Page 48 - All About History - Issue 53-17

Time Traveller’s Handbook

INDEPENDENT

TIBET Tibet, early 1900s Make a shrine. From rich
nobles to poor serfs, every
Tibetan has a shrine in their
home. Nomads even set up shrines in
their tents.
he history of Tibet and the true lives of If you want to survive in this controversial
those who live there is among the most period, you’ll need to have your wits about Be prepared for all weather.
hotly contested and debated issues in you. What we do know is that Tibetans are Hemmed in between the
Tmodern history. For some, this mysterious suspicious of strangers, unified by Buddhism Himalayas and the Kunlun
land in the Himalayas is an escape from and operate their own unique culture. For mountains, the terrain is inhospitable
the world outside — untouched by modern thousands of years, the people have lived with and there is a very harsh climate, with
influences, the people there live a simple and minimal outside influence in the high plateau dramatic swings in temperature.
happy life. But others believe it is far more 4,572 metres above sea level, but now more
sinister, a land of control, serfdom and slavery, and more foreign eyes are turning on Tibet, Befriend peasants. Not only
where brutal medieval systems reign supreme especially their overbearing neighbour China, are the Dalai Lamas chosen
and the poor are abused by the few rich. as it transitions from an empire to a republic.
from the sons of peasant
families, but even the poor sons of
FIG.01 nomads are able to use the monastic
system to rise to power.

Proclaim Tibet’s
independence from China.
This is a hotly contested
subject, and claiming otherwise could
end violently.

Expect a good education.
The majority of the population
is illiterate and believe the
world is flat. There are few Tibetan
books and monasteries are the main
source of education.

Fall ill. Tibetan medicine is
well behind other countries,
S
T
O

A
Y
T
T
T
E
WHERE TO STAY with herbs mainly used for
y
Tibet has been criticised for its strict social hierarchy, which medicines. Surgery is also banned in
some call ‘feuda al’. The region is divided into estates owned traditional Tibetan medicine after a
g
by nobles, while peasants, sometimes called ‘serfs’, failed heart operation on the queen of
e p
y
are bound to th he land where they work their own Tibet in the 8th century.
plots. However, the biggest owner of land is
gg
without a doubt t the monasteries. The Bring in too many foreign
huge amount of f land owned by influences. The majority of
p
the monks has helped them the Tibetan population are
grow incredibly y wealthy and distrustful and hostile to foreigners, and
IG.02
powerful. Altho gh many y FIG very few have been able to find
oug
monks are rathe er conservative, residence in the region.
and some sourc s would
ces
o
ng
argue controlling and Commit a crime. Capital
backward, the m monasteries punishment may be outlawed,
would be by far r the most but whippings and even
comfortable pla ace to mutilation, such as eye gouging and
low
stay and will all w cutting off ears, are used as punishment
you access to so ome against lawbreakers.
es.
powerful figure
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