Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 20: The President of the Central Tibetan Administration has expressed concern over two prominent Parisian museums’ decision to adopt Chinese terminology in their catalogues of Tibetan artefacts.
In a letter dated September 14, the Tibetan political leader criticized the Musée du quai Branly and the Musée Guimet for replacing the term “Tibet” with “Xizang” or “Himalayan World” in their collections.
The letter, addressed to several high-ranking French officials including the Minister of Culture and the Mayor of Paris, as well as museum directors and members of the Tibetan Support Group in the French Senate, denounced the museums’ actions as “pandering to the wishes of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) government.”
He argued that this terminology shift, initiated by China’s United Front Work Department in 2023, is part of a broader strategy to erase Tibet’s identity as an independent cultural entity. He emphasized that the term “Tibet” historically encompasses three traditional provinces inhabited by Tibetans and that the use of “Xizang” distorts Tibet’s history as an independent nation.
“It is particularly disheartening that the said cultural institutions in France—a nation that cherishes liberty, equality, and fraternity—are acting in complicity with the PRC government in its design to erase the identity of Tibet,” the letter stated.
The Tibetan leader urged the museums to reconsider their position and accurately represent Tibet in accordance with historical facts, international laws, and the aspirations of the Tibetan people.
This controversy unfolds amid ongoing tensions between Tibet and China, with recent actions by the Chinese government exacerbating the situation. The letter highlighted several measures, including the forced enrollment of over a million Tibetan children in state-run boarding schools, efforts to Sinicize Tibetan Buddhism by exerting control over monasteries and religious education, and the forced relocation of Tibetan nomads, alongside land confiscation under the pretext of environmental protection.
The Tibetan President’s letter also highlighted the recent enactment of the Sino-Tibetan Dispute Act by the U.S. government on July 12, 2024. This legislation challenges China’s historical claims over Tibet and acknowledges the Chinese government’s systematic suppression of Tibetan culture and way of life.
The Tibet Museum also released a statement expressing concern over the museums’ decisions, calling it an alarming distortion of history and a denial of Tibet’s cultural identity. The museum’s director, Tenzin Topdhen, urged the Musée du quai Branly and Musée Guimet to reverse their decisions and restore accurate representation of Tibetan heritage.
Tibetans and supporters of the Tibetan cause in France have initiated various protests against the museums for adopting Chinese names for Tibetan artifacts. They are using petitions, writing to the museum directors, and actively raising awareness on social media platforms.
