Scholar values Tibetan studies

By Mu Qian (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-03-09 07:24

While doing research on the history of her homeland of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Tseyang Changngopa traveled to the US, Germany, Norway, UK, France and Austria to exchange ideas with her international colleagues.

"If we study Tibetan history without paying attention to the international development of the discipline, we might end up with much repetitive research," said the 51-year-old woman professor of Tibet University, who is attending the CPPCC as a member of the All-China Women's Federation.

"When I attended the sixth Seminar of The International Association for Tibetan Studies in Norway in 1992, I was the only woman scholar from China," she said.

"Now more and more young woman scholars have joined the study. They are not only good at ancient Tibetan language, but also fluent in English." Scholar values Tibetan studies

Changngopa is now directing a project on the study of Tibetan women from historical and cultural perspectives. The project, a cooperation between Tibet University and University of Oslo in Norway, started in 2003, and Changngopa hopes to finish it this year.

The project involves 15 people, and Changngopa is writing a book on the women of Lhasa, where she was born.

One of the first scholars to study Tibetan women, Changngopa founded the Institute of Woman and Gender Studies at Tibet University in 2002. The institute has Tibetan students, Han and foreign students.

Changngopa said Tibet University has plans to build a new building for international students to accommodate the growing number of foreigners choosing to study there.

"Tibet has a broad and profound culture as well as beautiful scenery, so it's natural that more and more people come to Tibet," she said.

"I think Tibetan culture is very unique and has strong vitality, but at the same time we need to keep up with the times and learn from other cultures."

A CPPCC member, Changngopa has proposed the construction of oil pipelines in Tibet, and the right for Tibet University to confer doctoral degrees.

"After all, I'm a Tibetan scholar and hope to promote Tibet studies," she said.

(China Daily 03/09/2007 page6)