Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, July 15: Chinese authorities have been captured in widely shared social media videos demolishing an ancient fortress in Tibet’s eastern Gyalrong region, prompting concern among exile Tibetans who view the destruction as another blow to the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage.
The footage, which circulated online since Tuesday, shows a bulldozer tearing into the centuries-old stone fortress, believed to date back to the era of the Tibetan Empire. The exact date the demolition began remains unclear due to the tightly controlled flow of information from inside Tibet. However, information circulating online indicates that the demolition took place just days after the Chinese government began implementing the so-called “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law.”
Gyalrong, located in eastern Tibet, is home to a collection of ancient stone fortresses renowned for their exceptional durability, architectural ingenuity, and historical significance. Built over a span of nearly 1,300 years—from the 6th to the 19th century—these structures reflect different periods of Tibetan history. The oldest are believed to have been constructed during the Tibetan Empire, while others were built during the Manchu military campaigns in the region. Some surviving fortresses are estimated to be around 1,200 years old, while the newest are more than 200 years old.
The demolition footage has sparked widespread condemnation among Tibetans online. Many described the loss as irreversible and expressed fears that another irreplaceable piece of Tibet’s historical legacy had been destroyed.
Among those reacting was Tibetan social media user Sakar Tashi, who wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Chinese Communist Party authorities are forcibly demolishing a thousand-year-old ancient tower in the Gyalrong region of Tibet. If this is true, then in addition to assimilating and eradicating Tibetan culture, the CCP authorities are also gradually erasing the historical relics of the Tibetan nation. It’s hard to imagine that the Gyalrong ancient towers, listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage of China, are also being forcibly demolished.”
Another Tibetan netizen, Tenzin Namgyal, wrote on X, “Not enough for China dictatorship to erase Tibet’s name, Tibet’s language, Tibet’s history, Tibet civilization, China CCP genocidal regime now destroys Tibet’s past. That tower was there for centuries, like was Tibet’s Independence.”
The comments reflect broader concerns among Tibetans and observers that the destruction of historic sites is contributing to the gradual disappearance of Tibet’s cultural landscape. Chinese authorities have not publicly explained the reason for demolishing the fortress.
