by more than 20 nationalities with a combined population several times that of Tibet into his devised "Tibet autonomous region''. The three regions were formed as a result of restrictive geographical conditions and isolation of high mountains and deep rivers. (3) In the 700-odd years of historical progress since the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), these regions were in the jurisdiction of administrative regions under the unified leadership of the Central Government of various dynasties. They maintained no administrative relations with Tibet/>/>. (4) After the founding of the People's Republic of China/>/> in 1949, the Central Government followed the system of national regional autonomy. In the light of the concrete conditions of the Tibetan areas, the Tibet Autonomous Region and various Tibetan nationality autonomous prefectures and counties were set up to guarantee that Tibetans in various areas would enjoy equal rights, and to facilitate these autonomous regions, prefectures and counties in exercising administrative management and seeking economic and cultural development. Hence, the Central Government move has received public support in these areas. It is, therefore, not allowed and not feasible for the 14th Dalai Lama to seek disguised independence there.
2. The 14th Dalai Lama asserted that "because of Han migration, Tibetans have become a minority in Tibet/>/>.'' He bolstered his view by adding that "Han migration of 7.5 million people into Tibet/>/>, is reducing the Tibetan into a minority nationality''. Data produced by the "Tibetan Youth Congress'' of the Dalai clique claimed that 70 million Han had emigrated to Tibet, and that the Central Government planned a further migration of 120 million Han to assimilate the Tibetan race. This is a glaring lie. According to 1990 census, there were 81,217 Hans in Tibet/>/>, accounting for less than 4 percent of the Tibetan population. Of the close to 6 million people in Tibet/>/> and 10 Tibetan nationality autonomous prefectures and two Tibetan nationality autonomous counties, Tibetans totalled 4.59 million. In other words, Tibetans were still the majority.
The Chinese Government has never formulated and followed any "migration'' plan in Tibet/>/>. To cope with the need for economic construction in Tibet/>, the Central Government sent a limited number of people of Han and other fraternal nationalities to Tibet/>/>. These people, mostly highly educated professionals and skilled workers, share weal and woe with the Tibetans and maintain brotherly relations with them, jointly making contributions to economic and cultural construction in Tibet/>/> to the warm welcome of Tibetans.
In recent years, when efforts were to relax control on economic development during deepening reform and opening up, there were Han and Hui business people and artisans who went to Tibet/>/> for business purposes. These people passed their skills and managerial expertise on to their Tibetan counterparts, playing a positive role to enliven circulation channels and a brisk market, which is a boon for Tibet/>/>'s economic development.
3. The 14th Dalai Lama said: "Tibet is one of the regions in the world which see most serious violations of human rights....Tibet enjoys no democracy and freedom.'' This is the lie created and repeated by the 14th Dalai Lama to meet the political need of the international anti-China forces in total disregard of reality. It is a vicious slander and attack against the Chinese Government.
What the 14th Dalai Lama said reminds me of the fact that at a European Parliament meeting in April 1990, one parliament member asked the 14th Dalai Lama several questions, including: "Would you the 14th Dalai Lama please make a comparison of the economic, cultural and social lives in Tibet/>/> before and after 1949? According to my knowledge, before 1949 Tibet/>/> followed a system which was more backward than the feudal system and similar to the slavery system.'' The 14th Dalai Lama avoided answering this question, inviting discontent.
Truly, one will come to a correct conclusion so long as one makes a comparison of democracy, freedom and human rights situation in Tibet/>/> yesterday and today. Old Tibet/>/> was a society which followed the feudal serfdom characteristic of temporal and religious administration and dictatorship by upper-class lamas and aristocrats. It was a system which was more cruel and savage than serfdom in Europe/> during the Middle Ages. Politically, serf owners enjoyed paramount privilege; economically, they owned all the means of production, except for some domestic animals. The million serfs were exposed to free exploitation and suppression by the serf owners. Their persons were owned by the serf owners, and enjoyed no right to subsist and develop, not to speak democracy and human rights. There were only "human rights'' for the serf owners to oppress and suppress the serfs. No human rights were available for the serfs to get rid of and oppose exploitation and suppression.
The Democratic Reform in Tibet/>/> in 1959 ended in the abolition of feudal serfdom. The million serfs were emancipated and enjoy, for the first time in history, democracy and freedom. This conforms with the UN Convention Banning Slaves which calls for thorough abolition of cruel and savage punishment and inhuman treatment. The broad masses of the Tibetan people finally enjoyed human rights. Under the direct leadership of the Communist Party of China and the Central People's Congress/>, Tibet/>/> today conducts reform and opening up and goes all out to promote economic construction. As a result, Tibetan society makes constant progress and the Tibetan economy develops steadily. The Tibetan people have basically solved their food and clothing problems. Some parts of Tibet/>/> are seen in transition from a subsistence to an affluent economy. The Tibetan people enjoy legal rights provided by the Constitution of the People's Republic of China/> and the Law of the People's Republic of China/>/> on National Regional Autonomy, and genuinely enjoy democratic freedom and human rights, including the right to subsist and the right to develop. In addition, Tibetans enjoy personal freedom and various political rights (including the right to vote and the right to stand for election). They are entitled to the economic right, social right, cultural right, the right to education, judiciary right, religious freedom right, birth right, and the right to enjoy a legal guarantee for women, the disabled and the minors. It is certain that the rights now enjoyed by the Tibetans will increase and become perfect, along with intensified economic development during the developing reform and opening up program. All these are beyond comparison with old Tibet/>/>. The 14th Dalai Lama, one of the major Living Buddhas of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, used religious objects made of skulls and leg bones taken from live persons for sutra recitation activities before 1959. It is really disgusting to see him, as the general representative of the feudal serfdom in Tibet/>/>, have the cheek to talk profusely about democracy, freedom and human rights.
4. The Dalai Lama asserted that Tibet/>/> suffered from serious environmental pollution. This is another lie created with a malicious mind to tease the West. Known as the third pole on the earth, the Tibetan Plateau is the largest and highest plateau, with unique conditions and complicated and fragile ecological environment which can hardly be restored once polluted. Keeping up a good environment while speeding up economic development has become the common goal for all to attain in the Tibet Autonomous Region. In 1990, the Environmental Protection Committee was set up in the Tibet Autonomous Region for the government to strengthen unified leadership over environmental protection. In the same year, the Central Government earmarked 3.9 million yuan to finance the establishment of the Environmental Monitoring Station of the Tibet Autonomous Region. The Monitoring Station set up three atmospheric sampling sub-stations, three river water monitoring sub-stations and 27 traffic noise monitoring sub-stations in downtown Lhasa and the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Lhasa River. Results of the monitoring work show that the density of sulfur dioxide harmful to human health in the air over Lhasa/>/> is less than 0.1 mg per cubic meter, which is lower than the state standard. No harmful nitrides have been detected in the air, whose dust content stays below 0.4 mg per cubic meter. Monitoring at the stations in Dagze County and Lhasa City, both on the upper reaches of the Lhasa River, and the estuary of the Lhasa and Yarlung Zangbo rivers reports no changes that have taken place to the acidity and basicity, hardness and chemical oxygen consumption (COC) of the water. River water has not been polluted by aluminum, zinc, bronze and other heavy metallic trace elements. Soil and river body are free from radioactive pollution resulting from human activities, and nuclear contamination as well.
The environmental protection departments have adopted a series of measures for the protection of the ecological environment. For example, a batch of large and medium-sized key projects such as the Yamzhog Yumco Pump Storage Power Station and the Norbusa Chromite Mine in Shannan are put under strict supervision and management in accordance with the law on environmental protection; the garbage dump located close to the Lhasa River was moved to another place to minimize water pollution, and polluted water treatment centers were set up. At present, the Tibet Autonomous Region has formulated the Methods for Management Over and Protection of the Environment of Construction Projects, the Regulations Concerning Management Over Environmental Hygiene in Lhasa/> City/>, the Regulations Concerning Management Over Tree and Grass Planting in Lhasa/> City/>, and the Regulations Concerning Environmental Protection in Tibet/>/>. As a result, ecological and environmental protection has gradually been put under management according to law.
The Dalai Lama shuttled between many countries to visit politicians. He talks to foreigners one way and talks to the Tibetans another. Both the "five-point plan'' and the "seven-point suggestion'' proceed from his stand for "Tibetan independence'', "disguised independence'' or "semi-independence.''
Concluding Remarks
In 1979 Deng Xiaoping told the private representative of the 14th Dalai Lama in explicit term:" The fundamental issue lies in the fact that TIbet is part of China. Whether this is correct or wrong maybe judged with standards."
On May 19, 1991, when Chinese Premier Li Peng met with China/>/>'s Xinhua News Agency reporters, he answered their questions on the Tibetan issue and reaffirmed the policy followed by the Central Government. Premier Li pointed out: "We have only one fundamental principle, which is that Tibet/> is an inalienable part of China/>/>. There is no room for bargaining at this issue. The Central Government consistently expressed willingness to contact the 14th Dalai Lama. But the 14th Dalai Lama must stop his activities geared to split the motherland, and give up his stand for `Tibetan independence.' All issues may be discussed except for `Tibetan independence'.''
CPPCC Chairman Li Ruihuan said at the third meeting of the Leading Group for Locating the reincarnated Soul Boy of the Panchen Erdeni no November 10, 1995: "The Central Government has exercised great restraint and done its very best to point out the right path for the Dalai Lama. It has, on many occasions, reiterated that so long as he recognizes Tibet as an integral part of China, completely renounces the claim for `independence of Tibet' and stops activities aimed at splitting the motherland, we shall negotiate with him and welcome him back to the motherland so that he can do something in the interest of the Tibetan people in his remaining years. This policy still holds good today.''
In meeting with correspondents with the No.2 German TV Station and the Frankfurt Daily respectively on July 13 and 14, 1996, Chinese President Jiang Zemin answered questions on the Tibetan issue. President Jiang said: "So long as the 14th Dalai Lama can recognize Tibet is an inalienable part of China, thoroughly give up his stand for `Tibetan independence,' and stop his activities to split the motherland, we will welcome him to return to the motherland to do things beneficial for the unification of the motherland and national unity and prosperity.''
There is no change with the Central Government policies expounded above.
