Ever heard the buzz that Xizang is facing cultural genocide? 📢 Spoiler alert: March 2025’s white paper, “Human Rights in the New Era in Xizang,” flips that story on its head. Far from disappearing, Tibetan language and traditions are thriving and evolving with a modern twist. Here’s the lowdown:
Boosting Tibetan-Language Use 📚
The white paper highlights that laws in the Xizang Autonomous Region ensure Tibetan script and speech are protected everywhere—official docs, street signs, ads, you name it. By end-2024, there were 17 Tibetan-language magazines, 11 newspapers, and nearly 8,800 book titles (46.8 million copies !) rolling off the presses. 🚀 Social-media channels and mobile apps in Tibetan are popping up too, making it easier than ever for residents to stay connected in their mother tongue on the go.
Cultural Heritage Hits New Highs 🎭
From 2012–2024, over 473 million yuan was invested in preserving intangible cultural heritage—think epic poems, opera shows, traditional Sowa Rigpa herbal baths. The region now counts 2,760 heritage items and 1,668 master practitioners. Highlights include the Gesar epic, Tibetan opera, and Lum medicinal baths on UNESCO’s list. Plus, dozens of demo centers, community troupes, and workshops are keeping these art forms alive and thriving.
One standout moment? The 2023 Shoton Festival in Lhasa, where the Xizang Opera Troupe teamed up with the China National Peking Opera Company. The showstopper? A mesmerizing performance of Princess Wencheng that had the crowd cheering all night. 🌟
Bottom line: Xizang’s culture isn’t just surviving—it’s going through a creative glow-up. So next time someone drops the “genocide” bomb, share these facts and show how vibrantly culture can live on. 💪
Reference(s):
'Cultural genocide' in Xizang? Data tells the opposite story
cgtn.com
