Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 16: The Tibetan community in France, along with supporters of the Tibetan cause, have launched a protest against two major French museums for supporting China’s historical revisionism and cultural erasure efforts. The controversy centres around the museums’ decision to change references to Tibet as Xizang in their exhibition.
Geshe Thupten Jinpa, the English translator for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, took to Twitter. In a video clip, he urged Tibetans in France to actively protest against these museums. Jinpa warned that if left unchallenged, similar practices might spread to museums in other countries, calling on Tibetans to remain vigilant. The Students for Free Tibet France has also launched an online petition campaign as part of their protest efforts.
On August 31, a group of 20 researchers specializing in Tibet, China, and Asian studies published an open letter in the French newspaper Le Monde. They highlighted that the Musee Du Quai Branly, established in 2006, had altered its catalogue listings for Tibetan artefacts, replacing “Tibet” with “Xizang Autonomous Region.” Similarly, the Musee Guimet, founded in the 19th century, changed references from “Tibet” to “Himalayan world” in its Himalayan World exhibition section.
Six Tibetan non-governmental organizations in France have jointly written to both museums. The letter expresses their strong disagreement with the decision and requests a meeting to discuss the issue. The groups emphasize that this change is unacceptable as it contributes to erasing Tibetan historical evidence.
The adoption of “Xizang” instead of “Tibet” in some French museums is connected to the 7th International Seminar on Tibetan Studies, which took place in Beijing. This event, attended by over 320 participants including international scholars, featured Professor Wang Linping from Harbin Engineering University’s College of Marxism as a key advocate for the term “Xizang.”
Wang argued that “Tibet” inaccurately represents the region’s geography and leads to global misunderstandings. He promoted “Xizang” as a more precise term that better captures the area’s true extent.
While “Xizang” has gained traction in media supportive of the Chinese government, some view this terminology change as part of a larger strategy to influence global perceptions of Tibet and strengthen China’s territorial claims. This approach mirrors similar efforts in other regions, such as the use of “Xinjiang” for East Turkestan, aligning with China’s narrative of authority over these areas.
One Response
Xizang is a bloody China’s concoction, and it should not be used by any country in the world. China is trying to change names of cities and occupied countries in order to gain international legitimacy for their brutal invasion and occupation. International human rights organizations have rightly accused China’s Communist Party of gross human rights violations in Tibet, East Turkestan, Inner Mongolia and Hong Kong. Rights violations include unlawful or arbitrary killings such as judicial killings by the government, disappearances, arbitrary arrests or detentions, torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, degrading treatment or punishment by the government. Tibet is Tibet! East Turkistan is East Turkistan! Inner Mongolia is Inner Mongolia! No one can change the reality; no one should accept if there is a change. Bhoe Gyalo! Sogyul Gyalo!