tibet

first we read about japan. then we read how japan occupied korea, and it caused some ruffled feathers here.
then we read how japan occupied china, and - later - how the political classes of china were turned upside down during the cultural revolution.
so now it's time to read about tibet, and it's occupation by china...
the ass-kickers waltz - as roishin would call it - the never ending dance of the oppressed getting out from under the thumb of tyranny only to hammer their own fist down.
sigh
but what a great introduction to the complexities of history: whose voice is telling the story?

 

we read about the Dalai Lama - which led to discussions about reincarnation and Buddhism. we talked about the Nobel Peace prize and whether or not the Dalai Lama did anything to deserve it (our conclusion: how can they reward his 'passive' non-violence (outside an actual conlict) when Gandhi was such an active user of non-violence?)

and we came across an incredible work of art: Tibet Through the Red Box by Peter Sís
wow.
it tells about tibet AND captures the elusive wonder of discovering an unknown world - the world that tibet was before the road to lhasa was created; a world that still exists in the imagination of today's touch-me-not buddhists
AND it manages a nostalgia for memories, the raw yearning of childhood, a sense of forgiveness you didn't realize you were asking for...
in short, i have never seen so complex and fulfilling a children's book. it is a work of art whose depths seem endless -