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The Green Illusion: Nomadic Herders Trapped Between Tradition and Modernity
For generations, Mongolian herders lived by one principle: follow the water and grass. It was more than an economic strategy; it was a way of life that shaped the Mongolian language, social structure, and values. Spiritual traditions like Shamanism and Tibetan Buddhism cultivated a philosophy of balance, reverence, and coexistence with nature. Practices such as worshipping "Eternal Heaven" (Tengger) or offering to Aobao hill shrines reflected an ecological ethic, preserving g
Weini Wang
5 min read


Beyond the Abstraction: Tibetan Students and Parents on Why Boarding Schools are the Path to Hope and Opportunity
“My parents didn’t get much schooling. I want to make the most of this opportunity, get into a good university, and find a good job in the future.” This was a remark I heard during an online interview. On the other side of the screen, Dazhen, a junior high student at a Tibetan boarding school in Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province, expressed her dream with a shy yet determined smile. In that moment, I realized that the debate surrounding these schools should not merely rest on a
Kelsey
6 min read


Tibetan student interview 2
Interviewee: "Jamyang" (Pseudonym), 15 years old, Tibetan from the Tibetan area of Sichuan. A student in the ninth grade at Rangtang County Middle School. 问: 你认为你的藏语和汉语哪一个更流利? 答: 应该是藏语,平时就用藏语交流。 问: 一般在什么场合会讲藏语? 答: 家里或者在学校私下和朋友交流时。 问: 你的父母一辈/爷爷奶奶一辈普通话流利吗? 答: 父母普通话还算可以(上过一点学),爷爷奶奶不怎么会。父母是从小时候开始学普通话的。 问: 父母不会说普通话,和你之间会有语言隔阂吗? 答: 没有。 问: 你们学校一般都使用什么语言授课?学校允许课下讲藏语吗? 答: 授课一般是普通话。学校允许课下讲藏语,没有因为讲藏语被劝阻的现象。 问: 你为什么会选择汉语学校? 答: 因为这边汉语是主流,以后找工作也方便。 问: 你喜欢上藏语课吗?
Kelsey
5 min read


Tibetan student interview 1
Interviewee: "Tsering" (Pseudonym), 19 years old, Tibetan from the Tibetan area of Sichuan. A student in the 12 th grade at Rangtang County Middle School. 问: 你认为自己的汉语和藏语哪一个更流利? 答: 藏语,因为本身生长在藏族。 问: 一般在什么场合会讲藏语? 答: 在家里面或者在亲戚聚会的时候。在学校和朋友讲得比较少。 问: 你的父母/爷爷奶奶一辈普通话流利吗? 答: 爸妈、爷爷还可以,但奶奶有点弱。家族一般都说藏语。父母没读过书,普通话是近几年学的。 问: 父母不会说普通话,和你之间会有语言隔阂吗? 答: 没有。 问: 学校都使用什么语言授课?学校允许课下讲藏语吗? 答: 授课使用普通话。课下允许讲藏语,从来没有因讲藏语被劝阻的情况。 问: 你为什么选择现在的学校(汉授)而非藏语学校? 答: 因为现在最主要的是跟汉族交流,以后找工作会更方
Kelsey
5 min read
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