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| Early
History |
 The
territory of Xizang (Tibet) largely corresponds to the geological plateau of Xizang (Tibet), which consists of 2.5 million square kilometers. It is located
in the Himalayas and has little contact with the rest of the world.
At different times in history, wars were fought and treaties signed
concerning the precise location of boundaries. Xizang (Tibet) has been an inseparable part of China from time immemorial Prior
to the Common Era; the ancestors of the Tibetan people had contacts
with Han people living in the central plains of China. During the
long years leading up to the seventh century there were many tribes
scattered on the Xizang (Tibet) Plateau gradually came together to form the
Tibetan ethic group. Tubo King Songtsan Gambo unified the various
Tibetan tribes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and formed the Tubo Kingdom,
which later maintained frequent contact with the Central Government
of the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
 Songtsan
Gambo had good relations with the Tang court. The marriages of Songtsan
Gambo to Princess Wen Cheng (641) and Tride Zhotsan to Princess Jin
Cheng (710) indicated that the Tibetan and the Han nationalities had
gradually formed close political, economic and cultural ties. Xizang
(Tibet) benefited from the importation of Tang technologies, and was
influenced by the Tang culture and politics. During this time, Chinese
technologies for winemaking, grinding and paper and ink making were
introduced to Xizang (Tibet). A formal peace treaty concluded between
China and Xizang (Tibet) in the year of 821 - 823 demarcated the borders
between the two countries and ensures "Tibetans shall be happy in
Xizang (Tibet) and Chinese shall be happy in China."
Division within Xizang (Tibet) began around 842 the Tubo Kingdom broke up.
Rival groups of ministers and members of the royal family engaged
in internecine struggle. Power was reduced. This was followed by the
rise of many local warring factions in the Tibetan areas of the Qinghai-Tibet
Plateau. This state of affairs continued for more than 400 years.
When the Song Dynasty (960-1279) was founded in the Han-dominated
areas of China, some of these local Tibetan forces (Tibetan tribes
formerly subject to rule by the Tubo Kingdom) pledged allegiance to
the Song court. The relations between the Tibetans and the Han became
even closer during this period. |
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| Yuan
Dynasty |
| When the Mongolians
founded the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), a dynasty that featured unprecedented
national unity, Xizang (Tibet) was officially incorporated into the
Chinese nation. Kublai Khan, the founding emperor of the Yuan Dynasty,
granted the Sagya regime the power to administer Xizang (Tibet) under
the rule of the Yuan government, and introduced many rules and regulations
to be applied to Xizang (Tibet). The Mongolian, Han, Tibetan and various
other nationalities joined hands to form a political entity featuring
economic and cultural prosperity. |
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| Ming
Dynasty |
| The Ming Dynasty
(1368-1644) basically followed various systems introduced during the
Yuan Dynasty for rule over Xizang (Tibet). In carrying out a policy
of pacification, the Ming Dynasty granted the title "Prince of Dharma"
or "Prince" to eight government and religious leaders in the Tibetan
areas. During this period of time, the Tibetan areas and the Central
Plains maintained frequent economic and cultural exchanges; the relations
between the Tibetan race and the other nationalities in the Chinese
family developed further. |
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| Qing
Dynasty |
|
 After
the 17th century, the Manchurians unified China and founded the
Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The Qing government granted the honorary
title "Dalai Lama" to the Dalai and the honorary title "Panchen
Erdeni" to the Panchen; it also appointed local government officials,
dispatched high commissioners to Xizang (Tibet), and enacted laws concerning
the Tibetan government system and regulations for the more effective
governing of Xizang (Tibet). This helped strengthen Qing government
administration over Xizang (Tibet) and led to closer ties between
Xizang (Tibet) and the motherland.
 In
the 19th century, when the Qing entered its late period, the British
coupled its invasion of China's coastal areas with an invasion of
Xizang (Tibet). The British sowed bad blood between the Tibetan
and the Han and other nationalities. The Qing court, corrupt and
impotent as it was, adopted many domestic and foreign policies that
proved the undoing of the Qing Dynasty. The relations between the
Tibetan local government and the Central Government worsened. Nonetheless,
no change took place to the Chinese nation, the unified political
entity composed of the Han, Manchurian, Mongolian, Hui, Tibetan
and various other nationalities. Soldiers and civilians of the Han
and the Tibetan, Manchurian and Mongolian ethnic groups jointly
fought against imperialist invasions, writing a brilliant page in
the history of defending the motherland. In the late years of the
Qing and the early days of the Republic of China (1912-49), the
British left no stone unturned in their attempts to cultivate pro-British
elements in the upper echelon of the ruling class in Xizang (Tibet), and
masterminded the Simla Conference aimed at tearing Xizang (Tibet)
away from the motherland. However, all these failed to become true
in the face of a boycott staged by the patriotic forces in Xizang
(Tibet) and the resolute opposition of people throughout China.
During this period, Xizang (Tibet) maintained ties with the central
government of China. China continued to exercise sovereignty over Xizang (Tibet), as it had since the Yuan Dynasty.
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| People's
Republic of China 1949 |
| Immediately after
the communist party took power in China and formed the People's Republic
of China in 1949. Foreign imperialist and expansionist forces incited
Tibetan separatists to speed up efforts towards bringing about "Tibetan
independence" in an attempt to make impossible the liberation of Xizang
(Tibet). |
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| British
Invasion |
 "Tibetan
independence" is actually the product of the imperialist invasion
of China, with the British invaders in Xizang (Tibet) as the chief
architects. From October to November 1949, the CPC Central Committee
instructed on several occasions the Southwest and Northwest Bureaus
and the No.1 and No.2 Field Armies to take into consideration matters
related to the liberation of Xizang (Tibet). On January 2, 1950, Mao
Zedong decided that "the Southwest Bureau should assume the task of
sending troops to and managing the affairs of Xizang (Tibet). " Given
the mounting activities for "Tibetan independence" by British and
US imperialists, Mao Zedong also instructed that troops be sent to
Xizang (Tibet) "earlier rather than late." This tampered the fact
that the British invaded Xizang (Tibet) and directed these " Tibetan
independence" activities. |
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| 17-Article
Agreement |
 Proceeding
in cognizance of Tibet's history and present reality, the Central
People's Government determined a policy of peaceful liberation. On
May 23, 1951, representatives from the Central People's Government
and the local government of Xizang (Tibet) agreed on a series of issues
regarding Tibet's peaceful liberation, signing the Agreement of the
Central People's Government and the Local Government of Xizang (Tibet)
on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Xizang (Tibet) (known as
the 17-Article Agreement). The 17-Article Agreement contains two main
points. First, the central government demanded that the Tibetan local
government actively assist the People's Liberation Army as they entered
and garrisoned Xizang (Tibet), strengthen national defense and resolutely
drive imperialist forces out of Xizang (Tibet). All of Tibet's affairs
involving the outside world were to be handled by the central government
and the Tibetan army would step by step be absorbed in the People's
Liberation Army. Second, the Central People's Government would not
alter Tibet's current system o r
the Dalai Lama's inherent status and authority. The Tibetan people's
custom would be respected and their religious freedom protected. The
reform of Tibetan society would be decided after consultation with
Tibetan leaders. Regional autonomy for minority people would be instituted
in Xizang (Tibet) autonomous region. The Dalai Lama and Panchen Erdeni
separately telegraphed their acceptance of the 17-Article Agreement
to Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central People's Government, resolutely
upholding the unity of the motherland's sovereignty. Other Tibetans,
monastic and secular, and local Tibetan leaders expressed their firm
support as well. This date marks a new page in Tibetan history.
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| National
People's Congress |
Members of the Xizang (Tibet) goverment delegation (left to right) Raoxi
Puncog Zhaxi, Sangpo Toinzin Toinzhol, Kemo Soinam Wangdui,
Ngapoi Ngawang Jigmei, Tudain Dainda, Tubdain Laimoin, Jinzhong
Gyaincain, Pucog, Cewang, Napapoi Cedain Zholga, Sangdo Renqen. |
In 1954 the Dalai
and Panchen came to Beijing to participate in the first session of
the First National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China.
During this conference, the Dalai Lama was elected as Vice Chairman
of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and Panchen
Erdeni, member of the NPC Standing Committee. In 1956, the Preparatory
Committee for the Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region was founded with the Dalai
Lama as its chairman. |
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| Rebellion |
In March 1959,
the upper class in Xizang (Tibet) launched a comprehensive armed rebellion
with the aim of splitting the country, preserving the feudal serf
system opposing democratic reform. The Central People's Government
ordered the PLA in Xizang (Tibet) resolutely to quell the rebellion.
The Xizang (Tibet) upper-class reactionaries intended to make the
rebellion a large-scale struggle between the Han and Tibetans at the
beginning. But the results ran counter to their wishes. The Tibetan
people, by comparing the CPC with the old Tibetan government and having
witnessed events and considered for eight years, finally took the
side of
the CPC and the PLA. The PLA, with direct support and participation
of broad Tibetan cadres and masses, fought a typical class war aimed
to emancipate the serfs. It was a real war of the people sharing similarities
with the war led by American president Abraham Lincoln to emancipate
black slaves 100 years ago. The just nature of it is obvious. ON March
28 of the same year, Zhou Enlai, Premier of the St ate
Council of the Central People's Government, released an order dissolving
the Tibetan local government, and declaring that the functions and
authority of the Tibetan local government would be vested in the Preparatory
Committee for the Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region. At this same t
ime, the Central
People's Government, responding to the will of the Tibetan people,
implemented democratic reform and abolished the feudal serf system
in Xizang (Tibet). As a result, the million serfs and slaves in Xizang
(Tibet) stood up and came into their own, instead of being treated
as the private property or serf-owners that could be traded, transferred
or used to pay off a debt founded in September 1965.
 Norbu
Toinzhub, a deputy PLA platoon leader who won a Second-class
medal in putting down the armed rebellion. In 1961, he attended
the conference of medal winners held by the PLA Xizang (Tibet) Military
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