Commoners and Nobles: Hereditary Divisions in Tibet

In Lhasa today, two contradictory value systems coexist. After the forced incorporation of Tibet into the PRC in 1950, the Chinese authorities have altered the Tibetan social system and worked against the long-established principles by which it has been organized. This study explores how Tibetans manoeuvre within the two value systems, balancing between ideals and pragmatism.

• Heidi Fjeld, Author