| I. Tibetological Research Organizations
After the founding of New China, the Chinese Government paid great
attention to the research work of Tibetology in order to promote economic
development and social progress of Tibet and strengthen the protection
of this outstanding national cultural legacy. In the 1950s and 1960s,
specialized Tibetological research organizations were organized by scientific
research units, institutions of higher learning, and governmental organs
in Beijing, Tibet, Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu. After 1978, the state
provided more strength to replenish original Tibetological research
teams and set up a number of new research organizations. At present,
there are more than 50 research institutions of this kind.
The Tibet Academy Of Social Sciences is the largest comprehensive Tibetological
research organization in Tibet. Preparations were started in 1978 for
construction of this academy; it was formally established on August
5, 1985. At present, the academy is composed of the Institute of Nationality
Studies, Institute of Religion, Institute of Linguistics and Institute
of Documentary Information, as well as the Publishing House for Tibetan
Language Classics and Tibet Studies Press. With more than 100 scientific
research personnel, the academy has undertaken the task of approximately
100 research jobs, many of which are key projects of the state or the
autonomous region. Established originally as a Tibet Public School in
1965, the Tibet Institute for Nationalities is in Xianyang City, Shanxi
Province, is now an institution of higher learning in Tibet Autonomous
Region, which specializes mainly in liberal arts, with a staff of about
600. Over past decades, in addition to training tens of thousands of
a variety of specialized personnel at all levels for the Tibet Autonomous
Region, the Tibet Institute for Nationalities has also performed scientific
research work centred on Tibetan studies, achieving a number of research
results. Established formally in 1985 in Lhasa, Tibet University, with
a staff of more than 300, is the largest comprehensive university in
the autonomous region. Besides training all kinds of specialized personnel
for economic and cultural construction of Tibet Autonomous Region, it
has also done work in many specialized fields in Tibetlogical studies.
The Tibet Autonomous Region has also established a number of other specialized
research institutions in Tibetological studies. These include the Institute
of National Education, under the Tibet Educational, Scientific and Technological
Committee; Tibet Arts Research Institute, under the Tibet Culture Department;
Tibet Institute of Astronomic Calendar and Mathmatics, under Tibet Hospital;
Tibet Institute of Medical Science, under Tibet People's Hospital; and
the Tibet Life of King Gesar Rescue Work Office, Lhasa City Chronicle
Office, Cultural and Historical Accounts Committee, under Tibet and
Lhasa political consultative conferences, Tibet Archives and Tibet Archaeological
Team. In addition, some functionary departments under the people's government
of the autonomous region, and Tibet Institute of Agriculture and Animal
Husbandry also have specialized research institutions.
To gear itself to the needs of Tibet' s economic construction, the autonomous
region has also established the Tibet Economic and Social Development
Research Centre. The centre has several departments, including the Research
Department for Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Economy, Financial
and Monetary Research Department, Economic Information Research Department,
Economic Development Strategy Research Department and Social Development
Consultancy Research Department. The scientific research personnel are
proceeding realistically, providing counsel for quickening the pace
of construction of Tibet's socialist modernization.
Known for intensive human resources, rich reference materials and available
information, China's capital Beijing is the nation's political and cultural
centre. It also enjoys many advantageous conditions for developing Tibetology,
At the beginning of the founding of New China, specialized institutions
in Tibetological studies were established here. After forty years of
development and adjustments, there now exist: Tibetan Language Research
Section, Tibetan History Research Section, and Tibetan Serf System Research
Section of Institute of Nationality Studies under the Chinese Academy
of Social Sciences; Tibetan Literature Department and National "Gesar
Epic'' Research Leading Group of Institute of Literature of Minority
Nationalities under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Also: Research
Institute of Tibetan Studies and First Department of minority Nationality
Languages (Mongolian, Tibetan and Korean Department ) of Central Institute
for Nationalities, and Tibetan Section of Minority Nationalities Department
under the National Library Beijing and Tibetan Department of Beijing
Nationalities Library. many experts on Tibetan studies work in these
institutions, producing many influential scientific research results.
Worth particular mention is the founding of the China Tibetological
Research Centre in 1986 with the state's vigorous support. With a staff
of more than 130, the centre boasts a number of organizations, including
History and Religion Institute, Economy and Culture Institute, Literature
Institute ( including library) and China Tibetology Publishing House
( including China Tibetology Magazine Press). Since its founding, the
centre has not only undertaken some major research jobs and achieved
a number of research results, but also shouldered the work of organizing
and coordinating the nation's Tibetological studies and foreign academic
exchanges, The establishment of the China Tibetological Research Centre
is regarded as an important sign that China's Tibetological studies
have entered a new development stage. Since 1986, the state has invested
more than thirty million yuan in the construction of the China Tibetological
Research Centre. By the end of 1995, the China Tibetological Research
Centre building (with a complete range of facilities, advanced functions,
and a strong nationality flavour) will stand to the east of the Asian
Games Village on the northern outskirts of Beijing.
Since the founding of New China, especially in recent years, Tibetological
organizations have also been established in Sichuan, Qinglai, Gansu
and Yunnan where a number of Tibetans live. Of these, the more famous
include Sichuan Institute of Tibetan Studies, Sichuan Academy of Tibetan
Studies, Foreign Institute of Tibetan Studies of Foreign Languages Institute,
Section of Tibetan Studies of History Research Institute under Sichuan
Academy of Social Sciences Section of Tibetan Studies and Section of
Nationalities Studies of History Research Institute, Section of Tibetan
Studies of Institute of Nationalities Languages under Southwest China
Institute for Nationalities, History Research Institute of Sichuan University;
Others include: Institute of Tibetan Studies and Institute of Nationality
Studies under Qinghai Academy of Social Sciences, Northwest China Institute
of Nationality Studies of Northwest China Institute for Nationalities,
''Gear Epic'' Research Institute under Qinghai Federation of Literary
and Art Circles, Gansu Institute of Tibetan Studies, and Diqing Institute
of Tibetan Studies under Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences. Scientific
research personnel of these organizations have achieved a number of
important research results, and played an important role in advancing
the development of Tibetological studies in their provinces or autonomous
regions.
Besides the above-mentioned organizations, quite a few research sections,
research job groups or individuals in scientific research institutes,
institutions of higher learning and governments departments engage in
Tibetan studies. This is in striking contrast to old China before 1949,
when not even one organization in Tibetological studies existed either
in Tibetan areas or the hinterland.
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