In the late 1990s, after living in China for 11 years, I was looking to get a degree in China. I had passed the HSK requirements that didn't force me to take Chinese. Besides, I wasn't interested in getting a BA in Chinese. A close Tibetan friend suggested I go to Tibet and study Tibetan. His family worked in the Autonomous Region's government and could help arrange it. But I didn't want to be under constant scrutiny as a white guy in Tibet would be in those days. So, he suggested Inner Mongolian, close to Beijing and not as political. Four years later, I ended up getting a BA in Mongolian Language and Literature. It was fascinating. I even spent a summer living with herders in the grasslands.
I remember my Tibetan friend explaining to me the tight historical and cultural connections between the Mongols, Tibetans, and Han comes, as I was considering learning Uygur. After four years learning about the Mongols I realized I had a better understanding of the Tibetans, too!
Later, Inner Mongolian TV invited me to take trips to different cultural areas around Inner Mongolia to create a mini-series to introduce the Mongolian culture to China. It was done in Mandarin. I understand the Tibetan perspective, and perhaps my situation is different, but there is still great value in promoting the culture and prosperity of Tibetans today for all to see in Mandarin. Doing it in Mandarin captures the largest audience. 🙏🕯️
In the late 1990s, after living in China for 11 years, I was looking to get a degree in China. I had passed the HSK requirements that didn't force me to take Chinese. Besides, I wasn't interested in getting a BA in Chinese. A close Tibetan friend suggested I go to Tibet and study Tibetan. His family worked in the Autonomous Region's government and could help arrange it. But I didn't want to be under constant scrutiny as a white guy in Tibet would be in those days. So, he suggested Inner Mongolian, close to Beijing and not as political. Four years later, I ended up getting a BA in Mongolian Language and Literature. It was fascinating. I even spent a summer living with herders in the grasslands.
I remember my Tibetan friend explaining to me the tight historical and cultural connections between the Mongols, Tibetans, and Han comes, as I was considering learning Uygur. After four years learning about the Mongols I realized I had a better understanding of the Tibetans, too!
Later, Inner Mongolian TV invited me to take trips to different cultural areas around Inner Mongolia to create a mini-series to introduce the Mongolian culture to China. It was done in Mandarin. I understand the Tibetan perspective, and perhaps my situation is different, but there is still great value in promoting the culture and prosperity of Tibetans today for all to see in Mandarin. Doing it in Mandarin captures the largest audience. 🙏🕯️