![\"Zhang](\"http:\/\/cimg2.163.com\/catchpic\/D\/D5\/D50D7AE659E3732F84AABDED14627952.jpg\" "\\"Zhang")
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Having learned any number of things about Tibet recently<\/a> I thought I would learn some more, and thankfully the new Modern China (34.2) arrived with an interesting article by Daphon David Ho “The Men Who Would Not Be Amban and the One who Would: Four Frontline Officials and Qing Tibet Policy, 1905-1911” The article looks at the New Policies period attempts of the Qing court to establish control over Tibet, at the same time that the British were trying to do the same thing. In 1905 most Tibetans did not see themselves as citizens of a modern Chinese nation, or of a modern Tibetan nation, or as subjects of the British Empire and various people wanted to resolve this problem<\/p>\n Ho agrees with much of existing scholarship that one of the main events that split off Tibetan identity from Chinese identity was the brutality of the Chinese occupation of Lhasa in 1910, where Chinese behavior was, according to one Tibetan “worse than dogs and wild beasts.” Ho is mostly interested in showing how this mess was created by rivalries among Qing officials, but he also shows that there was at least the possibility that Tibet might have become China. The best hope for this came in the person of Zhang Yingtang<\/a>, who served briefly as the Qing high commissioner for Tibet 1906-1907. Zhang promoted a peaceful version of Chinese-Tibetan reconciliation, and if you go to Lhasa today1<\/a><\/sup> you will be shown Zhang Daren flowers<\/a>, a symbol of the Tibetan people’s love for China.<\/p>\n As Ho points out, Zhang is a lot more interesting than modern Chinese propaganda makes him. He had been minister to the U.S., Mexico and Peru, and was very much a part of attempts to construct a new Chinese nation, and while in Tibet he tried to create a Tibet that was part of this new China.<\/p>\n In April 1907, [Zhang] published a treatise, “Improving Tibetan All of this is fairly typical Confucian nagging that could have just as well been directed at the Miao in 1740. Zhang goes on to urge a new level of militarism in Tibetan society.<\/p>\n 1. When a boy turns eighteen, he should learn martial arts and the use of the 2. The Mauser is an essential piece of equipment for protecting yourselves later he said that<\/p>\n Today, the world is one of guns and cannons. There is no right This emphasis on arming the people would have seemed a bit radical in China proper, although the militarism itself was pretty standard New Policies stuff. Unfortunately for Zhang, if he had managed to militarize Tibetan society to the extent he wanted my guess is this would have led to more conflict with the Han rather than a single Han-Tibetan culture.<\/p>\n
\nCustoms” (Banfa Zang su gailiang), in both Tibetan and Chinese. Zhang’s
\nplan can best be described as a peculiar blend of Confucian moral virtues,
\nmodern hygiene, and military spirit. He began by admonishing Tibetans
\nabout polyandry and sexual promiscuity, fretting about everything from
\nextramarital affairs to siblings, nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, and even in-
\nlaws sleeping in the same bed (QDZY: 1355-56). Zhang continued with a list
\nof recommendations that included bathing regularly, trimming down the
\nlength of clothes (so as not to impede work), and studying Chinese, and a list
\nof injunctions that criticized Tibetan customs such as sky burial.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nMauser gun (Maose qiang) so that he can defend his hometown.<\/p>\n
\nand your homes. Without it, you will surely be bullied. A Mauser costs
\n37 rupees, and 1,000 bullets costs 7 rupees. They are sold everywhere in
\nIndia and Sichuan. Everyone, man or woman, should spend 44 rupees to
\nbuy a gun and bullets. When you are free, go hunting. Proceeds from the
\nsale of several white foxes, lynxes, or tigers will repay the cost of the gun
\nand bullets. After that, gains from hunting will be extra income. When
\nforeign enemies or robbers come, you can fight them with your guns, for
\nthe sake of the Buddha.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nor wrong, only weak and strong. If we cannot achieve self-strengthening, we
\nwill become prey. If people have the courage and uprightness to fight to the
\ndeath for the country, then foreign enemies will not dare to insult us. …
\nMilitary preparedness is something we cannot go a single day without deliberating.
\nTrain troops every day; everyone discuss military affairs (riri lianbing, renrenjiangwu).
\nThis is a vital eight-word formula.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n