Customer Reviews

The Struggle for Modern Tibet: The Autobiography of Tashi Tsering

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I finished reading this book in 3 consecutive nights. Fascinating account of a 10-year-old boy becoming a member of the Dalai Lama's personal dance troupe as a tax obligation; how the boy grew up, worked for the exiled noble Tibetan leadership, and eventually became a Red Guard--this is the first time I've learned that there are many Tibetan red guards during the Cultural Revolution, the reasons why these Tibetans try to better their old serf-noble society, and why they joined the misguided Cultural Revolution. At the end I can't help but feel utmost respect for Mr. Tsering. Even though he's made mistakes, he freely admits to them. The amount of trauma he has gone through in his life is beyond what many people can take, yet he perseveres. Now I fully support his goal: establishing schools in Tibet for the Tibetan children. Bravo, Mr. Tsering. I hope someday this life story will be made into a movie. It will be much more intelligent than 7 Years In Tibet. Instead! of a fluff story about the "dumb natives", here is one intelligent, complex Tibetan.

Finally a book that treats Tibet as a nation and a people in history and not just a land of changeless Buddhism and nomads! The book was dropped quietly from the publisher/distributor Snow Lion after initial fan-fare when it was discovered that this Tibetan author, though fervently pro-Tibet, was equally fervent against the rule of the Dge-lugspa (the Dalai Lama's sect), and he describes in detail what he had to suffer as a member of the Dalai Lama's personal dance troup. Kudos to Tashi Tsering for telling his incredible story!

Tashi Tsering was born a Tibetan peasant but realized early in life that he wanted an education and was able to attain this in India and America. As a young Tibetan patriot and idealist he went to China in the l960s believing that Communism could actually be a help to his country. Instead he spent many years of suffering and deprivation in Chinese jails and internal exile. Ultimately he was set free to open schools in Tibet. Fascinating to read, this book's broader lesson is about the interplay of power between the communists, the Tibetan peasants, and the Tibetan aristochracy (who want all power for themselves) and the Buddhist church hierarchy.

There's not "one" story about Tibet, of course. Like any other human drama, especially one which has proven so emotional for those involved, there are a thousand stories from a thousand people.

But Tashi Tsering's story is an important one. He brings voice to a perspective that has been silenced for far too long in the West. I would recommend this book strongly to anyone who feels they already "know" all there is to know about Tibet; odds are, you're wrong.

Instead of using my own words... let me quote a few paragraphs from the book:

"He responded unequivocally that his decision [to return to Tibet from the University of Washington in 1963] had nothing to do with money. Instead he saw himself as a representative of the common people who wanted to help create a new, modern Tibet. The atmosphere became somewhat tense, since the other Tibetans, who were aristocrats, hated the communists and China and were committed to freeing Tibet forom Chinese control."

...

[Many years later, after 1985, on one of Melvyn Goldstein's trips to China]

"On one of my trips, Tashi surprised me by asking if I could help him publish a book about his life. He thought foreigners needed to know about common Tibetans - that is, Tibetans who were not aristocrats or monastic prelates or incarnate lamas. He felt his story could play a useful role in assisting both Westerners and young Tibetans born in exile to understand the real - non-Shangrila - Tibet."

I always innately knew that my culture and people weren't the most democratic one. I wasn't shocked of the inequality and corruption that is clearly mentioned in Mr. Tashi Tsering la's autobiography. Some Tibetans will hate this book because it exposes our society as it is, especially the offsprings of the Aritocratic families and may be some monks. My believe is that Tashi Tsering has provided more for the people of Tibet than the officials working in the Tibetan Government-In-Exile based in Dharamsala.

Tashi Tsering represents the lay people in Tibet. This book is a must-read for the younger Tibetans to get perspective of the Tibet before the Chinese Invasion. I am by no means supporting the Chinese Invasion of Tibet which has literally almost exterminated our people and our country but Tibet before the Chinese Invasion wasn't a perfect country as it is often said to be. Please read this book if you want to stay away from many fabricated supercilious stories of Tibet.

I am a Han Chinese. This book let me know Tibet, the history, the up rising, etc. I am very impressed with the determination, the courage, the author tried to help Tibet culture, the Tibet people. I also involved to build two Chinese schools in poor, remote area of China. And now I want to continue the work to build more of it.

I think this book is rather disturbing. As a young boy Tashi Tsering joined the Dalai Lama's dance troupe where he was often beaten, and then he was chosen as a lover for an "official monk", because the monks were able to get around the issue of celibacy by not penetrating orifices, but of course, other official monks then raped the young boy. I find this despicable, and he did as well, and so tried running away a few times but was taken back and beaten. His idea, due to his experiences, was to try to help his people, not by freeing Tibet, but by other means, because he felt that the feudal system in the hands of the lamas was cruel, with the lamas gaining riches and the people being poor. In fact, the Dalai Lama left Tibet with tons of gold and silver, being carried out in truck loads, but the claim is that he is helping his people with it, if so, why does he need all of our donations? He certainly will never return to Tibet with it.

The first half of the book is really interesting, which depicts the old-Tibet from the perspective of a boy from the low social stratum. The last half is tediously wordy and uninspiring,especially the part talking about his gratitude to the Party's new policy. As some people already said in the review that his purpose of going back to Tibet under the Communist rule is not to free its people but to help the people gain knowledge so as to modernise the snowland. He suffered a lot under Mao's regime, but as Deng's policy just gave him some deserved compensation,he immediately eulogised for the greatness of the Party disregard the fact that the Tibetan people are treated as barbarous and primitive race in the Communist government, not to mention the human rights abuses there. As he reiterated, he dislikes the theocratic government. However,while the foreign occupants were destroying the Tibetan culture and depriving his people of the national identities,he chose to overlook the immediate needs of the exiled people and collaborate with the invaders. Is it really sensible? Mao did destroy the old theocratic government only to impose his autocratic regime upon the Tibetan people. Dalai Lama, due to his traditional education and training, gradually realised the problem of the Tibetan nation after his exile and is dedicated to establish a democratic government. Under such circumstances, is the price that Tsering paid to modernise the country really worthwhile? Can Tibetan people achieve their equal status as their Han counterparts and religious freedom? Can they really realise the national autonomy and elect their own leaders? The author definitely cannot give us a satisfactory answer.

This personal story is exceptional for several reasons.

1) It is unfailingly frank and honest about life in Old Tibet, and includes similarly candid observations of Tibetan officials in exile.
2) It is the astonishing and unlikely account of an illiterate peasant boy who, through sheer determination, manages to not only gain an education (by prostituting himself to a powerful patron, as was the custom in those days), but miraculously, after emigrating to India, to make connections that land him at the University of Washington, where the head of the Tibetan Studies Department helps him get a Bachelor's degree. His subsequent struggle to return to his homeland against all odds and the opposition of both his exiled compatriots and the Chinese regime is an inspiring story in overcoming obstacles and in maintaining faith in oneself and one's dreams.
3) It is a rousing epic tale of triumph over all manner of adversity through every stage of life, and of the strength and unflinching determination of a man with a vision for the betterment of his people under Chinese domination.

Readers interested in a view of Tibet that is neither Western fairy-tale nor Chinese propaganda, but the raw experience of a simple, yet extraordinary Tibetan, will find this book a gold mine of information, and a gripping read to boot. Tashi Tsering may be a controversial figure among Tibetans in exile, but in truth, he is the ultimate Tibetan patriot. He sacrificed his option for a comfortable life in India or the West, and risked his life to return to the land he loved so he could advocate for his people and bring about positive change for them. More books of this nature would enrich the field of Tibetan Studies immeasurably.

I have read quite many books and stories about Tibet: either written by the westerners and the Dalai Lama himself, or by the Chinese. I also know Tibetan history to a good extent. By far, I feel this book is the most honest insider's account of the real Tibet. Tashi escaped Tibet with Dailai Lama, but then gave up his comfortable life in America to return to his homeland trying to serve his people. Through his odyssey, you'll see a vivid Tibet and a truly noble Tibetan.

This book, unlike any other book about Tibet, has no political agenda.