A History of Modern Tibet, 1913-1951

A History of Modern Tibet, 1913-1951
Author: Melvyn C. Goldstein
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 956
Release: 2023-11-15
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780520911765

The "Tibetan Question," the nature of Tibet's political status vis-à-vis China, has been the subject of often bitterly competing views while the facts of the issue have not been fully accessible to interested observers. While one faction has argued that Tibet was, in the main, historically independent until it was conquered by the Chinese Communists in 1951 and incorporated into the new Chinese state, the other faction views Tibet as a traditional part of China that split away at the instigation of the British after the fall of the Manchu Dynasty and was later dutifully reunited with "New China" in 1951. In contrast, this comprehensive study of modern Tibetan history presents a detailed, non-partisan account of the demise of the Lamaist state. Drawing on a wealth of British, American, and Indian diplomatic records; first-hand-historical accounts written by Tibetan participants; and extensive interviews with former Tibetan officials, monastic leaders, soldiers, and traders, Goldstein meticulously examines what happened and why. He balances the traditional focus on international relations with an innovative emphasis on the intricate web of internal affairs and events that produced the fall of Tibet. Scholars and students of Asian history will find this work an invaluable resource and interested readers will appreciate the clear explanation of highly polemicized, and often confusing, historical events. The "Tibetan Question," the nature of Tibet's political status vis-à-vis China, has been the subject of often bitterly competing views while the facts of the issue have not been fully accessible to interested observers. While one faction has argued that T

Essentials of Modern Literary Tibetan

Essentials of Modern Literary Tibetan
Author: Melvyn C. Goldstein
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 524
Release: 1991-09-06
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9780520911840

"Half of the words are read by implication." This Tibetan saying explains the main difficulty Westerners face in learning to read Tibetan fluently. This book will allow beginners to understand the logic of Tibetan grammar and syntax through graded readings and narrative explanations. The large glossary, which is indexed by page, will serve as an invaluable reference grammar for readers of Tibetan at all levels. The reading course includes a wide range of modern literary styles from literature, history, current affairs, newspapers, and even communist political essays.

A Tibetan Revolutionary

A Tibetan Revolutionary
Author: Melvyn C. Goldstein
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 400
Release: 2004
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0520249925

"These extraordinary memoirs dictated by a key figure in the history of 20th century Sino-Tibetan relations are essential reading for all interested in understanding this important subject. The founder of the Tibetan Communist Party recalls vividly his personal role in the epic struggle of the Tibetan people over tradition and modernity, and the hopes, betrayals and tragedies that have marked it. The idealism, honesty and courage that have defined his life are in full evidence in this gripping personal narrative."—John L. Holden, President, National Committee on U.S.-China Relations "This is one of the great untold stories of modern Tibet. Phüntso Wangye is a man who has never stopped fighting for his people, and the story of his life is both heartbreaking and inspiring, and essential for understanding what has happened in Tibet since the 1930s. Tibetan history has never before been as exciting to read as it is here."—John Ackerly, President, International Campaign for Tibet

The Snow Lion and the Dragon

The Snow Lion and the Dragon
Author: Melvyn C. Goldstein
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 184
Release: 1997
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780520212541

Drawing upon his deep knowledge of the Tibetan culture and people, Goldstein takes us through the history of Tibet, concentrating on the political and cultural negotiations over the status of Tibet from the turn of the century to the present. He describes the role of Tibet in Chinese politics, the feeble and conflicting responses of foreign governments, overtures and rebuffs on both sides, and the nationalistic emotions that are inextricably entwined in the political debate. Ultimately, he presents a plan for a reasoned compromise, identifying key aspects of the conflict and appealing to the United States to play an active diplomatic role.

English-Tibetan Dictionary of Modern Tibetan

English-Tibetan Dictionary of Modern Tibetan
Author: Melvyn C. Goldstein
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 514
Release: 1984
Genre: Foreign Language Study
ISBN: 0520051572

This English-Tibetan dictionary contains 16,000 main entries and subentries, a total of 45,000 lexical items. The dictionary is primarily oriented to spoken communication and was designed to be semantically sensitive, bridging the semantic gap between Tibetan and English. Tibetan terms corresponding to submeanings of English subterms are specified, and each entry in the dictionary includes both the Tibetan orthography and a phonemic notation to indicate pronunciation. Grammatical features are noted, and all examples of usage are presented with the romanization of the Tibetan and phonemic notation of the spoken forms. An introductory essay outlines the main features of Tibetan grammar. (MSE)

Modern Tibetan Literature and Social Change

Modern Tibetan Literature and Social Change
Author: Lauran R. Hartley
Publisher: Duke University Press
Total Pages: 423
Release: 2008-07-16
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 0822381435

Modern Tibetan Literature and Social Change is the first systematic and detailed overview of modern Tibetan literature, which has burgeoned only in the last thirty years. This comprehensive collection brings together fourteen pioneering scholars in the nascent field of Tibetan literary studies, including authors who are active in the Tibetan literary world itself. These scholars examine the literary output of Tibetan authors writing in Tibetan, Chinese, and English, both in Tibet and in the Tibetan diaspora. The contributors explore the circumstances that led to the development of modern Tibetan literature, its continuities and breaks with classical Tibetan literary forms, and the ways that writers use forms such as magical realism, satire, and humor to negotiate literary freedom within the People’s Republic of China. They provide crucial information about Tibetan writers’ lives in China and abroad, the social and political contexts in which they write, and the literary merits of their oeuvre. Along with deep social, cultural, and political analysis, this wealth of information clarifies the complex circumstances that Tibetan writers face in the PRC and the diaspora. The contributors consider not only poetry, short stories, and novels but also other forms of cultural production—such as literary magazines, films, and Web sites—that provide a public forum in the Tibetan areas of the PRC, where censorship and restrictions on public gatherings remain the norm. Modern Tibetan Literature and Social Change includes a previously unavailable list of modern Tibetan works translated into Western languages and a comprehensive English-language index of names, subjects, and terms. Contributors: Pema Bhum, Howard Y. F. Choy, Yangdon Dhondup, Lauran R. Hartley, Hortsang Jigme, Matthew T. Kapstein, Nancy G. Lin, Lara Maconi, Françoise Robin, Patricia Schiaffini-Vedani, Ronald D. Schwartz, Tsering Shakya, Sangye Gyatso (aka Gangzhün), Steven J. Venturino, Riika Virtanen

A History of Modern Tibet, Volume 3

A History of Modern Tibet, Volume 3
Author: Melvyn C. Goldstein
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 590
Release: 2013-12-07
Genre: History
ISBN: 0520956710

It is not possible to fully understand contemporary politics between China and the Dalai Lama without understanding what happened in the 1950’s. The third volume in Melvyn Goldstein's History of Modern Tibet series, The Calm before the Storm, examines the critical years of 1955 through 1957. During this period, the Preparatory Committee for a Tibet Autonomous Region was inaugurated in Lhasa, and a major Tibetan uprising occurred in Sichuan Province. Jenkhentsisum, a Tibetan anti-communist émigré group, emerged as an important player with secret links to Indian Intelligence, the Dalai Lama’s Lord Chamberlain, the United States, and Taiwan. And in Tibet, Fan Ming, the acting head of the CCP’s office in Lhasa, launched the "Great Expansion," which recruited many thousands of Han Cadres to Lhasa in preparation for beginning democratic reforms, only to be stopped decisively by Mao Zedong’s "Great Contraction" which sent them back to China and ended talk of reforms in Tibet for the foreseeable future. In Volume III, Goldstein draws on never-before seen Chinese government documents, published and unpublished memoirs and diaries, and invaluable in-depth interviews with important Chinese and Tibetan participants (including the Dalai Lama) to offer a new level of insight into the events and principal players of the time. Goldstein corrects factual errors and misleading stereotypes in the history, and uncovers heretofore unknown information on the period to reveal in depth a nuanced portrait of Sino-Tibetan relations that goes far beyond anything previously imagined.

The Dragon in the Land of Snows

The Dragon in the Land of Snows
Author: Tsering Shakya
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Total Pages: 630
Release: 1999
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780231118149

A history of modern Tibet, discussing the efforts of Tibetan leaders to maintain the country's independence in the face of increasing political pressures.