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The story of the Puli School is a miracle. Not only because it shows how
a man’s sheer will and determination can beat against formidable odds and
blossom into reality, also because it is a beautiful example of how
ordinary Tibetans and Chinese people work together towards the common goal
of preserving the Tibetan culture.
The story took place in the Dechin (or Deqin) County of Yunnan Province,
on the border between Yunnan and Eastern Tibet. The primary residents of
that region are Kham Tibetans, who are traditionally farmers and herders
and devout Buddhists. Over the last two decades, the waves of economic
boom sweeping through the mainland China started rocking the once peaceful
life in Dechin. Gradually, the Tibetan’s traditional values and way of
life are being washed away and the culture is facing the imminent danger
of becoming extinct.
One of the reasons why Tibetan culture is being endangered is that the
public schools do not include Tibetan language in the required
curriculum. Especially since the economic boom, if a young Tibetan learns
Chinese well, it lends him or her much more opportunities to find a decent
job and make a better living in the future. In contrast, there are less
and less motivations for the young Tibetans to study their own language
and culture.
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Xidang
village on the side of Megong River |
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A
15-year boy working as trekking guide |
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A father
and son in front of their house |
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