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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