By Yang Xi
Gelek, a native of the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze (Ganzi), is a specialist in Tibetan culture and deputy director of the China Tibetology Research Center. In a telephone interview with Xinhuanet on April 2, he explained how traditional Tibetan culture is being preserved and developed.
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Gelek has been engaged in Tibetan studies since the 1950s, focusing on the social structures of ethnic Tibetan areas as well as Tibetan literature and language.
"There is nowhere else in the world where ancient Tibetan books are so well preserved. For example, the Tripitaka is a classical Tibetan book and in the past the Tibetan government and tribal chiefs earmarked funds to print various editions of the Tripitaka for religious use, not research."
"In 1988 we began the task of comparing, editing and correcting the various Tibetan-language versions of the Tripitaka in order to bring out a definitive edition, which we expect to complete this year. The project was sponsored by the government and has been highly praised by many foreign scholars."
"The Tibetan Academy of Social Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences have twenty to thirty specialist magazines on Tibetan culture, with Tibetan, Chinese and English editions. The magazines have a large overseas readership. We publish our research in Chinese, Tibetan and English."
"Not many outsiders know Tibetan. Tibet is the only autonomous region in China in which 90 percent of the inhabitants are of native origin. In my hometown, more than 70 percent of the population is Tibetan. So traditional language and culture have been well preserved. Nobody spoke Chinese when I was growing up. Officials sent to work here had to learn Tibetan or they couldn’t do their work. The Chinese Communist Party has treated the folklore and customs of Tibetans and other minority peoples with respect since the time of the Red Army. The Red Army was once very popular among both monks and civilians in my hometown," Gelek told the reporter.
"I learnt Tibetan at primary school. After reform and opening up it was designated one of the official languages. By law, all official publications, TV programs, newspapers and even house addresses have to be translated into Tibetan. The Garze Daily began publication in the 1950s, in both Chinese and Tibetan-language editions," said Gelek.
(China.org.cn April 8, 2008)
