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[[Image:Tibet map.gif|right]]

[[Image:Tibet map.gif|right]]

'''Tibet''' is a country in a [[mountain]]ous region that was located between [[India]] and [[China]] until it was forcefully annexed by the Chinese in 1951, and the local [[Buddhist]] culture was undermined and intended to be suppressed. The [[communist]] Chinese government considers Tibet to be geographically part of China, and has made Tibet an [[Autonomous Region]]. Its capital is [[Lhasa]].

'''Tibet''' is a country in a mountainous region between [[India]] and [[China]] that was independent until it was forcefully annexed by the Chinese Communists in 1951. They suppressed [[Buddhist]] culture and moved in hundreds of thousands of ethnic Chinese. The Chinese government considers Tibet to be geographically part of China, and has made Tibet an [[Autonomous Region]]. Its capital is [[Lhasa]].

The [[spirit]]ual leader of Tibet is His Holiness the 14th [[Dalai Lama]], currently in exile in India. <ref>[http://www.dalailama.com/ The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama]</ref>

The spiritual leader of Tibet is His Holiness the 14th [[Dalai Lama]], currently in exile in India. <ref>[http://www.dalailama.com/ The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama]</ref>

Tibetan art is intrinsically bound with Tibetan [[Buddhism]].

Tibetan art is intrinsically bound with Tibetan [[Buddhism]].

''Tibet's earliest religion is Bön. Buddhism flourished in Tibet in the seventh century... With the assumption of power by the Dalai Lamas in 1642, the era of "harmonious blend of religion and politics" was established in Tibet. Monasteries, temples and hermitages were found in every village and town throughout Tibet.''  

''Tibet's earliest religion is Bön. Buddhism flourished in Tibet in the seventh century... With the assumption of power by the Dalai Lamas in 1642, the era of "harmonious blend of religion and politics" was established in Tibet. Monasteries, temples and hermitages were found in every village and town throughout Tibet.''  

''Tibet was an independent state in fact and [[law]] at the time of China's invasion. Tibetan society before the Chinese invasion was under the control of Buddhist monks headed by the Dalai Lama, a leader chosen by other monks because he was the supposed reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama. No semblence of democracy existed; total control of the country and all its assets was in the hands of the religious authorities and all Tibetans were subject to rule of these authorities. The beginnings of popular Tibetan opposition to this theocratic rule was the reason why the Dalai Lama belately, and very slowly, initiated far-reaching reforms soon after he assumed full temporal authority in the early fifties.''  

''Tibet was an independent state in fact at the time of China's invasion. Tibetan society before the Chinese invasion was under the control of Buddhist monks headed by the Dalai Lama, a leader chosen by other monks because he was the supposed reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lama. No semblence of democracy existed; total control of the country and all its assets was in the hands of the religious authorities and all Tibetans were subject to rule of these authorities. The beginnings of popular Tibetan opposition to this theocratic rule was the reason why the Dalai Lama belately, and very slowly, initiated far-reaching reforms soon after he assumed full temporal authority in the early fifties.''  

''The peace treaty concluded between Tibet and China in 821, is of particular importance in illustrating the nature of relations between these two great powers of Asia.''

''The peace treaty concluded between Tibet and China in 821, is of particular importance in illustrating the nature of relations between these two great powers of Asia.''

*[http://www.tibet.com/WhitePaper/white1.html The Status of Tibet]

*[http://www.tibet.com/WhitePaper/white1.html The Status of Tibet]

*[http://www.vot.org/index.html Tibetan News Headlines]

*[http://www.vot.org/index.html Tibetan News Headlines]

==References==

==References==