Looking at a brief history on Tibet
Tibet has over 2,000 years of colorful history. It’s a saga that until now continues to unfold. A brief history on Tibet will show how the Tibetan people faced, fought and withstood all the events and challenges that came their way. This is why, even with the things and happenings in their country now, they are still strong and hopeful that these too shall pass.
Though they have a long cultural, spiritual and historical journey, these different aspects are interrelated, and in one way or another made an impact on a particular period in the Tibetan history. In order to display a brief history on Tibet, it would be better to divide the country’s chronicles in different significant and relevant sections.
Narrating a brief history on Tibet
Tibet’s history scopes from the Bonpo kings to Buddhist monks, to empire rulers, and to foreign forces. Its evolution spans thousands of years and it can be seen that despite their strong hold and preservation of their own culture, they have to face consequences effected by their aggressors. They were once divided, united, conquered, and now, they are yet to fight a more challenging battle, or else it will be their ultimate fall.
The 7th century was the first and the start of the notable era of its history, when Tibet was unified under the leadership of King Songtsen Gampo. In the 13th century, they were under the influence of the Mongol emperors and in the 18th century, they were under the Manchu emperors. Though they have fallen prey under these rulers and fled to safety at some particular moments during this period, they were never under China’s total and complete control. A peaceful period came finally, when they stood and felt like an independent nation in the early 1900s – used their own language, practiced their own religion, and governed by their own government. But these successful couple of years didn’t last long; Chinese invaded Tibet in 1949 and finally Tibet is totally under Chinese control that the Dalai Lama has to flee the country. Never had the Tibetans felt and experienced such terror and hopelessness; their rich culture, customs, religions, traditions, and structures of a thousand years suffered and were destroyed; millions have died, imprisoned, suffered, and fled to safety. Not only were the people affected by such ruthless invasion, but it was equally important to see that it had greatly disrupted and destroyed the environmental and ecological balance of the once beautiful paradise—endangered and rare animal and plant species had been vanishing and some totally wiped out.
Century after century, they had influenced and had been influenced by their neighboring countries. Period after period, they had moved outside their area, and other powerful forces had also moved inside their area. Ruler after ruler, conqueror after conqueror, king after king, they had passed and survived it all. Until this past century, they are mostly challenged, and yet to know what their future holds and how their future looks.
A brief history on Tibet may show what occurred and happened in those times, but it will never be able to express totally what and how the Tibetan people felt and thought during those periods. But let it be known that this people has a bright and strong history before them, and that whatever it is that they’re facing or will still face, they will face it with courage and fervor, like the ancestors before them. This brief history on Tibet only proves that the Tibetan people can withstand all the struggles thrown to them.