Tibet's Struggle for Survival in the Modern World: Essay

Instability between religious groups was also a common issue and yet another effect of the spread of Buddhism in China, and led to the consistent repression or defense of one’s religion (Doc’s 2, 3). Though Buddhism left a large effect and influence on multiple characteristics of society, it’s most noticeable in social and political classes

For example, in Confucianism, the government is designed around a ridged hierarchy. For a Confucian society to function properly, everyone must understand their rank and act accordingly. Citizens were required to put blind faith in and pledge unwavering loyalty to their superiors and government. In the same way, in an effort to improve the overall strength of society, the Communist Party of China (CPC) ranks their interests above the interests of their citizens. Given this superior mindset, the government feels duty bound and even righteous in their punishment of journalists whose writings may endangers the party’s continuation. Recently, French journalist, Ursula Gauthier, was forced to leave China after writing an investigative piece about a Muslim region in western China. From a western perspective, this banishment seems completely unjustified as openness to new and old knowledge is celebrated as is dissent, investigation, and inquiry. But, considering the CPC’s singular focus on their notion of societal good, this decision is understandable, if not valid. In

The eighteenth-century German philosopher Johann Wolfgang van Goethe is quoted as saying: “None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free”. If Goethe, who died in the early 1800s, could have looked forward a hundred and twenty years to Mao Zedong’s Communist China, he would have doubtless seen his words ring painfully true. Mao’s dynastic rule survived on elimination of any thought deemed contrary to his own. Those who dared to speak out were dealt with swiftly and severely. Yet some people did not believe they were free, and were willing to do risk everything to subvert Mao’s manufactured culture. “The Mao Button”, “Black Walls”, and “Dogshit Food” are short stories that criticize the

The cultural revolution is a strange period in Chinese history laced with intense struggle and anguish. The cultural revolution mobilized the all of society to compete for all opposing factions that they belonged to (Ong, 2016). Mao mobilized the young people of society during a background of political turmoil, which helped Mao to mobilize the students in order to enforce his political legitimacy and ideas (Ong, 2016). Mao’s charismatic authority created his personality cult and most defiantly leant a helping hand in mobilizing the red guard movement (Ong, 2016) (Weber, 1946) (Andreas, 2007). No matter which faction of the red guard they belonged to, they all mobilized against their common enemy; the better off, upper class. (Ong, 2016). Multiple ideologies within the youth led red guard movement explain why the movement gained momentum and became incredibly powerful (Walder, 2009).

The Tibetans and the Navajo Native Americans are from different cultures. The Tibetan’s have lived intertwined with China for centuries. They tried to free themselves from China rules yet they failed. The 14th Dalai Lama fled China and found exile in India. China to this day has total control over Tibetan people. “Using all the tools of repression to deter and punish Tibetan resistance” as stated on Free Tibet. The people of Tibet are dedicated to the Dalai Lama. The monks and nuns play a vital part in the community, furthermore they are viewed as teachers and mentors. The Chinese did not want the Dalai Lama to have the followers that he had. If a person how any paraphernalia of the Dalai Lama could lead to their incarceration and or torture. The Chinese monitors and controls the religious aspects in Tibet. Consequently, the Chinese government found the devotion of the Tibetans to the Dalai Lama as a danger to their political goals. By way of contrast with the conflict with the Chinese government, the monks live a simple life. The Tibetan monks believes in the liberation of all being, personal enlightenment, compassion and nature around us.

Since the beginning of this nightmare, China’s involvement has been a significant human rights violation. First of all, China has driven the Dalai Lama out of his own country and has forced him to leave his people. To Tibetans and Buddhists, the Dalai Lama is “both a spiritual and political leader … like a cross between a Pope and a President” (Oliver, 2017). Traditionally, before the Dalai Lama dies, he must find his reincarnation, the Panchen Lama, who finds his reincarnation, the Dalai Lama, before he dies and so on. Furthermore, the Dalai Lama picked a six-year old boy to become the next Panchen Lama and then “China kidnapped [the] six-year old and no one has heard from him since” (Oliver, 2017). Not only is this horrifying truth a human rights violation, but it has also completely destroyed a long-lasting and sacred tradition. According to the current Dalai Lama, “it will be impossible for Tibetans and those who follow the Tibetan Buddhist tradition to acknowledge or accept [the next Panchen Lama] (“Reincarnation”, 2011). Currently, China has a great firewall, called the Golden Shield Project, that censors information on various items that negatively talks about China. Many people in China are protesting against these heinous acts on Tibet, even though the Golden Shield Project is preventing many from learning what is happening in Tibet (“The Great Firewall of China: Background”). China’s destruction of this peaceful religion and culture is clearly against the policies of the United Nations Humans Rights

Bob Fu conveys clearly the inexorable control that Communist leaders in China have over their people. For example, after Fu and his friends participated in the Tiananmen Square protests, Fu was coerced, day in day out, to write a confession of his purported misdeeds against China and her people as a “counterrevolutionary” (79-82, 85, 87).

“In 1949 35,00 Chinese troops invaded Tibet.”This was put into detail in an article by Hisyam Takiudin.The Chinese raped,tortured,and murdered one fifth of the Tibetan population,most in work camps and during arbitrary.As a result,47 million people in all have died during these tragic times. The brutality was so bad that the parents with children were forced to bury their children alive when they disobeyed.These crimes have lasted 49 years! Evidently,these crimes are still being committed! In Tibet today there is still no freedom of speech,religion, and arbitrary detainment still continues. As Tibetans are being slaughtered,we’re sitting here doing

Perhaps it is in human nature to turn to violence in turbulent times. We often overlook the violence that goes hand in hand with great historical change. And, as the victors write history, often the violence that acts as the cornerstone of societies are toned down and forgotten. During the Cultural Revolution in China, violence forced its way into the everyday life of the people. Everyday people— peaceful farmers, city folk— became the vehicle for immense violence in both a severe and widespread scope. This violence, while operating within the bounds of human nature, is motivated by a social requirement to prove one’s dedication to the CCP, “soldiers” who become carried away with newfound power and government encouragement, forcing ideology by brute force, retaliation, personal pride or protection, and human instinct to resort to violence; and can occur in any society.

A line of thousands of Chinese communists hiked up the mountains of Northern China. The years of struggle and harsh life they lived did not deter these fighters. Their goal was to create a better future for the common Chinese citizen by using communism; something which their leader called “a hammer which we use to crush our enemies.” He stayed true to his word. This bold and charismatic leader was at the head of a mass revolution in which China was forever changed. He led a movement which transformed China into the powerful and influential nation which they had never envisioned for themselves. This man’s name was Mao Zedong. Mao’s actions drove forward the process in which he turned both his nation and himself into world leaders.

Being born and raised in India, married in the US to my beloved who is orignially from China, and currently living and raising our two kids in China for the last several years, I have had the opportunity to observe a lot of what this book talks about in an up-close and personal way. While I am impressed by the amount of research and effort that has obviously gone into this book, I am ultimately disappointed by the author's inability to transcend his own biases and the tendency to measure everything from what may be best called a "Western" viewpoint. The author's understanding of India is clearly much superior than his familiarity with China. China is a notoriously difficult onion to peel and I'm afraid the author does not get beyond a couple

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the name of the country China? Probably, like most people you think of The Great Wall or of the Monarchs. China is so much more than a 5,500-mile long wall of brick, and families ruling for hundreds and hundreds of years. China is bursting with 9.6 million square kilometers ("Land Area.”) of delicate mountains, rivers and temperate climates. As well, China has a very storied, and treasured culture that has been enriched by many years of perseverance and the mindset to never stop improving, even in the face of hardships.

I became passionate about this issue after my time working with Tibetan refugees this summer in India. My friend and I were shocked after learning about the terrible human right violations occuring in Tibet. I had known that China occupied Tibet but I was ignorant about the extent of the abuse. My refugee partner was a named thirty-seven year old woman named Lobsang. She walked from Tibet when she was seven to McLeod Ganj the location of the Tibetan government in exile and the home of the beloved Dalai Lama. She left most of her family behind when she walked for weeks through the intense icy Himalayan mountains. She told me that more than 1.2 million Tibetans have been killed since Chinese occupation in 1950. My host mom whose family fled Tibet in the 1990s told me that Tibetan temples were burnt, their ecosystem destroyed, and that Tibet had become a nuclear weapon storage facility for the Chinese. I spoke to countless Tibetans about the fight for independence and no one asked for money or violence. I was blown away by the non-violent attitude of the people

In source 8, titled Violence Against Teachers, it is stated, "The students…forced them to kneel on the ground..." and tortured them. Mao Zedong gave the young ones the authority to rebel against higher authorities, and many decided to rebel against their teachers, who were once highly respected by many in the society. It was said that the Cultural Revolution was made to sweep all monsters away, however that doesn't seem to be the case, in fact, it's quite the opposite. During the Cultural Revolution, there was a song that was very famous in the Chinese community, it was written by a student and it stated,"... If I speak or act incorrectly,/

China came to realise that it was no longer at the centre of the world after being invaded multiple times by ‘barbarians’ from the outside who were stronger and possessed an intimidatingly sturdy culture and religion which threatened the Chinese culture and world order (Zhimin, 2005:38). China felt threatened and took to nationalism as a non-Chinese solution to the survival of China (Zhimin, 2005:38). However, “Chinese nationalism was a modern idea, seeping in from Europe. It was bolstered by the resentment of European imperialists, with their own ignorant and ruthless