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Tibetans

Tibetan Nomad in 1950.Tibetan Nomad in 1950.
Total population
between 5 and 10 million
Regions with significant populations
Tibet Autonomous Region, parts of Qinghai, Sichuan and Gansu provinces (governed by  China, claimed by  Central Tibetan Administration)  India    Nepal  Bhutan  United States  Canada
Languages
Tibetan
Religion
Predominantly Tibetan Buddhism, Bön
Related ethnic groups
Kashmir Ladakhis · Baltis · Burig Uttarakhand, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan Sherpas · Tamang · Thakali · Magar · Gurung · Bhutias · Lepchas · Bhotiya Arunachal Pradesh Sherdukpen · Monpa · Memba · Aka · Khowa · Miji Sichuan & Yunnan Qiang · Nakhi · Mosuo

The Tibetan people are indigenous to Tibet and surrounding areas stretching from Central Asia in the West to Myanmar and China Proper in the East.

The Government of Tibet in Exile claims that the number of Tibetans has fallen from 6.3 million to 5.4 million since 1959 , while the government of the People's Republic of China claims that the number of Tibetans has risen from 2.7 million to 5.4 million since 1954 . The SIL Ethnologue documents an additional 125,000 Tibetan exiles living in India, 60,000 in Nepal, and 4,000 in Bhutan.

Tibetan exile groups estimate the death toll in Tibet since the invasion of the People's Liberation Army in 1950 to be 1,200,000. On the other hand, official records provided by the Chinese government indicate a blossoming of ethnic-Tibetan population from 1.2 million in 1952, to 2.6 million by the end of 2000; much of this being supported by the improved quality of health and lifestyle of the average Tibetan since the beginning of democratic reforms under the Chinese governance resulting in an infant mortality rate of 35.3 per 1,000 in the year 2000, as compared to the 430 infant deaths per 1,000 in 1951, and an average life expectancy of 35 years in 1950's to over 65 years for the average Tibetan in the 2000's.

Physical adaptation to high altitudes

The ability of Tibetans to function normally in the oxygen-deficient atmosphere at high altitudes - frequently above 4,400 metres (14,000 ft), has often puzzled observers. Recent research shows that, although Tibetans living at high altitudes have no more oxygen in their blood than other people, they have 10 times more nitric oxide (NO) and double the forearm blood flow of low-altitude dwellers. Nitric oxide causes dilation of blood vessels allowing blood to flow more freely to the extremities and aids the release of oxygen to tissues. This may also help explain the typical rosy cheeks of high-altitude dwellers. What is not yet known is whether the high levels of nitric oxide are due to a genetic mutation or whether people from lower altitudes would gradually adapt similarly after living for prolonged periods at high altitudes.

Origins

The Han Chinese and "proto-Tibeto-Burman" may have split sometime before 4000 BC, when the Han began growing millet in the Yellow River valley while the Tibeto-Burmans remained nomads; Tibet split from Burma circa 500 . The Tibetan language is a member of the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family.

Very little is known about the origins of the Tibetan people. Some argue that Tibetans share a genetic background with Mongols, although it is clear that other main influences do exist. Some anthropologists have suggested a Central Asian or Indo-Scythian component, and others a Southeast Asian component; both are credible given Tibet's geographic location. The romantic claim that American Hopi and Tibetans are close cousins is not likely to find support in genetic studies, although strong cultural similarities may be found between the two groups. Some light has been shed on their origins, however, by one genetic study: Su, Bing, et al. (2000), in which it was indicated that Tibetan Y-chromosomes had multiple origins, one from Central Asia while the other from East Asia.

Traditional explanation

Tibetans traditionally explain their own origins as rooted in the marriage of a monkey and a mountain ogress. Tibetans who display compassion, moderation, intelligence, and wisdom are said to take after their fathers, while Tibetans who are "red-faced, fond of sinful pursuits, and very stubborn" are said to take after their mothers.

Notable features

Tibetans have a legendary ability to survive extremes of altitude and cold, an ability no doubt conditioned by the extreme environment of the Tibetan plateau. Recently, scientists have sought to isolate the cultural and genetic factors behind this adaptability . Among their findings was a gene which improves oxygen saturation in hemoglobin and the fact that Tibetan children grow faster than other children to the age of five (presumably as a defense against heat loss since larger bodies have a more favorable volume to surface ratio). The Tibet Paleolithic Project is studying the Stone Age colonization of the plateau, hoping to gain insight into human adaptability in general and the cultural strategies the Tibetans developed as they learned to survive in this harsh environment.

Religion

Most Tibetans generally observe Tibetan Buddhism and a collection of native traditions known as Bön (also absorbed into mainstream Tibetan Buddhism). The Tibetan Muslims are also known as the Kache.

Legend said that the 28th king of Tibet, Lhatotori Nyentsen, dreamed of a sacred treasure falling from heaven, which contained a Buddhist sutra, mantras, and religious objects. However, because the modern Tibetan script was not introduced to the people, no one knew what was written on the sutra upon the first look. Buddhism did not take root in Tibet until the reign of Songtsen Gampo, who married two Buddhist princesses, Brikhuti and Wencheng. It then gained popularity when Padmasambhava, widely known as Guru Rinpoche, visited Tibet at the invitation of the 38th Tibetan king, Trisong Deutson.

Today, one can see Tibetans placing Mani stones all over. Tibetan lamas, both Buddhist and Bön, play a major role in the lives of the Tibetan people, conducting religious ceremonies and taking care of the monasteries. Pilgrims plant their prayer flags onto the sacred grounds as a symbol of good luck.

The prayer wheel is a means of chanting the mantra by revolving the object several times in a clockwise direction. It is widely seen among Tibetan people. In order not to desecrate religious artifacts such as Stupas, mani stones, and Gompas, Tibetan Buddhists walk around them in a clockwise direction, although the reverse direction is true for Bön. Tibetan Buddhists chant the prayer "Om mani padme hum", while the practitioners of Bön chant "Om matri muye sale du".

Culture

Tibet boasts a rich culture. Tibetan festivals such as Losar, Shoton, Linka (festival), and the Bathing Festival are deeply rooted in indigenous religion and also contain foreign influences. Each person takes part in the Bathing Festival three times: at birth, at marriage, and at death. It is traditionally believed that people should not bathe casually, but only on the most important occasions.

Art

Tibetan art is deeply religious in nature, from the exquisitely detailed statues found in Gompas to wooden carvings and the intricate designs of the Thangka paintings. Tibetan art can be found in almost every object and every aspect of daily life.

Thangka paintings, a syncretism of Indian scroll-painting with Nepalese and Kashmiri painting, appeared in Tibet around the 8th century. Rectangular and painted on cotton or linen, they usually depict traditional motifs including religious, astrological, and theological subjects, and sometimes the Mandala. To ensure that the image will not fade, organic and mineral pigments are added, and the painting is framed in colorful silk brocades.

Drama

The Tibetan folk opera, known as Ache lhamo, which literally means "sister goddess" or "celestial sister," is a combination of dances, chants and songs. The repertoire is drawn from Buddhist stories and Tibetan history.

Tibetan opera was founded in the fourteenth century by Thangthong Gyalpo, a lama and a bridge builder. Gyalpo, and seven girls he recruited, organized the first performance to raise funds for building bridges, which would facilitate transportation in Tibet. The tradition continued uninterrupted for nearly seven hundred years, and performances are held on various festive occasions such as the Lingka and Shoton festival. The performance is usually a drama, held on a barren stage that combines dances, chants, and songs. Colorful masks are sometimes worn to identify a character, with red symbolizing a king and yellow indicating deities and lamas. The performance starts with a stage purification and blessings. A narrator then sings a summary of the story, and the performance begins. Another ritual blessing is conducted at the end of the play. There are also many historical myths/epics written by high lamas about the reincarnation of a "chosen one" who will do great things.

Architecture

The most unusual feature of Tibetan architecture is that many of the houses and monasteries are built on elevated, sunny sites facing the south. They are often made out a mixture of rocks, wood, cement and earth. Little fuel is available for heating or lighting, so flat roofs are built to conserve heat, and multiple windows are constructed to let in sunlight. Walls are usually sloped inwards at 10 degrees as a precaution against frequent earthquakes in the mountainous area. Tibetan homes and buildings are white-washed on the outside, and beautifully decorated inside.

Standing at 117 meters in height and 360 meters in width, the Potala Palace is considered the most important example of Tibetan architecture. Formerly the residence of the Dalai Lama, it contains over a thousand rooms within thirteen stories and houses portraits of the past Dalai Lamas and statues of the Buddha. It is divided between the outer White Palace, which serves as the administrative quarters, and the inner Red Quarters, which houses the assembly hall of the Lamas, chapels, 10,000 shrines, and a vast library of Buddhist scriptures.

Medicine

Tibetan medicine is one of the oldest forms in the world. It utilizes up to two thousand types of plants, forty animal species, and fifty minerals. One of the key figures in its development was the renowned eighth century physician Yutok Yonten Gonpo, who produced the Four Medical Tantras integrating material from the medical traditions of Persia, India and China. The tantras contained a total of 156 chapters in the form of Thangkas, which tell about the archaic Tibetan medicine and the essences of medicines in other places.

Yutok Yonten Gonpo's descendant, Yuthok Sarma Yonten Gonpo, further consolidated the tradition by adding eighteen medical works. One of his books includes paintings depicting the resetting of a broken bone. In addition, he compiled a set of anatomical pictures of internal organs.

Cuisine

The Cuisine of Tibet reflect the rich heritage of the country and people's adaptation to high altitude and religious culinary restricitions. The most important crop is barley. Dough made from barley flour, called tsampa, is the staple food of Tibet. This is either rolled into noodles or made into steamed dumplings called momos. Meat dishes are likely to be yak, goat, or mutton, often dried, or cooked into a spicy stew with potatoes. Mustard seed is cultivated in Tibet, and therefore features heavily in its cuisine. Yak yoghurt, butter and cheese are frequently eaten, and well-prepared yoghurt is considered something of a prestige item.

Clothing

Most Tibetans wear their hair long, although in recent times due to the Chinese influence, some men do crop their hair short. The women plait their hair into two queues, the girls into a single queue.

Because of Tibet's cold weather, the men and women wear thick long dresses (chuba's). The men wear a shorter version with pants underneath. The style of the clothing varies between regions. Nomads often wear thick sheepskin chuba's.

Marriage customs

Polyandry is practiced in some parts of Tibet, where a woman may marry her husband's brother. This is usually done to avoid division of property and provide financial security. However, monogamy is more common throughout Tibet. Marriages are sometimes arranged by the parents, if the son or daughter has not picked their own partner by a certain age.

Since the late nineteenth century, the Chinese presence in Eastern Tibet has increased, however mixed marriages between Tibetans and Chinese are still not very common.

See also

• Tibetan American
• Ladakhis
• Baltis
• Burig
• Monpa Tibetan
• Baima Tibetan
• Bhotias

Footnotes

1. Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization - Tibet
2. Source List and Detailed Death Tolls for the Twentieth Century Hemoclysm
3. Tibet
4. "Special Blood allows Tibetans to live the high life." New Scientist. 3 November 2007, p. 19.
5. "Elevated nitric oxide in blood is key to high altitude function for Tibetans."
6. "Tibetans Get Their Blood Flowing"
7. "Nitric oxide and cardiopulmonary hemodynamics in Tibetan highlanders."
8. *Su, Bing, et al. "Y chromosome haplotypes reveal prehistorical migrations to the Himalayas". Human Genetics 107, 2000: 582–590.
9. Stein, R.A. (1972). Tibetan Civilization. J.E. Stapleton Driver (trans.). Stanford University Press. pp. 28, 46.

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• Goldstein, Melvyn C., "Study of the Family structure in Tibet", Natural History, March 1987, 109-112 ( on the Internet Archive).
• Su, Bing, et al. "Y chromosome haplotypes reveal prehistorical migrations to the Himalayas". Human Genetics 107, 2000: 582–590.

External links

• Tibetan Government in Exile's Official Website
• Travel China Guide: Article on modern Tibetan people.
• Life on the Tibetan Plateau: Information on Tibetan culture and history
• Imaging Everest: Article on Tibetan people at the time of early mountaineering.
• Tibetan costume
• Preserving Tibet

• Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from July 2007
• Tibetan people