The Real Situation in Tibet
Map of Tibet
The Flag of Tibet
Known as the “Land of Snows”, Tibet is an ancient civilisation with its own rich cultural and religious past. Tibet and China have a long history and for short periods of time over the last 2000 years Tibet has come under the rule of China. At other times both states were ruled by the Mongol empire. In 1949 China claimed Tibet as part of the “motherland” despite distinct differences in culture, language, identity, government, and legal status. The occupation of Tibet represents brutal repression, colonial occupation, and military domination.
“Tibet is far away,and other countries have their own fears and troubles. We can well understand that there may be a tendency to let the events in Tibet drift back into history. Yet Tibet is on this very earth; Tibetans are human; in their way they are very civilised; certainly they are sensitive to suffering. I would dare to say that no people have suffered more since the Second World War; and their sufferings have not ended, they are continuing every day, and they will continue until the Chinese leave our country, or until Tibetans have ceased to exist as a race or as a religious community.”- The Dalai Lama, My Land and My People The Key Issues
Map of Tibet
The Tibetan Flag
An Explanation of the Symbolism of the National Flag of Tibet:
- The White Mountain In the centre stands a magnificent thickly snow clad mountain, which represents the great nation of Tibet, widely known as the Land Surrounded by Snow Mountains.
- The Red and Blue Bands Across the dark blue sky six red bands spread representing the original ancestors of the Tibetan people: the six tribes called Se, Mu, Dong, Tong, Dru and Ra which in turn gave the [twelve] descendants. The combination of six red bands (for the tribes) and six dark blue bands for the sky represents the incessant enactment of the virtuous deeds of protection of the spiritual teachings and secular life by the black and red guardian protector deities with which Tibet has had connection for a very long time.
- The Sun At the tip of the snow mountain, the sun with its rays brilliantly shining in all directions represents the equal enjoyment of freedom, spiritual and material happiness and prosperity by all beings in the land of Tibet.
- The Snow Lions On the slopes of the mountain there proudly stand a pair of snow lions blazing with the manes of fearlessness, which represent the country’s victorious accomplishment of a unified spiritual and secular life.
- Three Coloured The Jewel The beautiful and radiant three coloured jewel held aloft represents the ever-present reverence respectfully held by the Tibetan people towards the Three Supreme Jewels (the Buddhist objects of refuge: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha).
- The Two Coloured Jewel The two coloured swirling jewel held between the two lions represents the peoples’ guarding and cherishing the self discipline of correct ethical behaviour, principally represented by the practices of the ten exalted virtues and the 16 humane modes of conduct.
- The Yellow Border The surrounding border of yellow adorning the perimeter represents the spread and flourishing in all directions and times of the purified gold like teachings of the Buddha.
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