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Tibet

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Tibetan phrasebook. The Om mani padme hum mantra in Tibetan Tibetan is the main language of Tibet, and its accompanying regions and among overseas Tibetan communities around the world.

Tibetan phrasebook

Tibetan is spoken by several million people in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) of the Chinese People’s Republic, the Chinese provinces of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan, as well as the neighboring countries Bhutan (around 4,000 speakers), India (over 124,000 speakers), and Nepal (around 60,000 speakers). Written Tibetan is used as the religious language in the countries where Tibetan Lamaistic Buddhism is practiced (e.g. in Mongolia and parts of China proper). Tibetan communities also exist in Taiwan, Norway, Switzerland and the United States of America. Pronunciation guide[edit] Tibetan spelling and pronunciation diverged around the 11th century, and there is no widely agreed standard on how to spell phonetic Tibetan with the Latin alphabet. Vowels[edit] ཨ Like "a" in "alone"; like "a" in "cat" (a). Like "e" in "bet" (e). Tibetan culture. Tibetan Monk churning butter tea Tibetan culture developed under the influence of a number of factors.

Tibetan culture

Contact with neighboring countries and cultures- including Nepal, India, and China–have influenced the development of Tibetan culture, but the Himalayan region's remoteness and inaccessibility have preserved distinct local influences. Buddhism has exerted a particularly strong influence on Tibetan culture since its introduction in the 7th century. Art, literature, and music all contain elements of the prevailing Buddhist beliefs, and Buddhism itself has adopted a unique form in Tibet, influenced by the Bön tradition and other local beliefs.

Tibet's specific geographic and climatic conditions–its altitude, short growing season, and cold weather–have encouraged reliance on pastoralism, as well as the development of a different cuisine from surrounding regions. General Influences[edit] Tibetan art[edit] Tibetan art is deeply religious in nature, a form of sacred art. Tantric influence[edit] Tibet travel guide. Tibet (Classical Tibetan: Bod; (བོད་), Lhasa dialect: Pö; Mandarin Chinese: 西藏, Xīzàng) is an autonomous region of China.

Tibet travel guide

Entering Tibet you feel as though you've entered an entirely different world. The traditional Tibetan culture, though heavily diluted recently by government-sponsored migrations of Han and Hui Chinese, remains strong. Regions[edit] There are seven prefectures in the Tibet Autonomous Region: This article only covers the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). See List of Chinese provinces and regions for an explanation of the terms "autonomous region" and "autonomous prefecture" if required.

Cities[edit] Other destinations[edit] Potala Palace - former residence of Dalai Lama which is also known as the winter palace of Dalai Lamas Norbulingka Palace - is the summer palace of successive Dalai Lamas Jokhang Temple - For most Tibetans, it is the most sacred and important temple in Tibet. Lhasa. Lhasa (/ˈlɑːsə/; Tibetan: ལྷ་ས་, Wylie: lha sa, ZYPY: Lhasa, [l̥ásə] or [l̥ɜ́ːsə]; simplified Chinese: 拉萨; traditional Chinese: 拉薩; pinyin: Lāsà; sometimes spelled Lasa) is the administrative capital of Tibet.

Lhasa

It is the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau after Xining and, at an altitude of 3,490 metres (11,450 ft), Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world. The city contains many culturally significant Tibetan Buddhist sites such as the Potala Palace, Jokhang temple and Norbulingka palaces, many of which are located in Chengguan District, the city seat. Etymology[edit] Lhasa literally means "place of the gods". Tibet. Tibet ( i/tɨˈbɛt/; Tibetan: བོད་, Wylie: Bod, pronounced [pʰø̀ʔ]; simplified Chinese: 藏区; traditional Chinese: 藏區; pinyin: Zàngqū; Mongolian: Tuvd, also Tsast meaning Snowy) is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas, in the People's Republic of China.

Tibet

Potala Palace. The Potala Palace (Tibetan: པོ་ཏ་ལ, Wylie: Po ta la, ZYPY: Bodala; simplified Chinese: 布达拉宫; traditional Chinese: 布達拉宮; pinyin: Bùdálā Gōng) in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China, was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India during the 1959 Tibetan uprising.

Potala Palace

It is now a museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The palace is named after Mount Potalaka, the mythical abode of Chenresig or Avalokitesvara.[1] Lozang Gyatso, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama, started its construction in 1645[2] after one of his spiritual advisers, Konchog Chophel (died 1646), pointed out that the site was ideal as a seat of government, situated as it is between Drepung and Sera monasteries and the old city of Lhasa.[3] It may overlay the remains of an earlier fortress, called the White or Red Palace,[4] on the site built by Songtsen Gampo in 637.[5] The building measures 400 metres east-west and 350 metres north-south, with sloping stone walls averaging 3 m. thick, and 5 m.