[Buddha-l] China and Tibet, again

[Erik Hoogcarspel]

Op 26-07-10 04:12, Dan Lusthaus schreef:
> Next chapter in the continuing saga, sounds familiar. From today's NYTImes:
> read the rest at
> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/world/asia/25tibet.html?hpw
>
>    
I recently visited Zhongdian, Yunnan. It has been officially renamed as 
Shangrila (or Xiangelila as the Chinese pronounce it). Although there 
are some old Tibetan monasteries in the neighborhood, the main 
population consists of minorities like Zang, Jie Bai, and others. 
Zongdian however has been remodeled to become hyper-Tibet. The place is 
full of shopkeepers who are professionally Tibetan star-artists, selling 
thighbone trumpets in silk coated gift boxes and thankas that are 
microscopically correct. The whole place is full of yak tails, dried 
yakmeat and buttertea. Half of the restaurants are vague copies of 
places in McCloud Ganj. The Chinese love it and believe themselves to 
have entered another spiritual dimension, reading James's novel 'Lost 
horizon' as a historical report. By the way, the main monastery has a 
separate puja room dedicated to Dorje Shugden with 1000 effigies of the 
bugger.

erik