Tibetan Tongues

Hello all - I actually started this post before Matt and I left for our road trip, so it is a little dated, but wanted to post it up anyhow.

Just a quick update. Today Matt and I got our first tongue hello. We were walking back from the Tibet Museum (see below) and we passed this little older lady with a ginormous sack on her back. I smiled at her when I saw her and she gave us back the biggest toothless smile and then stuck her tongue out while still smiling. I waved at her and she kept on smiling. We were about 50 feet away from her and she was still standing on the corner, smiling at us with her tongue out. It was great.

The museum was "interesting"....They put a lot of time and money into this museum, and it shows. The exhibit halls were all very nice, good lighting equipment and displays. The text was particularly interesting and informative. So for those of you who don't know about the fascinating history, take out a piece of paper and a pencil, and prepared to get schooled by the Central Authority. Here are some snippets of the text that I scribbled down:

From the Art and Culture Room: The cultural tradition prospered down to the present in language, literature, art, medication, astronomy and calendar with more brilliant achievements under the Socialist system.

From the Jade Room: Jade seals and slips are representative objects in the collection, not only represents the Central Government's recognition of Tibetan authority, but also witnessing the effective administration and sovereignty in Tibet executed by the Chinese Central Government.

Entitled, "Tibet is Inalienable in its History": ...In 1791 the Qing government stationed an army in Tibet and from 1792-1793 the central government proclaimed the "Imperial Edicts over Administration in Tibet" which regulated the management in political, financial, military, diplomatic and religious affairs in Tibet with a view to enhance centralization. On the 23rd of May 1951 the "Agreement on Peaceful Solution of the Issue in Tibet between the Central People's Government and the local Government of Tibet" was signed in Beijing, which marked the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

From the "Tibet's Natural Resources" Room: Tibet has been an attraction of visit in its unknowns. The "no man's" land to the North of the plateau is ever more unknown. It's described as a natural treasure owing to its bright future with its particular geographical conditions and rich natural resources. Since the peaceful liberation of Tibet, particularly since the reform and opening up, by the tender care of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and by the highly concern and correct leadership of the Tibet Autonomous Region Party committee, including the help of the sister's departments, the "no man's land" in Tibet's Northern plateau has undergone remarkable change in its protection of science, and a good foundation is laid for its proper opening of natural resources.

The Exhibit Forward (right when you walk in):

Tibet - snow-clad majestically on the roof of the globe. Its celestial poise since antiquity never fails to agitate our patriotic pride.

It was on this sky-scraping tableland and with their assiduous labour and splendid wisdom that the Tibetan ancestors created the brilliant ancient civilization and left behind them a wealth of cultural legacy over history. Traversing over the space and span of Tibetan history and culture, one can't help the eruption of nostalgia and reminiscence. A probe into the remote history of Tibet, the magnitude and profoundity of its cultural tradition, the colorful variety of its artistic creations, the aesthetic appreciation of its folkloric style and customs help us to comprehend the luxuriance of foliage and deep-reaching ramifications of the grandiose tree of cultural tradition in China - evergreen and awe-inspiring!

Thanks to the cordial concern of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council and under the correct leadership of the Party Committee and the local government of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, marked success has been achieved in the construction of Tibetan economy and culture and important attention has been paid to the preservation of cultural relics. Colossal investments have been allocated to complete the building of the Tibetan Museum. And also thanks to the positive supports from all social walks of life, the collection compilation and research in cultural works, in archives and documents were smoothly streamlined. Upon the happy coincidence of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 40th annual celebration of the Democratic Reform in Tibet, the Tibetan Museum ceremoniously presents this Exhibition on the History & Culture of Tibet as a gift to the jubilee!

Entering the Exhibition, we find ourselves in an exotic holy place - history is welcoming us and we are marching into it. Across the space of history, we see the contributions made by the Tibetan people in building up the brilliant culture of the Chinese nation and in its national unification which brings us under the profound impression that the prosperity, decline, glory and humiliation of Tibet are always intimately connected to the fate of our great motherland.

Here the antique treasures unite past to the future. The lofty mountains and torrential rivers in Tibet welcome you, honourable guests!

There were signs like the ones above outside of every exhibit hall. All in all, the museum was very carefully, um, planned. The actual exhibit space was very well done, but I would go just for the writing!

So, just like Justin Timberlake when launching his solo career, now the PRC is "Justified" as well.

Okay, so I have, like, hundreds of new pictures up on my flickr site to keep you busy while I work on a new post. Later!