Days after I got back from Tibet, I picked up this book called 'Seven Years In Tibet'. It is an autobiography written by Heinrich Harrer in 1953, and has since been made into a full motion picture starring Brad Pitt.
Initially, it dawned on me why some mind-baffling rules exist in Tibet. For example, the ruling on the travel permit. Tibet was (and still is) a very closed up territory by choice, for the people are superstitious and somewhat xenophobic. The social structure there is also fuedalistic by nature, something like China in the past. Therefore the people were not ready to receive visitors unless permission is expressed by an authoritarian figure, usually in the form of a written permit. The places that one can stay at or travelled to, is spelled out black and white on the permit that was given. Well ... I think that practice is retained, not only for the purpose to prevent foreigners from instigating politcal dissent in the territory.
I've previously read and heard about Britain meddling in Tibetan affairs and also leading an expedition into it. But it never occured to me why would any Germans be interested to stick their fingers into the mud. 次松 once related a story to us about two German old ladies, who were guided by her. The two ladies had been to Tibet many times, and hence 次松 assumed that they already know the dos and dont's in the territory, especially in the area of political realms. However, she spotted the old ladies distributing pictures of the Dalai Lama, probably championing support for him. As 次松's responsibility, she had to stop them and consequently had an argument with them. An ugly sight in a customer service industry. At that time, I wondered why would two German old ladies would be so interested in a matter that they would have no business in. After reading the book, I realised that the writer is a German, and has even raised funds for the Tibet independence cause.
As a result, with many more realisations, that the more knowledge and backgrounds I learn, the more inadequate I feel that my understanding is. Also, scenes and feelings that I could not describe in my previous writings is very well expressed by Harrer, for example, the 'rancid smell' of the temples. It also sets me to think, if the same thing can be viewed at differently by different people, and subsequently recorded differently, would the history I know today, is only one side of the full story? Were there details or even large chunks of it is purposely untold to the world, so that political ambitions are justified?
While it might be disappointing to see that Tibet has lost much of its rustic feel, it is comforting to remember that advance is a neccessity for survival. Furthurmore, it is only with advancements, would I be able to arrive at and also enjoy the beauty of the place aptly named, The Roof of the World.
August 3rd, 2005
那时我们乘车从拉萨前往江孜，最高海拔我们到达过5330米高。天啊！雪山！生平第一次亲眼看到雪，开心到要死！打死都要下车拍照留念。我这个贱人就在那边hyper，喘到要死，头痛到要死，冷到要死也趴过去拍照。然后再回去车上，拉不想下车的人也一起下车拍照。End up 晚上的时候又头痛了。Then又摸不到雪，倒摸了雪溶化成河的水。
那时我们乘车从拉萨前往江孜，最高海拔我们到达过5330米高。天啊！雪山！生平第一次亲眼看到雪，开心到要死！打死都要下车拍照留念。我这个贱人就在那边hyper，喘到要死，头痛到要死，冷到要死也趴过去拍照。然后再回去车上，拉不想下车的人也一起下车拍照。End up 晚上的时候又头痛了。Then又摸不到雪，倒摸了雪溶化成河的水。
