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For a long time, Tibet has been one of the main items on the agenda in western re-ports on China .In many media reports , there is a highly homogenized “stereotype”.While defining and retelling the history and present status of Ti-bet, the western media has mixed a collective un-conscious imagination and assumptions derived from western culture . The special operational mechanism mentioned above is defined as a news-framework of “the other”.“Stereotypes” objec-tively correspond to a people ’ s psychological ex-pectations on the culture of “the other”, and make the outsider ’ s understanding to the “heter-ogeneous” culture which was originally isolated from each other become relatively easy .The west-ern’ s media construction on Tibet is just such a typical example . Due to the application of the news-framework of “the other”, what the media ’ s presentation of the “authenticity” to the audi-ence is not equal to the objective truth , but a kind of artificial construction based on political benefit , economic competition and cultural tradition . Be-cause they live within a different cultural scene , westerners hold a traditional European imperialistic view of Tibet, and this mentality has a direct in-fluence on the modern westerners ’ understanding of the Tibet issue . On the one hand , within the public opinion of the West , Tibet is a holy land full of aesthetic imagination .This vision and fan-tasy is triggered by the literature which is promoted a kind of value orientation of absolutism in the western religious context .On the other hand , the image of Tibet in the western media is not only part of realistic portrayal of Tibet , but also a projection of the desire of western culture , and it reflects a strong mentality of orientalism .
1.The Mentality of Orientalism in the“Shangri-La Scenario”
The 20th century is a turning point in theprocess of when the westerners ’ contempt and rejectionof Tibet changed to one which idealized Tibet.The landmark event was when Joseph Rock,an American explorer, discovered the so-called“Shangri-La” area during the 1920s and 30s.Later, James Hilton, a British writer wrote a noveltitled Lost Horizon in which he fabricated a“Shangri-La” which transcended the boundaries ofgeography and civilizations, and which integratedthe finest elements of several great civilizations,including Christianity, Confucianism, and Buddhism.Since then, “Shangri-La” has become animportant part of the contemporary collective unconsciousnessof western society.Ironically, inthe constructed Shangri-La myth, all the leadingactors had western backgrounds, and the Tibetanswere basically described as foolish farmers and labors,i.e.coolies in the eyes of the white elites.It is obvious that the novel which apparently seemsto praise the eastern civilization is essentially ananthem for western Christian civilization.It can besaid that the western media ’ s exploration andconstruction of Tibet has always followed the pathof imagination of “the other”.What the westernerslove is not a real Tibet, but a Tibet in their imagination.Hence, what “Shangri-La” reflectsis a kind of feeling of superiority and the mentalityof orientalism in the European cultural subconscious
2.The “Concept of Tibet” Constructed bythe Western Media
Socio-cultural thinkers argue that if stereotypedoes not come from the direct observation of differentgroups, then it is the result of obtaining informationfrom channels such as media.If the observersknow little about the groups being observed,then they will focus on those behaviorsconcerned with by the media, and form a kind ofschema to represent the group during the process ofrepeated revision. Western movies, books,newspapers and so forth, constructed a “myth” ofShangri-La.These kinds of mainstream media arenot only influenced by the myth, but also continueto strengthen and solidify its effects, and, thenthey develop a new myth of Shangri-La.They eventuallybecome a “ prisoner ” of Shangri-La.Hence, it is obvious that the western concept of“Tibet” largely originates from the constructionand consolidation of the media.Under the guidanceof the “media ecology”, western people′sviews on Tibet have been built-which is not onlya collective unconsciousness filled with misunder -standing, fallacies and misreading, but also constitutesa starting point and foundation for the westernsociety to observe and understand Tibet .Especiallydue to the nature of commercial profit, themedia industries in the post-industrial era continuouslyprovide products which meet with the “stereotype”,and continue to strengthen the westernconcept of Tibet.
3.The Discovery and Cognition of Tibetanreligion in the West
Of all the objective factors which define civilization,the most important one is usually religion.The attraction of Tibet to the west is mostly derivedfrom its mysterious religious tradition.Because,for a long time, the discourse right of Tibetan religiouscircles has fallen into the hands of others,the Dalai Lama, who is exiled abroad, has becomethe so-called spokesman for Tibet and TibetanBuddhism in the world.This has confused thereality to a great extent.From the frequent appearancesof the Dalai Lama in the western media, itis not difficult for us to see a collective “misreading”of western media-that the Tibet issue is a religiousissue, or even is the issue of the Dalai Lama.The media consciously politicize the religiousissue, or use the name of religion to spread rumorsthat Tibetan monks and religious believers are suf -fering persecution, and in so doing attack humanrights and democracy in Tibet.By doing so a dissimilatedand distorted international image of Tibethas been presented to the western readers.Thiscollective misreading of the image of Tibet also revealsthe media’ s setting of the agenda andframework related to reporting of Tibet in accordancewith the political and ideological needs.Theestablishment of subjects, selection of material,selection of perspective, and the reporting methods,etc., are all constantly adapting to andstrengthening the existing structure.Regarding thetruth, it is controlled by a small group of peopleon behalf of the interests of the state through themedia.The ordinary people can only live in the“simulation ecology” of the media.A considerableportion of the facts related to the western reportson Tibet is constructed from the imaginationand misreading, including the 14th Dalai Lama’s real history and present situation of Tibetan socie -ty, etc.However, the answer to the questiondoes not lie in the reality itself, but in the judgmentsmade by the propaganda machine accordingto the needs of national interests.
The “ collective misreading ” and “ stereotypes”of Tibet constructed in western media becomesa normal state and the evil impacts aregreat.It cannot be regarded simply as the result ofeconomic competition and ideological differences,but can trace its reasons from a collective culturalunconsciousness.In the important transition periodof modernization and globalization, in the faceof prejudice, misunderstanding and pressure fromthe international community, how can Tibet breakout of this encirclement? Instead of avoiding andretreating, it is much better for Tibet to involve actively in the process of globalization, transfer itsown voice by the means of internationalization,and realize the reshaping of the external image ofTibet.
1.The Mentality of Orientalism in the“Shangri-La Scenario”
The 20th century is a turning point in theprocess of when the westerners ’ contempt and rejectionof Tibet changed to one which idealized Tibet.The landmark event was when Joseph Rock,an American explorer, discovered the so-called“Shangri-La” area during the 1920s and 30s.Later, James Hilton, a British writer wrote a noveltitled Lost Horizon in which he fabricated a“Shangri-La” which transcended the boundaries ofgeography and civilizations, and which integratedthe finest elements of several great civilizations,including Christianity, Confucianism, and Buddhism.Since then, “Shangri-La” has become animportant part of the contemporary collective unconsciousnessof western society.Ironically, inthe constructed Shangri-La myth, all the leadingactors had western backgrounds, and the Tibetanswere basically described as foolish farmers and labors,i.e.coolies in the eyes of the white elites.It is obvious that the novel which apparently seemsto praise the eastern civilization is essentially ananthem for western Christian civilization.It can besaid that the western media ’ s exploration andconstruction of Tibet has always followed the pathof imagination of “the other”.What the westernerslove is not a real Tibet, but a Tibet in their imagination.Hence, what “Shangri-La” reflectsis a kind of feeling of superiority and the mentalityof orientalism in the European cultural subconscious
2.The “Concept of Tibet” Constructed bythe Western Media
Socio-cultural thinkers argue that if stereotypedoes not come from the direct observation of differentgroups, then it is the result of obtaining informationfrom channels such as media.If the observersknow little about the groups being observed,then they will focus on those behaviorsconcerned with by the media, and form a kind ofschema to represent the group during the process ofrepeated revision. Western movies, books,newspapers and so forth, constructed a “myth” ofShangri-La.These kinds of mainstream media arenot only influenced by the myth, but also continueto strengthen and solidify its effects, and, thenthey develop a new myth of Shangri-La.They eventuallybecome a “ prisoner ” of Shangri-La.Hence, it is obvious that the western concept of“Tibet” largely originates from the constructionand consolidation of the media.Under the guidanceof the “media ecology”, western people′sviews on Tibet have been built-which is not onlya collective unconsciousness filled with misunder -standing, fallacies and misreading, but also constitutesa starting point and foundation for the westernsociety to observe and understand Tibet .Especiallydue to the nature of commercial profit, themedia industries in the post-industrial era continuouslyprovide products which meet with the “stereotype”,and continue to strengthen the westernconcept of Tibet.
3.The Discovery and Cognition of Tibetanreligion in the West
Of all the objective factors which define civilization,the most important one is usually religion.The attraction of Tibet to the west is mostly derivedfrom its mysterious religious tradition.Because,for a long time, the discourse right of Tibetan religiouscircles has fallen into the hands of others,the Dalai Lama, who is exiled abroad, has becomethe so-called spokesman for Tibet and TibetanBuddhism in the world.This has confused thereality to a great extent.From the frequent appearancesof the Dalai Lama in the western media, itis not difficult for us to see a collective “misreading”of western media-that the Tibet issue is a religiousissue, or even is the issue of the Dalai Lama.The media consciously politicize the religiousissue, or use the name of religion to spread rumorsthat Tibetan monks and religious believers are suf -fering persecution, and in so doing attack humanrights and democracy in Tibet.By doing so a dissimilatedand distorted international image of Tibethas been presented to the western readers.Thiscollective misreading of the image of Tibet also revealsthe media’ s setting of the agenda andframework related to reporting of Tibet in accordancewith the political and ideological needs.Theestablishment of subjects, selection of material,selection of perspective, and the reporting methods,etc., are all constantly adapting to andstrengthening the existing structure.Regarding thetruth, it is controlled by a small group of peopleon behalf of the interests of the state through themedia.The ordinary people can only live in the“simulation ecology” of the media.A considerableportion of the facts related to the western reportson Tibet is constructed from the imaginationand misreading, including the 14th Dalai Lama’s real history and present situation of Tibetan socie -ty, etc.However, the answer to the questiondoes not lie in the reality itself, but in the judgmentsmade by the propaganda machine accordingto the needs of national interests.
The “ collective misreading ” and “ stereotypes”of Tibet constructed in western media becomesa normal state and the evil impacts aregreat.It cannot be regarded simply as the result ofeconomic competition and ideological differences,but can trace its reasons from a collective culturalunconsciousness.In the important transition periodof modernization and globalization, in the faceof prejudice, misunderstanding and pressure fromthe international community, how can Tibet breakout of this encirclement? Instead of avoiding andretreating, it is much better for Tibet to involve actively in the process of globalization, transfer itsown voice by the means of internationalization,and realize the reshaping of the external image ofTibet.