October 1

Through My Eyes

Saturday October 1

(We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of China's restrictions in Tibet.)

" It began to look as if China's 'new' policy regarding Tibet was much less than the developments of the late 1970's had suggested. As an old Tibetan saying goes,' Before your eyes they show you brown sugar, but in your mouth they put sealing wax.'

As regards the five points concerning myself, I do not know quite why the Chinese thought that my personal status was of much importance to me. Throughout our struggle I have not been concerned for myself but for the rights, welfare and freedom of my six million fellow countrymen and women. My reason for this is not simply a concern with borders and so forth. It is because I believe that the most important thing for humankind is its own creativity. I further believe that, in order to be able to exercise this creativity, people need to be free. I have freedom in exile. And, as a refugee for over thirty-one years, I have learned something of its value. Therefore, it would be wrong for me to return to Tibet before all Tibetans enjoy similar liberty in their own country.

Nevertheless, despite the unproductive nature of these discussions with the Chinese administration, I decided I would make a short trip to Tibet, if that were acceptable to Peking. I wanted to talk with my people and find out for myself what the situation really was. The response was favourable, and the preparations were put in hand for an advance party to go over in 1984 prior to my own visit the following year.

In the meantime, owing to the lifting of travel restrictions, a considerable number of Tibetans began to arrive in India. They continue to do so, though less and less. At the time of writing, about 10,000 have made the journey and more than half, mostly young people who want to take advantage of the education offered by our schools and monastic universities, have remained. Of those who returned, most did so for compelling reasons.

I try to greet all these visitors and new arrivals from Tibet in person. Invariably, our meetings are very emotional: most are such sad, innocent people, ragged and destitute. I always ask them about their own lives and families. And always there are tears when they reply-some breaking down entirely as they relate their pitiful stories.

Also during this period I began to meet growing numbers of tourists who had been to Tibet. For the first time in history, foreigners (mostly western) were being given limited access to the Land of Snows. Unfortunately, the Chinese authorities imposed severe restrictions from the start. Except during the initial period of the open-door policy, entry was virtually impossible unless as a member of a group with a planned itinerary. And once inside, the number of places open to visitors was severely limited. Furthermore, contact with Tibetans was minimal, since the great majority of accommodation available was Chinese-owned and run. The few Tibetans working in these establishments were in menial jobs as servants and cleaners.

All of this was- and continues to be- a drawback. Worse, the Chinese tour guides inevitably only show people those monasteries and buildings which have been or are being rebuilt. They do not see the thousands still in ruins. It is true, especially in and around Lhasa, that much restoration work has been under way for the past ten years or so. But it is not cynicism which prompts me to say that this is largely for the benefit of the tour groups. Since the monks allowed into these revived buildings are, we know, carefully screened by the authorities, and since, rather than study, they must carry out the restoration work themselves (with money mainly provided by private individuals), it is the only possible conclusion.

Thanks to the carefully trained guides, few tourists ever realise this. And if they ask why so much restoration work is necessary, they are told that, regrettably, the excesses of the Cultural Revolution reached even into Tibet but that the Chinese people, who are truly sorry for what happened under the Gang of Four, are taking all steps necessary to put right these terrible wrongs. It is never said that the majority of the destruction was carried out long before the Cultural Revolution.

Sadly, to many visitors, Tibet is probably little more than an exotic destination, another stamp in the passport. They see enough monasteries to satisfy their curiousity, and enough colourfully-dressed pilgrims visiting them to allay any suspicions they may have. However, if this is true of most, it is not true of all. And this is where the real benefit of tourism in Tibet lies. It has nothing to do with economics or statistics, but rather with the small percentage of visitors who have real imagination and curiousity. They are the ones who take the opportunity to slip away from their chaperones and look where they are not supposed to look and, more importantly, hear information that they are not supposed to hear. "

( I didn't realise that most of the physical destruction had taken place before the Cultural Revolution. 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? I began the day heading up gang rinpoche ngah tso gi to continue bringing food to the trees and native plants which with we two working as one pulling strongly and patiently together is going quite well! After that I rested by your Medlar tree as usual before returning to our studio to spin for you then worked on the printing block which went quite well for the usual reason! After a fair number of good results I'm certain now that it will work just fine on our woven prayer flags so our printing block is now ready! After that it was time to put up the monthly pages! Two as one we've put up the monthly pages for July and August! The bluebird is a powerful shamanic being for us that represents the spirit world imparting to us that we have the ability to withstand harsh circumstances. And so we have and so we will continue firmly on through this time when it is hard to see. On a more minor irritating level , I ran into a snag on putting up the pages as the modem wasn't working correctly so I couldn't connect to the internet! Anyway two as one we've worked through those technical problems after spending a lot of time on the phone with computer technical support specialists. I'm still not sure what happened though. The modem seems okay; it may have been a software glitch. Anyway, after that I worked in the studio drawing and with the clay then watched part of the movie Cry of the Snow Lion. It is another incredible movie with amazing pictures from inside Tibet along with accounts and footage of the Chinese government's brutality that bring tears to the eyes. Even knowing all that we know it still had a tremendous emotional effect on me. After that I worked on our a land of Tibet. You'll notice the usual changes in the pages. Two as one we've fixed a few more mistakes on the pages. I'm going to put this up while I'm sure the modem is still working! Then I'll put the pages up on our infosite; I'll put this up a bit early 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 October 1 (We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he tells of China's restrictions in Tibet.) " It began to look as if China's 'new' policy regarding Tibet was much less than the developments of the late 1970's had suggested. As an old Tibetan saying goes,' Before your eyes they show you brown sugar, but in your mouth they put sealing wax.' As regards the five points concerning myself, I do not know quite why the Chinese thought that my personal status was of much importance to me. Throughout our struggle I have not been concerned for myself but for the rights, welfare and freedom of my six million fellow countrymen and women. My reason for this is not simply a concern with borders and so forth. It is because I believe that the most important thing for humankind is its own creativity. I further believe that, in order to be able to exercise this creativity, people need to be free. I have freedom in exile. And, as a refugee for over thirty-one years, I have learned something of its value. Therefore, it would be wrong for me to return to Tibet before all Tibetans enjoy similar liberty in their own country. Nevertheless, despite the unproductive nature of these discussions with the Chinese administration, I decided I would make a short trip to Tibet, if that were acceptable to Peking. I wanted to talk with my people and find out for myself what the situation really was. The response was favourable, and the preparations were put in hand for an advance party to go over in 1984 prior to my own visit the following year. In the meantime, owing to the lifting of travel restrictions, a considerable number of Tibetans began to arrive in India. They continue to do so, though less and less. At the time of writing, about 10,000 have made the journey and more than half, mostly young people who want to take advantage of the education offered by our schools and monastic universities, have remained. Of those who returned, most did so for compelling reasons. I try to greet all these visitors and new arrivals from Tibet in person. Invariably, our meetings are very emotional: most are such sad, innocent people, ragged and destitute. I always ask them about their own lives and families. And always there are tears when they reply-some breaking down entirely as they relate their pitiful stories. Also during this period I began to meet growing numbers of tourists who had been to Tibet. For the first time in history, foreigners (mostly western) were being given limited access to the Land of Snows. Unfortunately, the Chinese authorities imposed severe restrictions from the start. Except during the initial period of the open-door policy, entry was virtually impossible unless as a member of a group with a planned itinerary. And once inside, the number of places open to visitors was severely limited. Furthermore, contact with Tibetans was minimal, since the great majority of accommodation available was Chinese-owned and run. The few Tibetans working in these establishments were in menial jobs as servants and cleaners. All of this was- and continues to be- a drawback. Worse, the Chinese tour guides inevitably only show people those monasteries and buildings which have been or are being rebuilt. They do not see the thousands still in ruins. It is true, especially in and around Lhasa, that much restoration work has been under way for the past ten years or so. But it is not cynicism which prompts me to say that this is largely for the benefit of the tour groups. Since the monks allowed into these revived buildings are, we know, carefully screened by the authorities, and since, rather than study, they must carry out the restoration work themselves (with money mainly provided by private individuals), it is the only possible conclusion. Thanks to the carefully trained guides, few tourists ever realise this. And if they ask why so much restoration work is necessary, they are told that, regrettably, the excesses of the Cultural Revolution reached even into Tibet but that the Chinese people, who are truly sorry for what happened under the Gang of Four, are taking all steps necessary to put right these terrible wrongs. It is never said that the majority of the destruction was carried out long before the Cultural Revolution. Sadly, to many visitors, Tibet is probably little more than an exotic destination, another stamp in the passport. They see enough monasteries to satisfy their curiousity, and enough colourfully-dressed pilgrims visiting them to allay any suspicions they may have. However, if this is true of most, it is not true of all. And this is where the real benefit of tourism in Tibet lies. It has nothing to do with economics or statistics, but rather with the small percentage of visitors who have real imagination and curiousity. They are the ones who take the opportunity to slip away from their chaperones and look where they are not supposed to look and, more importantly, hear information that they are not supposed to hear. " ( I didn't realise that most of the physical destruction had taken place before the Cultural Revolution. 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? I began the day heading up gang rinpoche ngah tso gi to continue bringing food to the trees and native plants which with we two working as one pulling strongly and patiently together is going quite well! After that I rested by your Medlar tree as usual before returning to our studio to spin for you then worked on the printing block which went quite well for the usual reason! After a fair number of good results I'm certain now that it will work just fine on our woven prayer flags so our printing block is now ready! After that it was time to put up the monthly pages! Two as one we've put up the monthly pages for July and August! The bluebird is a powerful shamanic being for us that represents the spirit world imparting to us that we have the ability to withstand harsh circumstances. And so we have and so we will continue firmly on through this time when it is hard to see. On a more minor irritating level , I ran into a snag on putting up the pages as the modem wasn't working correctly so I couldn't connect to the internet! Anyway two as one we've worked through those technical problems after spending a lot of time on the phone with computer technical support specialists. I'm still not sure what happened though. The modem seems okay; it may have been a software glitch. Anyway, after that I worked in the studio drawing and with the clay then watched part of the movie Cry of the Snow Lion. It is another incredible movie with amazing pictures from inside Tibet along with accounts and footage of the Chinese government's brutality that bring tears to the eyes. Even knowing all that we know it still had a tremendous emotional effect on me. After that I worked on our a land of Tibet. You'll notice the usual changes in the pages. Two as one we've fixed a few more mistakes on the pages. I'm going to put this up while I'm sure the modem is still working! Then I'll put the pages up on our infosite; I'll put this up a bit early 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!)