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Celebrity Chinese writer join Tibetans, Londoners in celebrating His
Holiness’ birthday
Speaking on the occasion, Jung Chang, the author of the award-winning book, "Wild Swans - Three Daughters of China" and "Mao - The Unknown Story" shared her experience of meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1999, when her husband Jon Halliday and she visited Dharamsala to interview the Tibetan Nobel Peace Laureate for their biography of Mao Zedong, whom she calls the tyrant of China. "I was deeply impressed by his joke against himself, his honesty, and his unusual approach to his own status as a great spiritual leader of the world. He is the opposite of someone who maintains a mysterious exterior, which after all is a much easier way to be a spiritual leader. He opens himself up, talks with a common touch and a sense of humour, and punctures his own myth all the time", Jung Chang said adding, "He has achieved the almost unachievable as a religious leader. The world sees him, understands him, and respects him - and worships him. Many people say that if the world were to become one community, His Holiness would surely be the best candidate to be its head." The celebrity Chinese writer told the mixed audience of Tibetans and Westerners that while writing the biography of Mao, she learned a lot about Tibet, "and about the Chinese Communist regime’s misrule of this precious land". She said, "Mao was the man most responsible for the destruction of Tibet". An emotional Jung Chang said that although her own father and grandmother had died during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, the Tibetan people had undergone tremendous suffering even before the so-called Cultural Revolution of 1966 to 1976. "As I discovered one horrific fact after another, I felt my heart was crying out for Tibet. It makes me angry to hear some people say that old, pre-communist Tibet was not exactly paradise. This may be true. But I know that Mao’s rule was far, far worse. Jon and I wanted to make the facts known to as many people as possible, both in the West and in China. We have a chapter in our biography of Mao about Tibet. Writing this chapter has given me tremendous anguish. I am glad to say that the facts in this chapter have opened the eyes of many Chinese readers, who have been subject to brainwashing by the Communist regime about Tibet. They have told me how shocked and how much pain they felt reading it", Jung Chang, who received a standing ovation after her emotional and passionate speech. The well-known Chinese writer concluded her speech by saying, "His Holiness, with his wisdom, charisma and statesmanship, has brought unsurpassable global sympathy for the Tibetan people, and for all human beings who have suffered. He has also given the world a new degree of hope. We are all very lucky to have him with us". Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Tsering Tashi, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Northern Europe, Poland and the Baltic Countries, based at the London Office of Tibet, said His Holiness as the head of state and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people has worked tirelessly to resolve the just cause of Tibet and promote world peace and harmony. He said that because of His Holiness’ sincere efforts to resolve the Tibet issue in the best interest of both the Tibetan and Chinese peoples, His Holiness has been receiving support even from the Chinese people, especially intellectuals, writers, thinkers and those involved in the Chinese democracy movement. "As one of the world’s most admired and respected figure, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is constantly invited to lecture on Buddhism, Tibet and other issues of global concern. During his lectures and tours around the world, His Holiness’ simplicity and compassionate nature visibly touches everyone who meets and hears him", Representative Tsering Tashi said, adding "Given that we all have tremendous respect and devotion towards His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the important thing is to seriously follow His Holiness’ guidance and advise on being a good person and taking responsibility for the Tibetan nation as well as for peace and harmony in the common world that we all share". Parliamentarian Mr. Pema Jungney, the former Speaker of the Tibetan parliament in exile read the Tibetan Parliament’s message in Tibetan on the occasion of the 72nd birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He also offered a traditional Tibetan scarf and a token gift to Dr. Jung Chang in appreciation of her sympathy and support for the cause of Tibet. Earlier, at the start of the afternoon’s programme, the Tibetan community members, many of whom had come from outside London, accompanied by two monks and visiting Tibetan MPs, prayed for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama after offering scarves before a portrait of His Holiness that had been placed on a make shift alter on stage. The function concluded with a cultural show performed by the Tibetan Community Dance Group, which had already entertained a large crowd on the previous evening at the Conway Hall in central London to mark His Holiness’ birthday and to raise funds to realize a project to invite some Tibetan nuns who had suffered imprisonment at the hands of the Chinese authorities in Lhasa’s notorious Drapchi Prison for a UK tour sometime next year. (Reported by Office of Tibet, London) |
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Last updated: 8-July-2007