French writer: Future Tibet must be happier

2012-12-18 08:36:00 | From:

Two visits to Tibet have given the French writer Bressler a clear image showing the great changes in the region, especially China’s endeavors to improve Tibetans’ living standard.

Bressler’s first visit was in 2007 while the second happened on November 29, 2012.

Tibet is known as the “roof of the world” and “third pole”. In the novel of "Lost Horizon" written by James? Hilton, a British writer, Tibet is described as the “legendary religion holy land and the paradise on earth” which ultimately disappeared in the horizon.

On her second visit,Bressler did a comprehensive interview in the grass roots level, talking with local Tibetans.

“Great changes have taken place in Tibet. The real Tibet is a progressive society with great developments and changes,” said Bressler.

“As a French, I have read many travel books in which Tibet was described as a ‘remote’ and ‘hard to access’ place. That’s why I want to travel there in person and find its real picture.”

In 2007, Bressler made her first tour to Tibet. On the way from Lhasa to Shigatse and Tingri of Shigatse, Tibet’s second largest city, what she had seen and heard formed her initial "Tibet impression".

The second time was in 2012, during which she visited the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and the Norbu Linka Palace in Lhasa and talked with teachers and students of the Tibet University and the Second Primary School in Chengguan District of Lhasa, monks in the Plakhor Monastery.

She also interviewed with some important Tibetan cultural figures, like Norbu Sithar, the representative heritor of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage as well as the only representative heritor of Sman-sar sect, an important sect of Tibetan Thangka painting, Tsewang Dampa,a famous Tibetan medicine expert and Tibetan calligrapher Lo Dor.

During Bressler’s visit, she also paid a visit to Tibetan farmer named Paljor Lhunpo and had dinner with his family members.

“The real Tibet is a changing society. Tibetans, like many western people, also need to improve their living standard, including clean water and enough electricity supply,” said Bressler in an interview.

In her second tour to Tibet, Bressler retraced her first routes in Tibet, which made her have the opportunity to compare the changes Tibet has taken place during the past five years.

“I see Tibet changing bit by bit through the improved road construction and infrastructures in the past five years.”

“Tibet has the ability to preserve its own culture while keeping up with the high-speed economy development. That’s why Tibet could achieve a win-win situation for the balance between social development and traditional culture protection. On this point, Tibet did much better than many western countries,” said Bressler.

In Bressler’s eyes, Tibet also has its challenges, but the wisdoms Tibetan people have shown in dealing with these challenges should be the research samples for the westerners to learn.

Bressler pointed out that we could also see its wisdom from Tibetan food, Thangka and calligraphic art. It is because of the open-minded and positive thinking and altitude that people no longer believe in one-side opinions.

In the west, people pay more attention to the current happiness, while the Tibetan people not only cherish the present happy life, but also have confidence to the future.

Bressler believes that the Tibetan people have the wisdom and ability to build a well-off society, and the future of Tibet must be a happy and nice society

Bressler plans to write a travelling book to introduce what she had seen in Tibet to her readers. “The western people, whose impression toward Tibet is usually prejudiced, may only be interested in religion. I want to introduce a comprehensive Tibet to westerners, including the Tibetan philosophy, medicine, culture and so on.”

Bressler said she would introduce the present development in Tibet and life of the Tibetan people, including their hospitalities and open-minded altitude toward life.

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