by Liz Mckendrick

In 1910 China invaded again but withdrew four years later and between then and 1950 Tibet managed to take control of its own affairs producing its own stamps and currency as well as a flag. However in 1950 the Chinese invaded again and in 1959 the Dalai Lama, along with 100,000 Tibetans, was finally driven into exile across the border to northeast India to live in Dharamsala.

This year, 2009, marks the 50th anniversary of that epic journey. Those who remained faced the full wrath of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and between 1966 and 1976 tens of thousands of Tibetans were killed over and much of Tibet’s cultural and historical heritage being destroyed by the Chinese. In 1965 China officially dissolved the Tibetan government and created the Tibet Autonomous Region (or TAR as it is more commonly known) by splitting Tibet in two. All forms of Tibetan worship and customs were banned (even today having a picture of the Dalai Lama or mentioning his name could land you in prison).

Since the 1960’s relations between China and the Tibetan government in exile have been poor with occasional riots in Lhasa (notably in 1987 and again in 2008 just prior to the Beijing Olympic Games).

Tibet finally opened up to the world in the mid 1980’s and today much of the old Tibet is still visible. Many monasteries have been restored as has limited religious freedoms. Pilgrims and monks can be seen muttering mantras to themselves whilst swinging prayer wheels or prostrating themselves in prayer.

Today it is relatively easy for a determined traveller to get to Tibet – provided you have the correct permits and visas and travel with an official group. Flights from either China or Khatmandu will take you to Llasa as will the newly opened train link from Qinghi (in China). There are several overland routes to the capital but the most popular is along the Friendship Highway from Kathmandu.
Photographic images of the country have always commanded high prices and postcards are no exception to this.

The Postcards (from top)

5/ POTALA PALACE
The Potala Palace in Lhasa is one of the great wonders of the world. It has been the Winter Palace of the Dalai Lama since the 7th century. The building, of earth wood and stone, was not completed until the mid 1600’s and stands a massive 13 storeys high – over 117m –. It has over 1000 rooms containing 10,000 shrines. Sadly today, despite having been restored by the Chinese in 1995, its rooms are now mainly empty - a lifeless museum and a constant reminder of the Dalai Lamas exile.

6/ TIBET THE TASHI LLAMA WITH AUTOSIGNATURE

This lovely rare postcard by the Calcutta publisher D Macropolo shows Thubten Choekyi Nyima (1883-1937) the 9th Panchen Lama of Tibet with his staff (or ‘Tashi Llamma autosignature’ as is printed on the card).. The term Tashi Lama was coined by the British as the Panchen Lama is the head of the Tashilhunpo monastery in Shigatse (the second largest town in Tibet). An incarnation of the Buddha Amitabha, the Panchen Lama is second in importance only to the Dalai Lama in the ecclesiastical hierarchy of Tibet and he bears part of the responsibility for finding the next incarnation of the Dalai Lama.

The original photograph from which this postcard originates was most likely taken during the 1906 visit to Tibet by Sir Charles Alfred Bell who was the British Political Officer for Tibet at this time.

7/ TIBET KARGYU MONASTERY
The Kargyu Monastery is in the Chumbi Valley in southern Tibet. The Valley was occupied by the British for nine months following the 1904 Younghusband expedition. The monastery was also a stop over for British Missionaries on their way to Lhasa.

8/ TIBETAN TOMB
This card shows a Tibetan Tomb or Stupa. Stupas are dome-shaped religious structures originally containing the relics of the Buddha or the remains of holy men and women. They are generally seen as memorials to the dead and as markers of important Buddhist sites.

Part II of III