History UsefulNotes / Tibet

* '''The [[TakeAThirdOption third option]] view''': This view argues that while Tibet was a backwards, medieval theocracy dominated by three pan-Chinese Empires and thus sharing a certain amount of high-culture, like the Mongolians its people were quite distinct from those of most of China's various peoples and the PRC has also been an oppressive imperialist power of the kind it used to condemn so strongly. Therefore, the conflict is one of GreyAndGrayMorality.

* '''The pro-PRC view''': This view casts the Dalai Lama as a deposed third-world dictator trying to get back his personal fiefdom. It argues that, since Tibet was incorporated into two Mongol and one Chinese Empires starting 800 years ago and was only ''de facto'' independent for the century before its (re-)conquest by RedChina, it is as much part of China as Britanny is part of France or the Czech Republic is a part of Germany. It also points out that [[WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs PRC rule has brought economic development and improved Tibetan living standards]]. Of course, claims of heavy-handed repression of all dissent and destruction of Tibetan culture are generally denied - or deemed to be 'the price of modernity'.

* '''The pro-Tibet view''': The dominant view in western countries, it casts the Dalai Lama as TheObiWan and the People's Republic of China as TheEmpire. It argues that China illegally annexed an independent country, abuses human rights there, and is destroying Tibet's traditional culture.
* '''The pro-China view''': This view casts the Dalai Lama as a deposed third-world dictator trying to get back his personal fiefdom. It argues that Tibet is a traditional part of China and therefore reconquering it was justified. It also points out that [[WhatTheRomansHaveDoneForUs Chinese rule has brought modernization and improved Tibetan living standards]]. Of course, claims of human rights abuses and/or destruction of Tibetan culture are categorically denied.
* '''The [[TakeAThirdOption third option]] view''': This view argues that it is true that Tibet was a backwards, medieval theocracy, but that it's also true that China is an oppressive imperialist. Therefore, it casts the conflict as GreyAndGrayMorality.
* '''The other [[TakeAThirdOption third option]]''' is that independent Tibet was backwards and unfair and that China is oppressive and imperialist, but that new changes to Tibet's GovernmentInExile make it a more fair governing system than either China or pre-China Tibet (e.g. the Dalai Lama recommending the removal of his position as head of state).

The stereotypical setting of ShamgriLa and the subject of a popular political cause.

* ''Literature/LostHorizon'', which is the TropeNamer for ShamgriLa (it means "Shang Mountain Pass" in Tibetan).

For centuries, Tibet was a Buddhist [[TheTheocracy theocracy]] ruled by a fellow known as the Dalai Lama, whom the Tibetans believed to be the {{Reincarnation}} of the original Dalai Lama. From the era of Kublai Khan until the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Tibet was under some level of control by ImperialChina. Disagreements over how much control tend to center around what political ax the speaker wants to grind. In any case, the chaos of the Xinhai Revolution allowed Tibet to slip out of Chinese control and achieve ''de facto'' independence in 1912.

In 1950, Tenzin Gyatso became the current (and possibly last) Dalai Lama. That same year, MaoZedong decided Tibet needed to be "liberated" from "imperialist forces", even though it was essentially independent and that's sort of the opposite of imperialism. Operating on flawless commie logic, China proceeded to use imperialism to save Tibet from imaginary imperialism. For most of the 1950s, the Dalai Lama cooperated with China's new communist rulers, but he fled Tibet during a 1959 rebellion against Chinese rule. He arrived in India, where he established a GovernmentInExile and is based to this day. The Dalai Lama has since become an international celebrity and met with various world leaders. For the first twenty years of his exile, the Dalai Lama argued in favor of Tibetan independence, but he has since moderated his position to favoring greater Tibetan autonomy within China.

There is considerable debate whether there will be another Dalai Lama after the current one dies. He claims that he will not reincarnate in Tibet unless it is free. The Chinese government claims that it has the authority to select the next Dalai Lama since obviously communist officials are super good at detecting Buddhist reincarnations.

[[WMG:Tibet in popular culture]]

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Tibet_Flag_221.jpg
->This is the former flag of Tibet and is now a symbol of the Tibetan independence movement. It's BannedInChina.

* '''The other fourth opinion''' is that independent Tibet was backwards and unfair and that China is oppressive and imperialist, but that new changes to Tibet's GovernmentInExile make it a more fair governing system than either China or pre-China Tibet (e.g. the Dalai Lama recommending the removal of his position as head of state).

* Another fourth opinion is that independent Tibet was backwards and unfair and that China is oppressive and imperialist, but that new changes to Tibet's GovernmentInExile make it a more fair governing system than either China or pre-China Tibet (e.g. the Dalai Lama recommending the removal of his position as head of state).

For centuries, Tibet was a Buddhist [[TheTheocracy theocracy]] ruled by a fellow known as the Dalai Lama, whom is believed to be the {{Reincarnation}} of the original Dalai Lama. From the era of Kublai Khan until the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Tibet was under some level of control by ImperialChina. Disagreements over how much control tend to center around what political ax the speaker wants to grind. In any case, the chaos of the Xinhai Revolution allowed Tibet to slip out of Chinese control and achieve ''de facto'' independence in 1912.

* ''Film/{{2012}}'' features a Tibetan family who manages to get on one of the Arks, but an old monk decides to stay behind.

* ''{{Film/2012}}'' features a Tibetan family who manages to get on one of the Arks, but an old monk decides to stay behind.

* ''{{2012}}'' features a Tibetan family who manages to get on one of the Arks, but an old monk decides to stay behind.

->This is the former flag of Tibet and is now a symbol of the Tibetan independence movement. It's banned in China.

* 1997 saw two DuelingMovies, ''Seven Years in Tibet'' and ''Kundun'', take on the life story of the Dalai Lama. Not only were the movies BannedInChina, so were the people who worked on them (Jean-Jacques Annaud, who directed ''Seven Years in Tibet'', has since had his ban lifted).

* '''The pro-China view''': This view casts the Dalai Lama as a deposed third-world dictator trying to get back his personal fiefdom. It argues that Tibet is a traditional part of China and therefore reconquering it was justified. It also points out that Chinese rule has brought modernization and improved Tibetan living standards. Of course, claims of human rights abuses and/or destruction of Tibetan culture are categorically denied.

* '''The pro-China view''': This view casts the Dalai Lama as a deposed third-world dictator trying to get his personal fiefdom. It argues that Tibet is a traditional part of China and therefore reconquering it was justified. It also points out that Chinese rule has brought modernization and improved Tibetan living standards. Of course, claims of human rights abuses and/or destruction of Tibetan culture are categorically denied.

* '''The pro-China view''': This view casts the Dalai Lama as a deposed third-world dictator trying to get his personal fiefdom. It argues that Tibet is a traditional part of China and that the Chinese have modernized the region. Of course, claims of human rights abuses and/or destruction of Tibetan culture are categorically denied.

* '''The pro-China view''': This view is mainly espoused by Chinese propaganda, communist apologists, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and people who like being cynical]]. It argues that Tibet is a traditional part of China and therefore reconquering it was justified. It also portrays China as bringing modernization to a medieval theocracy. Of course, claims of human rights abuses and/or destruction of Tibetan culture are categorically denied.
* '''The [[TakeAThirdOption third option]] view''': This view argues that it is true that Tibet was a backwards theocracy, but that it's also true that China is an oppressive imperialist. Therefore, it casts the conflict as GreyAndGrayMorality.

* '''The pro-China view''': This view is mainly espoused by Chinese propaganda, communist apologists, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking people who like being cynical]]. It argues that Tibet is a traditional part of China and therefore reconquering it was justified. It also portrays China as bringing modernization to a medieval theocracy. Of course, claims of human rights abuses and/or destruction of Tibetan culture are categorically denied.

* '''The pro-China view''': This view is mainly espoused by Chinese propaganda and communist apologists, [[AdHominem though that doesn't necessarily mean it's without merit]]. It argues that Tibet is a traditional part of China and therefore reconquering it was justified. It also portrays China as bringing modernization to a medieval theocracy. Of course, claims of human rights abuses or the destruction of Tibetan culture are categorically denied.

->This is the former flag of Tibet, which has became a symbol of the Tibetan independence movement and is now banned in China. Currently, Tibet does not officially have an flag apart from the Chinese flag.

->This is the former flag of Tibet and is now a symbol of the Tibetan independence movement. It's banned in China.

* '''The [[TakeAThirdOption third option]] view''': This view argues that it is true that Tibet was a backwards theocracy, but that it's also true that China is an oppressive imperialist. Therefore, it casts the conflict as GreyAndGrayMorality.

For centuries, Tibet was a Buddhist theocracy ruled by a fellow known as the Dalai Lama, whom is believed to be the {{Reincarnation}} of the original Dalai Lama. From the era of Kublai Khan until the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Tibet was under some level of control by ImperialChina. Disagreements over how much control tend to center around what political ax the speaker wants to grind. In any case, the chaos of the Xinhai Revolution allowed Tibet to slip out of Chinese control and achieve ''de facto'' independence.

For centuries, Tibet was Buddhist theocracy ruled by a fellow known as the Dalai Lama, whom is believed to be the {{Reincarnation}} of the original Dalai Lama. From the era of Kublai Khan until the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Tibet was under some level of control by ImperialChina. Disagreements over how much control tend to center around what political ax the speaker wants to grind. In any case, the chaos of the Xinhai Revolution allowed Tibet to slip out of Chinese control and achieve ''de facto'' independence.