March 17 marked the 50th anniversary of the day the Dalai Lama was forced to flee Tibet. He has lived in exile ever since. The anniversary comes at a time when Tibet faces difficult questions about its culture and its future.
The Dalai Lama is the Buddhist spiritual leader of the region in China called Tibet. He took the throne in Tibet in 1940, at the age of 6, but did not assume control until China threatened Tibet in 1950, at the age of 15. Communist China used force to take over the region. In 1959, rumors circled that the Chinese government planned to kidnap the Dalai Lama. The Tibetan people staged an uprising, with crowds surrounding the Dalai Lama’s palace, and the Dalai Lama escaped and made his way to India. He has lived in exile ever since.
People around the world have staged protests in support of Tibet’s independence from China, but China continues to insist on its right to rule the region. In Tibet, traditional Tibetan culture has been threatened by the influence of Chinese culture. Parents must decide if they will keep their traditions alive by having their children learn the Tibetan language in school. Many fear that their children will not be able to succeed if they do not give up the Tibetan language and learn Mandarin instead.
A week before the anniversary of his escape from Tibet, the 73-year-old Dalai Lama gave a speech condemning China’s treatment of the region. He said that the Chinese have brought terrible suffering to the Tibetans, and that Tibetan culture, religion, and language are in danger of dying out completely.
Related Links
- Map of China
Map of China from the University of Texas. Tibet is the large region in the southwest corner.
(Source: The University of Texas, 2001) - Modernization Poses New Challenges for Tibetans
Tibetans face difficult choices about whether to assimilate into Chinese culture or work to preserve their own.
(Source: Reuters, March 16, 2009) - Audio Slideshow: Dalai Lama’s Flight Into Exile
A slideshow of historical photos of Tibet and the Dalai Lama. Includes historical audio recordings related to the Dalai Lama and his exile.
(Source: BBC, March 17, 2009) - Police Targeted as Tibet Prepares for 50th Anniversary of Dalai Lama’s Exile
Crowds attacked Chinese police officers as Tibet prepared to mark the anniversary of their leader’s exile.
(Source: March 9, 2009)