Tibet

Tibet ( ), Xizang or Hsi-tsang is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau. It is the homeland of the Tibetans. Other ethnic groups also reside on the plateau, including Mongols, the Monpa, the Tamang, the Qiang, the Sherpa, the Lhoba, and since the 20th century, the Han and the Hui. Tibet is the highest region on Earth, with an average elevation of 4,380 m (14,000 ft). Lying within the Himalayas, the highest point in Tibet is Mount Everest – the highest peak on Earth, standing 8,848 m (29,000 ft) above sea level. The Tibetan Empire emerged in the 7th century. At its height in the 9th century, the Tibetan Empire extended far beyond the Tibetan Plateau, from the Tarim Basin and Pamirs in the west, to Yunnan and Bengal in the southeast. It then collapsed and divided into a variety of territories in the 9th century after the battle of U-Yor (Chinese:伍约之战 Tibetan:དབུ་གྱོར་བཁྲུག་པ་བྱས). Lhasa was central part of Wu Ru (Chinese:伍如 Tibetan: དབུ་རུ), the battle of U-Yor lasted for 12 years in Wu Ru and also marked the end of Wu Ru. The eastern regions of Kham and Amdo often maintained a more decentralized indigenous political structure, being divided among a number of small principalities and tribal groups, while also often falling under Chinese rule; most of this area was eventually annexed into the Chinese provinces of Sichuan and Qinghai. The current borders of Tibet were generally established in the 18th century after an imperial edict from the Emperor Kangxi was published for the Imperial Stele Inscriptions of the Pacification of Tibet in 1720 AD, and Thirteen Articles for the Settlement of Qinghai Affairs were submitted to Emperor Yongzheng in 1724. Following the Xinhai Revolution against the Qing dynasty in 1912, Qing soldiers were disarmed and escorted out of Tibet, but it was constitutionally claimed by the Republic of China as the Tibet Area. The 13th Dalai Lama declared the region's independence in 1913, although it was neither recognised by the Chinese Republican government nor any foreign power. Lhasa later took control of western Xikang as well. Following the Chinese Communist Revolution, neighboring Qinghai established the Qinghai Province People's Government in 1950, allegiant to the newly-proclaimed People's Republic of China (PRC). The Tibet region maintained its autonomy until 1951 when, following the Battle of Chamdo, it was occupied and annexed by the People's Republic of China after the 14th Dalai Lama ratified the Seventeen Point Agreement on 24 October 1951. The Tibetan government was abolished after the failure of the 1959 Tibetan uprising. Today, China governs Tibet as the Xizang Autonomous Region while the eastern Tibetan areas are now mostly autonomous prefectures within Qinghai, Gansu, Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. The Tibetan independence movement is principally led by the Tibetan diaspora. Various human rights organizations have reported restrictions on civil liberties, including limitations on religious practices, freedom of expression, and assembly, with the Chinese government maintaining strict control over information. Reports on the extent of these restrictions vary, and claims of cultural suppression, including the Sinicization of Tibet, are a subject of debate among scholars and international observers. The dominant religion in Tibet is Tibetan Buddhism; other religions include Bön, an indigenous religion similar to Tibetan Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. Tibetan Buddhism is a primary influence on the art, music, and festivals of the region. Tibetan architecture reflects Chinese and Indian influences. Staple foods in Tibet are roasted barley, yak meat, and butter tea. With the growth of tourism in recent years, the service sector has become the largest sector in Tibet, accounting for 50.1% of the local GDP in 2020. In 2024, more than 63.89 million domestic and foreign tourists visited Xizang.

Infobox

Chinese

西藏

Hanyu Pinyin

Xīzàng

Literal meaning

"Western Tsang"

Transcriptions

TranscriptionsWyliebodTibetan PinyinPoiLhasa IPA[pʰø̀ʔ]

Bopomofo

ㄒㄧㄗㄤˋ

Gwoyeu Romatzyh

Shitzanq

Wade–Giles

Hsi1-tsang4

Tongyong Pinyin

Sizàng

Yale Romanization

Sāi-johng

IPA

[sɐj˥ tsɔŋ˨]

Xiao'erjing

ثِزَانْ

Romanization

Wargi Dzang

Jyutping

sai1 zong6

Hokkien POJ

Se-chōng

Teochew Peng'im

Sai-tsăng

Fuzhou BUC

Să̤-câung

Tibetan

mw- བོད་

Wylie

bod

Tibetan Pinyin

Poi

Lhasa IPA

[pʰø̀ʔ]

Manchu script

mw- , :lang(mnc-Mong) ᠸᠠᡵᡤᡳᡩᡯᠠᠩ

Mongolian

ᠲᠢᠪᠧᠲTibyet, or Töbed