How does China rescue and protect ancient Tibetan books?

Beijing, 5 May (ZXS) -- How can China rescue and protect ancient Tibetan books?

The author, Lassenja, is a researcher and deputy director and researcher at the Institute of Religious Studies at the China Center for Tibetology

China is a unified multi-ethnic country, and in the long process of historical development, all ethnic groups have left behind a vast and vast ancient book. As the historical place of origin and development of Tibetan culture, the Tibet Autonomous Region has a rich collection of ancient Tibetan Buddhist texts. These ancient books are not only an important part of traditional Chinese culture, but also a precious cultural heritage of mankind. Over the past 70 years since Tibet's peaceful liberation, remarkable achievements have been made in the rescue and protection of ancient Tibetan books.

Where are the achievements in the rescue and protection of ancient Tibetan books?

A long-term mechanism for the census and protection of ancient books in Tibet has basically taken shape. Tibet's rich ancient books are widely distributed in thousands of monasteries and private hands in the autonomous region. The Tibet Autonomous Region has always attached great importance to the protection and inheritance of Tibetan culture. In 2009, under the impetus of the "Chinese Ancient Books Protection Program", Tibet officially launched the largest census of ancient books in ten years. In order to do a good job in the census and protection of ancient books in Tibet, the Department of Culture of the Tibet Autonomous Region established the "Tibet Autonomous Region Center for the Protection of Ancient Books" on the basis of the former Office of Ancient Books. It is reported that between 2009 and 2019, the central government and the autonomous region invested more than 1000 million yuan (RMB, the same below) to support the census and protection of ancient Tibetan documents. By 2019, Tibet had restored nearly 3000,14 pages of endangered ancient book documents, completed 2 grassroots ancient book collection units to improve conditions, and built two new ancient book protection sites.

In February 2014, Tashi Yangzong, a staff member of the Sezhao Office of the Tibet Autonomous Region Center for the Protection of Ancient Books, was in the process of importing ancient Tibetan books. Photo by Li Lin

Tibetan Buddhist texts are respected and protected. The central government and the Tibet Autonomous Region Government have always paid attention to the collection, collation, publication and research of Tibetan Buddhist classics, so that the excellent traditional culture of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet has been promoted and developed on the basis of effective protection. In 1984, the state allocated funds to build the Tibet Autonomous Region Archives, which preserved and collected a large number of precious archives, and currently has more than 300 million volumes (volumes and pieces). Support the collection, collation, translation and publication of important Tibetan classics, organize the exploration and publication of the Tibetan version of the Tripitaka, rescue and sort out the Biography of King Gesar, and publish many valuable Tibetan classics such as the "Testament of the Sages" series and the "Chinese Great Canon and Tibetan Scrolls". In recent years, through the special fund for the publication of national ethnic languages, the project funded by the State Publishing Fund, and the special financial input of the autonomous region, Tibet has successively published a series of classics and documents such as the "Snowland Library" series, "The Biography of His Holiness Bon Nyima Pengse", "Kalachakra Compilation", "Biographies of Panchen Masters of the Past Generations", and "The Collected Works of the Famous Tibetan Digger Siran Wuse".

The ancient documents of the Potala Palace have been highly valued and effectively protected. At present, Tibet has many religious temples and cultural relics such as the Potala Palace, Sakya Monastery, Jokhang Temple, Ganden Monastery, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery and Tashilhunpo Monastery, which have been listed as key cultural relics protection units of the whole country and the autonomous region. As an outstanding representative of Tibet's cultural heritage, the Potala Palace is an important part of the outstanding cultural heritage of the Chinese nation. In 2018, the state launched the Potala Palace Ancient Book Protection and Utilization Project, clarifying the project cycle of 10 years and a total investment of 3 million yuan. As of 2021, the state has issued special subsidy funds of 6845.2020 million yuan. The Potala Palace Ancient Literature (Bayeux Sutra) Protection Research Center successfully developed a Bayeux electrostatic adsorption non-destructive extraction device. In 4000, the state funded more than <> million yuan to start the Jokhang Temple cultural relics and monuments protection project.

The Tibetan Museum houses the Bayeux Sutra. Photo by Li Lin

How to seize the new opportunities for the development of the ancient book industry?

Ancient books are not only an important carrier of China's excellent traditional culture, but also an important undertaking related to continuing the Chinese cultural context, carrying forward the national spirit, enhancing the soft power of national culture, and building a socialist cultural power. In recent years, the state has made a series of major decisions and deployments in excavating, sorting and protecting ancient books, especially in 2022, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued the Opinions on Promoting the Work of Ancient Books in the New Era (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"), and the ancient book industry ushered in new development opportunities. How to seize the new opportunities for the development of ancient books is a key task at present, and it is also an important measure to further promote the development and prosperity of China's ancient books.

In October 2013, a large number of precious scattered Tibetan ancient books were discovered at the Baiga Monastery in Longzi County, Shannan City, Tibet Autonomous Region, and rescue and conservation efforts were launched. Photo courtesy of the Tibet Autonomous Region Center for the Protection of Ancient Books

First, it is necessary to deeply explore the value of Tibetan Buddhist classics in Tibet. Tibet's rich Tibetan Buddhist texts are the manifestation of the historical heritage of the Tibetan nation in real life, which carries the value orientation of the Tibetan people, embodies the precious cultural essence in the development of Tibetan culture, and has played a positive role in promoting national progress and social development in history, and still has significant epochal value today. Digging deep into the value of ancient Tibetan books and making them an important resource for forging a sense of community among the Chinese nation is the proper meaning of the protection of ancient Tibetan books in the new era.

In June 2022, the Tibet Norbulingka Tibetan Medicine Astronomical Calendar Ancient Books Utilization Project was launched, and two full-time ancient book reviewers (first from left and third from left) from the Norbulingka Management Office registered and inspected ancient books and handed them over. Photo by Zhao Lang

Second, efforts should be made to promote the digitization of Tibetan Buddhist classics in Tibet. The "Opinions" pointed out: establish and improve the national guidance and coordination mechanism for the digitization of ancient books, and coordinate the implementation of the national ancient books digitization project. Actively dock with the national cultural big data system, strengthen the circulation and collaborative management of ancient book data, and realize the aggregation and sharing of ancient book digital resources. As the historical place of origin and development of Tibetan culture, the Tibet Autonomous Region has a voluminous collection of ancient Tibetan Buddhist texts. Most of the ancient books are widely distributed in thousands of monasteries in the Tibet Autonomous Region, and even in the hands of private individuals. For example, the "Second Dunhuang" Sakya Temple, hidden on the roof of the world, is a typical example.

Sakya Temple has more than 4,20 Buddhist scriptures, including 2011 volumes of the very precious and well-preserved Bayeux Sutra. It is reported that Sakya Temple has started the digital scanning of ancient books since 20, and has completed the leaf-by-leaf scanning of <>% of the ancient books of the temple, initially forming a number database and a full-text database, and the remaining part is actively seeking funding. As an important means of regenerative protection of ancient books, Tibet should further promote the digitization of Tibetan Buddhist classics.

Sakya Temple Sutra Wall. Photo by Li Lin

Third, it is necessary to strengthen the construction of a contingent of qualified personnel for the work of ancient books in Tibet. The "Opinions" pointed out: strengthen the construction of professional institutions for the protection, collation, research and publication of ancient books, expand the scale of talents for the protection and restoration of ancient books, strengthen the strength of ancient book collation research institutions, improve the mechanism for inheriting ethnic minority ancient text talents, build an academic exchange platform for ethnic minority languages and ancient book professionals, and strengthen the construction of ancient book professional publishing teams. Improve the employment mechanism to ensure the work treatment of personnel related to the work of ancient books. Strengthen the training of ancient book talents, implement the ancient book talent training plan, set up a national ancient book talent training database, and build a training base for ancient book talents and a training platform integrating ancient book collation and study.

As the crystallization of Tibetan civilization, protecting these precious ancient Tibetan books is of great significance to continuing the Chinese context and helping national rejuvenation. At present, Tibet is relatively short of talents specializing in the protection and collation of ancient books, and the construction of talent teams should be strengthened, which is the human guarantee for the sustainable development of Tibet's ancient books. (End)

About the author:

Laxianga, Tibetan, Ph.D. in ethnology, is currently the deputy director (in charge of work) and researcher of the Institute of Religious Studies of the China Center for Tibetology. President of the Youth Tibetan Society of the China Tibetology Research Center, leader of the Youth Theory Study Group of the China Tibetology Research Center, director of the Chinese Society of Religion, director of the National Yinming Professional Committee, and invited researcher of the Qinghai Buddhist Research Center. He is the author of academic research monographs on religion and anthropology, such as "Research on the History and Culture of the Gelug Main Monastic System" and "Ethnography of Jiamu-M Village", and his research results have won the "Everest Award", the highest award for Tibetan studies in China, four times.