Tibetan history has been recorded as late as the fourth century which was when the first kingdoms were established at Yarlung, in what is now South-Central Tibet. Later, in the seventh century, the center of Tibetan civilization shifted to the valley of Lhasa, "Gods' Place," where the first Buddhist kingdoms were established.
Tibet maintained independent political relations with both China and Nepal and though the Tibetan form of Buddhism was influenced by all of its Buddhist neighbors, Tibet was the only country in the region to develop and preserve, to a remarkably late date, a functional Buddhist theocracy, which is a form of government in which clergy have official recognition as the civil ruler. In the case of Tibet, the clergy was the 14th Dalai Lama.
Tibet maintained independent political relations with both China and Nepal and though the Tibetan form of Buddhism was influenced by all of its Buddhist neighbors, Tibet was the only country in the region to develop and preserve, to a remarkably late date, a functional Buddhist theocracy, which is a form of government in which clergy have official recognition as the civil ruler. In the case of Tibet, the clergy was the 14th Dalai Lama.
Here is a good site on some cultural universals regarding Tibetan culture.
If you choose to study Tibetan culture please understand that some websites might have biased information...we will discuss this issue further in class.
If you choose to study Tibetan culture please understand that some websites might have biased information...we will discuss this issue further in class.