Historical Value of Documents Found in Dunhuang

Historical Value of Documents Found in Dunhuang

Of the voluminous historical documents found in the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang early in this century, about 5,000 volumes are in Tibetan. They cover religion, history, law, literature, medicine, science and technology. In her article carried in Tibet Studies (issue No.2 of 2000), Zhang Yuefeng explained the value of these documents: First, they are of high documentation value. They span a long period, and come of many varieties including Buddhist scriptures, prayers, legal suits, indentures by which those sold themselves, historical records, divination spells and even private letters. Actually, all those written on paper have been collected and taken as "documents." They are bound in the form of long scrolls, Han-style folded copies, pattra sutras unique to India, and single copies. Catalogues were worked out for these documents. Second, these documents show the high level of Tibetan historical records, including Biographies of Tsampo Kings, A Chronology, and A List of 12 Local Kings and Tubo Kings. They were all compiled by historians on the basis of archives and works on these kings. Tables were produced in some of the historical records such as A List of 12 Local Kings and Tubo Kings. The way to produce historical records was followed by historians of later generation. A case in point is A Feast for Scholars. They best reflect the complicated historical background, hence commanding high historical value. They rival their Chinese counterparts in various ways, and constitute a boon for studying the Tubo history.

Enlightment From Monastic Education in Tibet

In his article which was carried in the Central University for Nationalities Bulletin (issue No.4), Doctor of Tibetan studies Su Faxiang explained monastic education, including examinations held for monk students, in the Tibetan-inhabited areas. According to the article, the monastic education featured tests given in the form of explaining, debating and writing. Expelling constituted the basis of the test, debating was the core, and writing was the goal. The ultimate purpose was to gain a thorough understanding of the Buddhist doctrines. Hetu (logic) is the essence of Pancavidya (Five Studies); debating is a major method employed in examination in Monastic education. Of the Indian Buddhist masters, Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Digha Nikaya, Merit and Sakyu were brilliant people. Although Hetu originated in India, but gained real ground and developed in Tibet.

In the early days when Buddhism was first spread in the Tibetan areas, Hetu was not heard of there. In the later period, however, debating on Buddhist doctrines was widely adopted as the major form of Hetu, and became the chief method employed to settle the differences between Buddhism and the Bon religion. With Buddhism striking a deep root in the Tibetan areas, Hetu unique to Tibet was created. Chabai Qoigyi Sengge outlined the most fundamental theory of the debating, which became the basic theory and method for the study of Hetu, and exerted great impact on the later generation. Various monasteries differed in contents of the debate. Monasteries of the Gelug Sect debate the five volumes referring to Hetu, Prajna, Madhyamika Karika (Treatises of the Middle Way), Abhidharma-kora sastra, and Commandments and Rules. For monks, debating Buddhist doctrines provides with a chance to show their knowledge and talent. For the six major monasteries of the Gelug Sect, they provide study of Hetu in the same way. In the first six years of study, monk students take part in detabe given at the class basis. Only in the seventh year and thereafter, they will be allowed to take part in other forms of debate. Generally speaking, each monastic school holds debate in the afternoon in their respective open ground. Each debate takes place in three ways: (1) a number of monks debate; (2) two monks debate; (3) one monk makes preparation for the debate in mind. During the debate, the one who asks questions stand, and poses questions while clamping palms. The one who answers sits. Facts prove such a form of test mobilizes the initiaves of the students, prompting them to think and express their mind.

Legal Issues on Ecological Protection in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Environmental issues have caught public concern in recent years. In his article carried in the Qinghai Social Science (issue No.2, 2000), Bai Dingju concludes that the environment on the Plateau is being damaged as a result of changes in climate and insufficient efforts made to protect the environment. First, water loss and soil erosion. Land exposed to wind, water and ice makes up 75 percent of the total. Soil erosion is the most serious in the Yellow River Valley. In Qinghai, sand content in the Yellow River reaches 6,140 tons. Second, desertification. Statistics for 1997 show that Tibet is next only to Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia in desertification in China. Third, degeneration of grasslands. This takes place at the sources of the Yellow and Yangtze river sources. As a result of drought and plague, some of the grasslands there look like black beaches. Fourth, shrinking of lake surfaces and wetlands. Fifth, human damage on environment. Such a kind of environment exerts adverse impact on the gene resources on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the ruins to certain extent the quality of subsistence for people living there. Recent years saw redoubled efforts to improve the ecological environment. Incomplete statistics show China has promulgated a total of 2,200 laws including 17 sets of rules and regulations for the protection of environment and resources, 121 sets of administrative regulations, and more than 1,000 sets of local rules and regulations. In addition, China has signed or approved 18 international conventions and agreements on climatic changes, protection of diversified biology, and protection of ozon. In China there are 926 nature reserves, which cover 7.64 percent of the total land in the country. They include 136 State-class nature reserves with dozens located in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, there is still a long way to go in environmental protection. Major problems include failure to unify protection of the econological environment although there are laws to guide the work, failure to have a work system for the coordinated protection and construction of regional ecological environment,and criminal activities and weak effort to combat such crimes.

The article calls for efforts to Implement State and regional laws,and strengthen the hand of the government in management,and strengthened legal education.