The Last Shangri-La, Tibet’s Life and Nature

Tibet is going to be introduced to television audiences at last. The two parts of a brand-new documentary, ‘Thrilling Exploration to Tibet’ (MBC), will debut at 11:10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday respectively. The documentary will show a 60-day 15,000 km walking trip of around the whole of Tibet from June 4 to September 3. The program was produced using high definition (HD) film and required cost $220,000 to produce.

The documentary was dreamed up to calm people suffering from the economic crisis and uncertain societal atmosphere now in Korea, showing them the solemnity and sublimity of Tibet’s nature and the relatively humble way in which Tibetans live. The Chinese Government, which has prohibited free traveling around Tibetan regions so far, has lifted the restrictions recently in order to open up prosperity in Tibet.

“The crimson colored face and Buddha-like eyes of Tibetans have intermittently flitted across my mind,” said MBC’s producer in charge of this documentary, Lim Chae-yoo, who traveled to Tibet 12 years ago. He added, “But, many Chinese restaurants have appeared in the urban areas recently, meaning that the Chinese mainstream culture has spread out to Tibetan area at last.”

The first part of the program, ‘Changtang, Untamed Lands’ deals with the Changtang highlands which average 5,000m high, and are known as the roof of world. Changtang means “northern empty highlands” in Tibetan. But, in fact, ninety kinds of animals including the yak, which resembles a cow, and 470 kinds of seed plants such as the ice-bird flower, inhabit the Changtang highlands. It is a treasure house of flora and fauna. “The scene of fifty wild donkeys galloping on the highlands was a magnificent spectacle,” remarked the producer Lim.

About 50,000 nomads are scattered around and live in this region. In their traditional observance called “nachui”, horse racing, a stone lifting event and folk dance contests with the people wearing their own unique traditional costumes are very popular.

In the second part of the program, The Lands of God, Kailas, shows the details of Potala Palace of Lassa, the capital of Tibet, which is located at the middle of Yalong River, the birthplace of Tibetan culture. Jo-can Temple, the ruins of an old Tibetan kingdom and Kailas Mountain are touched on with carefully selected narrations in this part of documentary.

But, differing from what we have known about Tibet, Tibetan Buddhist culture is facing a depression, because Chinese government keeps Tibet away from the influences of Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai-Lama.

kathycho@donga.com