Jesus Centeno |
Lhasa (Tibet) (EFE)
Unable to communicate in Mandarin and without the ability to broaden work horizons, his family instructed him in the artisan production of traditional Tibetan paper, which is used to capture religious scriptures, has more than 1,300 years of history and uses poisonous plants as a base to extend its conservation.
At 73, Topgyal proudly affirms that if the intangible culture of Tibet has been preserved it is thanks to the sacrifice of its residents, but adds – under the watchful eye of government officials – that the region has also received “help from above” to expand business.
“My wish now is to spread this art to the new generations,” he says after noting that his business can bill up to 450,000 yuan (62,300 dollars, 55,532 euros) a year thanks to the growing interest that Tibet generates among Chinese customers.
An official from the county cultural office intervenes in the conversation to add that the Chinese government “indeed gives bonuses” of up to 20,000 yuan (2,760 dollars) each year to those who work in this type of trade as compensation for “their efforts in the cultural preservation” of Tibet.
The visit is part of a trip organized by the Chinese government for foreign journalists – the only way to access the region, to which there is no free access for the press – under the premise of demonstrating that Tibet, the region to which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sent troops in 1951 for its “peaceful liberation”, is “prosperous” and “united”.
It is also about dodging accusations that the CCP restricts the religious and cultural freedoms of Tibetans or defending practices such as the relocation of villagers that, according to the government, have been key to saving the Tibetan grasslands and helping its residents escape poverty, although suspicion is growing among human rights organizations that believe that these are forced or that they imply the inevitable loss of their traditions.
United Nations rapporteurs have also warned that some programs, presented as volunteers, are used to “control and politically indoctrinate Tibetans”, even with the opening of training centers in which, they denounce, locals are not allowed to use their language and are encouraged not to express their religious identity.
Buddhism “adapted to a socialist society”
The majestic “roof of the world”, erected at an altitude of 4,000 meters, with its mystical and sacred aura, is, thanks to its landscapes and its culture, one of the destinations par excellence for Chinese tourists whose massive arrival, according to some experts, also entails a risk for its fragile natural ecosystem.
However, it is also a source of income for the local population: during the visit the V Tourism and Culture Exhibition of Tibet was held, in which more than a thousand merchants participated to publicize their products, from handicrafts to tourist activities, leaving agreements on 60 projects worth 7.4 billion dollars, according to official figures.
One of the jewels in the crown continues to be the Potala Palace, a symbol of Tibetan Buddhism which, after months closed due to the covid pandemic, once again welcomes tourists engrossed in their photographs and buying souvenirs while the monks pay their respects and pray on their knees.
Meanwhile, in Shannan prefecture, one of the cradles of Tibetan civilization, others choose to visit the imposing Yamdrok Lake, considered sacrosanct and to which spiritual powers are attributed.
Monks still make pilgrimages there to perform their old rituals, although in nearby towns like Tashi Quden it is the red flags and portraits of Chinese President Xi Jinping that have become everyday icons.
“Tibetan Buddhism must adapt to socialist society and develop in a Chinese context,” concluded the president in one of his last speeches in which he spoke about Tibet, a region in which the Chinese government claims to have invested billions of dollars to build roads, airports, railways, schools and hospitals, in addition to having extended life expectancy and provided new opportunities to a historically backward region.
In Tashi Quden, among Xi’s portraits, a new business is emerging: opening rural houses: “We thought that if we turned our house into a tourist home, we would double our income. But then the pandemic came,” says Labayang, who offers the overnight experience at her home for 60 yuan ($8.31) a night.
The “zero covid” policy kept the region virtually isolated from China and the world for months, causing the business to barely perform: “We hope that now everything will improve,” explains the woman while attentively offering a cup of yak butter tea, historically the basis of livelihood for Tibetan communities.
Labayang expects to make more money this year, and the numbers are already working in his favor: Tibet received more than 11 million tourists in the first five months of 2023, an increase of about 45% year-on-year, and revenue from tourism exceeded 13 billion yuan (1.81 billion dollars), 43% more than the same period in 2022, officials said.