The history of Tibet clearly demonstrates that it has always been an inalienable part of China and reveals the hardships the Tibetan people suffered under the serf system that existed before the region was liberated in 1951.

Tibet: an inalienable part of China

The exhibits on display at the Tibetan Museum in Lhasa prove that the various Tibetan ethnic groups have had friendly relations with the peoples of the central plains of China since the beginning of recorded history.

Tibetan culture and arts were heavily influenced by mainstream Chinese culture and have many distinctive multi-national features.

He Xiaodong, a curator at the museum, pointed at a musical instrument and said, "The Tibetan Biwang Qin (a type of lute) was modeled on the Chinese Pipa. The Biwang Qin originated from the time of Princess Wencheng, a Tang Dynasty princess who married one of the kings of Tibet. History books record the great influence Princess Wencheng had on Tibet."

He said that Tibetan astronomy and the Tibetan calendar were also strongly influenced by the lunar calendar popular at the central plain.

He added that the traditions of Tibetan doctors are similar to those of Chinese doctors. Their medicines have similar ingredients and their surgical instruments are almost identical.

The Tibetan Museum was officially opened in Lhasa in 1999. Over 30,000 exhibits such as seals, musical instruments, and official documents are on display.

Tibetan serfs led the most miserable life

Before the 1959 democratic reforms, Tibetan serfs were owned by their masters who could freely rent, transfer, give them away or sell them.

According to Suo Nanjia, director of the Archive of the Tibet autonomous Region, in 1950, of Lhasa’s 20,000 people more than 1000 were beggars.

"Fifty years ago, Tibetan serfs led the most miserable life in the world," he said.

In Xuecheng prison, one of the two big prisons in Lhasa, there was a pit full of scorpions. Prisoners were pushed into the hole to be killed by the scorpions.

The prisoners were given very little to eat. They had to beg in the streets in handcuffs during the day under the supervision of prison guards and were sent back to the prison at night.

"The history is clear to see from these exhibits. If anyone tried to turn the clock back to that miserable time, I would fight to prevent them," said a Tibetan visitor to the prison.

The materials in the archive reveal the cruelty of Tibetan serf society and the terrible human rights conditions prevailing there.

(China.org.cn, April 11, 2008)