May 8

Through My Eyes

Saturday May 8

(We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of his trip to Peking.)

" Then one evening, General Chiang Chin-wu, who was also present, came to my tent and explained that the going tomorrow would be even worse. We would have to dismount and walk. Therefore, in his capacity as representative of the Central People's Government, he would personally link arms and escort me along the way. As he said this, it occurred to me that the General was under the impression that not only could he exert his power over my two Prime Ministers,but he could also bully Nature.

I duly spent the next day entwined with Chiang. He was much older than me and very unfit, so it was quite a tiresome arrangement. Moreover, I was concerned that the rocks which continually crashed on to the road from above might not be able to discriminate between us in the event that the General's time had come!

Throughout the journey, each time we stopped, we did so at military outposts manned by the PLA and bedecked with red flags. Chinese soldiers would then come and offer us tea. On one occasion, I was so thirsty that I accepted some without bothering to find my own drinking vessel. After I had quenched my thirst, I noticed that the mug I was drinking from was disgustingly dirty with scraps of food and dried saliva on the sides. This rather revolted me. I remember how particular I had been as a small child, though now, whenever I think of the incident, I cannot help laughing.

After about two weeks we reached a small town called Demo, where we camped by a stream for a night. The weather was perfect and I remember being enchanted at the sight of the river banks, which were adrift with yellow buttercups and mauve-pink primulas. Ten days later we reached the Poyul region. From now on the road was motorable and the party travelled by jeep and truck. This was a great relief as I had begun to to be very sore from riding, though I was not the only one. I shall never forget the sight of one of my officials. His backside was so painful that he rode sitting diagonally across his saddle. In this way he contrived to rest first one cheek and then the other.

At this distance from Lhasa, the Chinese were in much more effective control of the country. Already the had built many barracks for their soldiers and houses for their officials. And in every town and village there were loudspeakers which played Chinese martial music and exhortations to the people to work and work harder 'for the glory of the Motherland'.

Soon, we reached Chamdo , the capital of Kham, where a large reception awaited me. Here, because the Chinese administered the place directly, the proceedings had a very curious flavour. Military bands played hymns of praise to Chairman Mao and the Revolution and Tibetans stood waving red flags.

From Chamdo, I was taken by jeep to Chengdu, the first town in the Chinese proper. On the way, we crossed the hill at a place called Dhar Tse-dho, which marks the historic border between Tibet and China. As we descended to the plains on the other side, I remarked to myself how different the countryside was. Might the Chinese people prove to be as different from my own people as their countryside was from ours?

I did not see much of Chengdu as I caught a fever on arrival and was confined to my bed for several days. As soon as I was sufficiently recovered, I and the most senior members of my entourage were taken to Shingang, where I was joined by the Panchen Lama, who had set off from Shigatse some months before. We were then flown to Xian.

The craft in which we flew was very old and even I could tell that it had seen better days. Inside, the seats were very uncomfortable steel frames without any sort of upholstery. But I was so excited at the prospect of getting airborne that I was able to overlook the obvious effects and felt no fear at all, although since then I have developed a much more cautious attitude to flying. Nowadays I don't like it much and am a poor seat companion. I much prefer saying prayers to holding conversations.

In Xian, we changed forms of transport again and completed the last leg of the journey by train. This was another wonderful experience. The carriages reserved for the Panchen Lama and myself were equipped with every facility imaginable, from beds and bathrooms to an elaborate dining car. The only thing that marred the journey for me was a growing sense of apprehension the closer we drew to the Chinese capital."

( We know where Chamdo is! I promise to add more tomorrow...)

*( please click here to read of the day with me )

* This is from the book Freedom in Exile The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth

Dalai Lama of Tibet.

( Please see my spinning for you!)

( Tahshi Deleh gentle one! Kehrahng kusu debo yinpeh? Doesn't your Medlar tree look wonderful? The spirits are glad you are comng! I've checked the mulberry tree we two as one planted last year. It's doing fine although it still hasn't leafed out yet. I began the day spraying up in the Grove and scything the trees then returned to our studio to work on your loom a bit. The spraying has become much easier now with the new method. Two as one we've completed the restringing of the wider shed roll! The loom seems to work just fine; we'll try it tomorrow. After that I returned to the hill to continue scything around the trees returning to work on our a land of Tibet. Two as one we've fixed some mistakes in last Sunday's poem. I'm going to put this up and the pages on our infosite up a bit earlier as I put up the pictures from our sacred place very late last night! I'll put this up so we can rest.

And so, as always we'll continue two as one on to tomorrow

my one gentle beautiful patient swift dream bright

long dark mane in sunlight

so for now I bid goodnight...Simjah Nahngo!)


	Through My Eyes Saturday May 8 (We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of his trip to Peking.) " Then one evening, General Chiang Chin-wu, who was also present, came to my tent and explained that the going tomorrow would be even worse. We would have to dismount and walk. Therefore, in his capacity as representative of the Central People's Government, he would personally link arms and escort me along the way. As he said this, it occurred to me that the General was under the impression that not only could he exert his power over my two Prime Ministers,but he could also bully Nature. I duly spent the next day entwined with Chiang. He was much older than me and very unfit, so it was quite a tiresome arrangement. Moreover, I was concerned that the rocks which continually crashed on to the road from above might not be able to discriminate between us in the event that the General's time had come! Throughout the journey, each time we stopped, we did so at military outposts manned by the PLA and bedecked with red flags. Chinese soldiers would then come and offer us tea. On one occasion, I was so thirsty that I accepted some without bothering to find my own drinking vessel. After I had quenched my thirst, I noticed that the mug I was drinking from was disgustingly dirty with scraps of food and dried saliva on the sides. This rather revolted me. I remember how particular I had been as a small child, though now, whenever I think of the incident, I cannot help laughing. After about two weeks we reached a small town called Demo, where we camped by a stream for a night. The weather was perfect and I remember being enchanted at the sight of the river banks, which were adrift with yellow buttercups and mauve-pink primulas. Ten days later we reached the Poyul region. From now on the road was motorable and the party travelled by jeep and truck. This was a great relief as I had begun to to be very sore from riding, though I was not the only one. I shall never forget the sight of one of my officials. His backside was so painful that he rode sitting diagonally across his saddle. In this way he contrived to rest first one cheek and then the other. At this distance from Lhasa, the Chinese were in much more effective control of the country. Already the had built many barracks for their soldiers and houses for their officials. And in every town and village there were loudspeakers which played Chinese martial music and exhortations to the people to work and work harder 'for the glory of the Motherland'. Soon, we reached Chamdo , the capital of Kham, where a large reception awaited me. Here, because the Chinese administered the place directly, the proceedings had a very curious flavour. Military bands played hymns of praise to Chairman Mao and the Revolution and Tibetans stood waving red flags. From Chamdo, I was taken by jeep to Chengdu, the first town in the Chinese proper. On the way, we crossed the hill at a place called Dhar Tse-dho, which marks the historic border between Tibet and China. As we descended to the plains on the other side, I remarked to myself how different the countryside was. Might the Chinese people prove to be as different from my own people as their countryside was from ours? I did not see much of Chengdu as I caught a fever on arrival and was confined to my bed for several days. As soon as I was sufficiently recovered, I and the most senior members of my entourage were taken to Shingang, where I was joined by the Panchen Lama, who had set off from Shigatse some months before. We were then flown to Xian. The craft in which we flew was very old and even I could tell that it had seen better days. Inside, the seats were very uncomfortable steel frames without any sort of upholstery. But I was so excited at the prospect of getting airborne that I was able to overlook the obvious effects and felt no fear at all, although since then I have developed a much more cautious attitude to flying. Nowadays I don't like it much and am a poor seat companion. I much prefer saying prayers to holding conversations. In Xian, we changed forms of transport again and completed the last leg of the journey by train. This was another wonderful experience. The carriages reserved for the Panchen Lama and myself were equipped with every facility imaginable, from beds and bathrooms to an elaborate dining car. The only thing that marred the journey for me was a growing sense of apprehension the closer we drew to the Chinese capital." ( We know where Chamdo is! I promise to add more tomorrow...) ( please click here to read of the day with me ) This is from the book Freedom in Exile The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet. ( Please see my spinning for you!) ( Tahshi Deleh gentle one! Kehrahng kusu debo yinpeh? Doesn't your Medlar tree look wonderful? The spirits are glad you are comng! I've checked the mulberry tree we two as one planted last year. It's doing fine although it still hasn't leafed out yet. I began the day spraying up in the Grove and scything the trees then returned to our studio to work on your loom a bit. The spraying has become much easier now with the new method. Two as one we've completed the restringing of the wider shed roll! The loom seems to work just fine; we'll try it tomorrow. After that I returned to the hill to continue scything around the trees returning to work on our a land of Tibet. Two as one we've fixed some mistakes in last Sunday's poem. I'm going to put this up and the pages on our infosite up a bit earlier as I put up the pictures from our sacred place very late last night! I'll put this up so we can rest. And so, as always we'll continue two as one on to tomorrow my one gentle beautiful patient swift dream bright long dark mane in sunlight so for now I bid goodnight...Simjah Nahngo!)