Tibet

• 1. Roof Of The World

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  The Tibetan Plateau rises to an average altitude of 16,000 feet above sea level. This vast highland region covers approximately 471,660 square miles across southwestern China. It sits north of the Himalayas and borders India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar. Mount Everest stands as the highest point on Earth within this territory at over 29,000 feet. The climate remains severely dry for nine months each year due to rain shadow effects from surrounding mountains. Average annual snowfall measures only a few inches in many western regions. Low temperatures prevail throughout these western areas where bleak desolation stretches endlessly without vegetation larger than low bushes. Wind sweeps unchecked across vast expanses of arid plain during winter months. Northern Tibet experiences intense cold in winter while summer brings high temperatures to the same regions.

• 2. Yarlung Dynasty Rise

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  In the 7th century King Songtsen Gampo began annexing neighboring tribes by force. He inherited his father Namri Songtsen's will after the previous ruler was murdered. Songtsen Gampo quelled rebellions in various regions including Sumpa in the west and Kangguo in Qianduo. In 642 he led a large army to attack Zhangzhung which took three years to conquer completely. Zhangzhung then became a vassal state of the expanding Tibetan Empire. His first wife was Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal who played a great role in establishing Buddhism. In 640 he married Princess Wencheng niece of Chinese Emperor Taizong of Tang China. Under subsequent kings Buddhism became established as the state religion. Tibetan power increased over large areas of Central Asia making major inroads into Chinese territory. By late 763 they reached the Tang capital Chang'an modern Xi'an though occupation lasted only fifteen days before defeat by Tang forces and Turkic Uyghur Khaganate allies. At its height between 780s and 790s the empire ruled territories stretching from Afghanistan to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan.

• 3. Imperial Fragmentation

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  Tibet continued as a Central Asian empire until mid-9th century when civil war over succession caused imperial collapse. The period following is known traditionally as Era of Fragmentation with political control divided among regional warlords and tribes. No dominant centralized authority existed during these decades. An Islamic invasion from Bengal occurred in 1206. Mongol Yuan dynasty later ruled Tibet through Bureau of Buddhist and Tibetan Affairs or Xuanzheng Yuan. One department purpose was selecting dpon-chen great administrators usually appointed by lama and confirmed by Mongol emperor in Beijing. Sakya lamas retained degree of autonomy acting as political authority while dpon-chen held administrative and military power. Mongol rule remained separate from main provinces of China but region existed under Yuan administration. If Sakya lama ever came into conflict with dpon-chen the administrator had authority to send Chinese troops into region. This created diarchic structure under Yuan emperor with power primarily favoring Mongols. Mongolian prince Khuden gained temporal power in Tibet during 1240s sponsoring Sakya Pandita whose seat became capital of Tibet. Drogön Chögyal Phagpa nephew of Sakya Pandita became Imperial Preceptor of Kublai Khan founder of Yuan dynasty.

• 4. Buddhist Dominance

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  Tibetan Buddhism developed distinctive forms of Mahayana and Vajrayana introduced from Sanskrit Buddhist tradition of northern India. Gelug school also known as Yellow Hats founded in 14th to 15th centuries by Je Tsongkhapa based on Kadampa tradition foundations. Successive Dalai Lamas ruled Tibet from mid-17th to mid-20th centuries. The 5th Dalai Lama unified Tibetan heartland under Gelug control after defeating rival Kagyu and Jonang sects plus secular ruler Tsangpa prince in prolonged civil war. His efforts succeeded partly due to aid from Güshi Khan Oirat leader of Khoshut Khanate. With Güshi Khan as largely uninvolved overlord the 5th Dalai Lama established civil administration called Ganden Phodrang or Lhasa state. In 1578 Altan Khan of Tümed Mongols gave Sonam Gyatso high lama of Gelugpa school name Dalai Lama translating Gyatso meaning Ocean. During Cultural Revolution nearly all Tibet's monasteries were ransacked and destroyed by Red Guards. A few monasteries began rebuilding since 1980s with limited support from Chinese government. Before 1950s between 10 and 20 percent of males in Tibet were monks.

• 5. Modern Infrastructure

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  Qingzang railway linking Tibet Autonomous Region to Qinghai Province opened in 2006 though construction remained controversial. On the 15th of January 2009 China announced building Tibet's first expressway Lhasa Airport Expressway stretching across southwestern Lhasa. Project cost reached 1.55 billion yuan equaling US$227 million. From January 18-20, 2010 national conference on Tibet held in China announcing plan to improve development areas attended by General Secretary Hu Jintao and Politburo Standing Committee members including Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang. Plan called for improving rural Tibetan income to national standards by 2020 plus free education for all rural children. China invested 310 billion yuan approximately 45.6 billion U.S. dollars in Tibet since 2001. In January 2007 Chinese government issued report outlining discovery large mineral deposit under plateau estimated value $128 billion potentially doubling Chinese reserves zinc copper lead. Forty percent rural cash income derived from harvesting fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis contributing at least 1.8 billion yuan US$225 million to region GDP. Tourism became increasingly important sector actively promoted by authorities bringing most income from handicraft sales including hats jewelry wooden items clothing quilts fabrics rugs carpets.

• 6. Demographic Shifts

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  According to 2010 Chinese census ethnic Tibetans comprise 90% of total population three million in Tibet Autonomous Region. Central Tibetan Administration of Dalai Lama accuses China of swamping Tibet with migrants altering demographic makeup. Other traditional ethnic groups include Bai people Blang Bonan Dongxiang Han Hui Lhoba Lisu Miao Mongols Monguor Menba Mosuo Nakhi Qiang Nu Pumi Salar Yi. Historically population consisted primarily ethnic Tibetans and some other groups. Traditional ancestors represented six red bands in Tibetan flag: Se Mu Dong Tong Dru Ra. Forty percent rural cash income derives from harvesting fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis. Most investment goes paying migrant workers who do not settle in Tibet sending much income home to other provinces. The proportion non-Tibetan population remains disputed between competing claims about migration patterns and settlement policies.