How I met his holiness the Dalai lama without a passport: By Woeser
source:highpeakspureearth.com [Wednesday, January 12,2011]

Seven years ago, in my essay collection “Notes on Tibet”, I wrote this about a group photo showing a father with his son quietly making their way from Lhasa to Dharamsala: “he who conveys an air of humility and modesty on both sides but embraces the centre, is the most illustrious of all devout Tibetan people, the most affectionate, eager person - the Dalai Lama.” Because of this sentence and because of a few  

Tibetan Writer Woeser bows with folded hands before the screen with khata during a video conference between his holiness the dalai lama and three Chinese intellectuals. [Highpeakspureearth]

articles that touch on the truth, the local authorities labelled my work as “containing severe political errors”, "praising the 14th Dalai Lama and 17th Karmapa, and promoting serious political and religious opinions are wrong. Some essays already to some extent contain political errors." After this, I was removed from my public position, this is when I left Lhasa.

Even earlier than that, already 16 years ago, I composed a poem implicitly conveying: “On the road, I clutch a flower not of this world, Hurrying before it dies, searching in all directions, That I may present it to an old man in a deep red robe. A wish−fulfilling jewel, A wisp of a smile: These bind the generations tight." Later on, I turned this poem into lyrics, openly saying that “old man in a deep red robe”, “is our Yeshe Norbu, our Kundun, our Gongsachog, our Gyalwa Rinpoche …” all of which are Tibetan terms of respect for the Dalai Lama.

Just like so many Tibetans, hoping to be able to see His Holiness, to respectfully listen to his teachings, to be granted an audience, this has also been my innermost wish; from a very young age, I have always longed for this moment to come true. 
His Holiness The dalai Lama during the video conference with three Chinese intellectuals and Tibetan Writer Woeser. [Highpeakspureearth]

But, I cannot get a passport, just like many other Tibetans, it is almost unthinkable that this regime that controls us will ever grant us a passport, which should, in actual fact, be a fundamental right that every citizen enjoys. Last year, Lhasa gave out passports to anyone above 60 years of age, albeit only for the period of one week. As a result the office in charge of passports was full of the grey-haired, limping elderly; and it was clear that they were all heading for the foothills of the Himalayas to visit relatives, pay homage to the holy land of Buddhism, as well as to fulfil that dream that no one speaks of but everyone knows. I am sorrowfully thinking that I may have to wait until I am 60 years old until I get hold of a passport.

However, the internet gave my passport-less self a pass to travel; in the New Year, it helped me to make my dream come true – through the internet I met, as if in a dream but still very vivid and real, His Holiness the Dalai Lama!

It all started with a video conversation in cyberspace. On January 4, 2011, His Holiness was in Dharamsala engaging in a video conversation with the two human rights lawyers, Teng Biao and Jiang Tianyong as well as the writer Wang Lixiong. And I, I was standing behind Wang Lixiong, attentively listening to every word that was spoken. When the Dalai Lama appeared on screen, I could hardly believe it, tears started streaming down my face. This miracle facilitated by the technological revolution, making it possible to overcome geographical distances and man-made barriers and building a bridge that enables the Dalai Lama to speak with Chinese intellectuals, is unquestionably of tremendous magnitude. I heard His Holiness saying to the three Han Chinese intellectuals: “it’s just as if we were together, we only can’t smell each other's breath”. At the end of the 70-minute long conversation, His Holiness asked in a concerned voice: “Can you see me clearly?” When all three of them said that they could, he light-heartedly pointed at his eyebrows and laughed: “so, did you also see my grey eyebrows?”

I cried and I cried. When I, as Tibetans do, prostrated three times, silently reciting some prayers, holding a khata in my hands and kneeling in front of the computer with tear-dimmed eyes, I saw His Holiness reaching out both of his hands as if he was going to take the Khata, as if he was going to give me his blessings. I am unable to describe with words how I felt…I am really such a fortunate person; in Tibet, many people get into trouble simply for owning a photo of the Dalai Lama.

In fact, today, many people from all over China have met with His Holiness and they have not at all lost their freedom, since we are all citizens of this country, Tibetans should also not be punished for having an audience with His Holiness.

Facing the image of me on the screen, the Dalai Lama instructed me in an earnest and tireless way: “Do not give up, keep going, it is of the utmost importance that Han Chinese intellectuals and we Tibetans always tell each other about the real situation, that we communicate with and understand each other; you have to internalise this. Over the past 60 years, the courage and faith of those of us Tibetans living in Tibet has been as strong as a rock. The international community is paying close attention to the real situation in Tibet, people from all over the world see that there is a truth in Tibet, Chinese intellectuals are increasingly aware of this, looking at it from a broad perspective, big and powerful China is in the process of transforming. Hence, you must remain confident and work even harder, do you understand?”

By then, I had already calmed down and kept the words spoken by His Holiness in my heart.

Beijing, January 5, 2011

The views expressed in this piece are that of the author and the publication of the piece on this blog does not necessarily reflect their endorsement by the blog.

2 comments:

What can we do for Tibet?

1. Organize presentations & community forums
2. Show Tibetan films documentary

3. Boycott Chinese goods

4. Organize community boycotts

5. Educate businesspersons about the importance of Boycotting Chinese goods

6. Write articles & letters for the newspapers

7. Organize interviews with the radio & TV stations

8. Organize press conferences

9. Develop & distribute flyers & posters

10. Organize benefit concerts

11. Telephone 1 person each day & talk with them about China, Tibet, & the U.S.A.

12. Give articles about Tibet to your friends, co-workers, classmates, & relatives

13. Report inaccurate maps & facts about Tibet in books to the publisher

14. Fly the Tibetan Flag at your home, business, and/or school

15. Burn white candles each evening in prominent or public places

16. Walk for Tibet's independence in your community

17. Wear a "Tibet" button

18. Put a bumper sticker on your car & give them to others

19. Set up information tables in public places

20. Write letters to government officials (U.S. & PRC) & human rights' groups. Along with other issues, demand that Gendhun Choekyi Nyima be released

21. Circulate various petitions about Tibet & Tibetans

22. Recite long life prayers for The Dalai Lama & The Panchen Lama

23. Recite prayers to remove the obstacles to restore Tibet's independence

24. Hold silent vigils to symbolize the silent voices of Tibetans in Tibet

25. Visit internet chat rooms each day & educate & discuss Tibet, the PRC, & the U.S.A.

26. Wear rangzen bracelets demonstrating your support for Tibet's independence. Share these bracelets with your relatives, co-workers, & friends

27. Each day, wear the name of a different Tibetan Political Prisoner on your clothing

28. Organize hunger strikes for Tibet

29. Ask your radio stations to play "The Yak Band" (Purchase tape from ITIM)

30. Collect Signatures for Tibet's independence. Return petitions to ITIM

31. Collect Signatures for Boycotting Chinese Products. Return petitions to ITIM

32. Host Tibetans visiting your area

33. Raise Funds to assist Tibet Support Groups

Remember: It is easy for us to do many of these activities. Tibetans inside Tibet, in contrast, could possibly be imprisoned or killed for participating in any one of these activities. Whatever you do for Tibet, please be mindful of this reality.

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