The extraordinary account of the possible extinction of a civilization. Written by a gifted Tibetan of humble origins, the first part tells the untold story of ordinary Tibetans in the twentieth century. The author experienced the old and the new Tibet before his escape to India, and writes of both with descriptive skill and admirable fairness.
In the second part, Professor Norbu clearly refutes China's claim that Tibet has been a pat of China since the seventh century AD. He shows that the tributary relationship was not only symbolic but was also characterized by ceremonialism rather than political domination, and that pre-1950 Tibet enjoyed complete and genuine freedom. In addition, he analyses recent events against the backdrop of a long a tortuous Sino-Tibetan relationship and, in the process, covers almost half a century of Tibetan history.
Beautifully written and offering a fresh, incisive look at the road ahead for Tibet in post-Deng China, this book will appeal both to the political analyst interested in the balanced views of a highly regarded Tibetan - and also to the general reader who has long been fascinated by the 'land of the snows'.
