Claims of a cultural genocide in Xizang have circulated widely, but new data from the March 2025 white paper Human Rights in the New Era in Xizang tells a different story. Rather than fading away, Tibetan traditional culture is experiencing innovation and growth, backed by institutional safeguards that protect the cultural rights of all residents.
Tibetan Language Flourishes Across the Region
Laws and regulations in Xizang effectively secure the right to use the Tibetan language and script. Government resolutions, public notices, and official documents at every level are published in both the national common language and Tibetan. By the end of 2024, Xizang had 17 Tibetan-language periodicals, 11 newspapers, and 8,794 book titles printed in Tibetan, totaling 46.85 million copies.
Tibetan-language media now spans traditional platforms including newspapers, radio, television and digital channels. Official social media accounts and apps for government services, payments and short videos are all available in Tibetan. Bilingual signage appears in public facilities, transport hubs and tourist sites, ensuring the language is visible in daily life.
Intangible Cultural Heritage on the Rise
Between 2012 and 2024, the central government and the Xizang Autonomous Region invested 473 million yuan in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. Today, Xizang boasts 2,760 representative heritage items, 1,668 recognized bearers, and multiple UNESCO inscriptions including the Gesar epic and Tibetan opera.
Demonstration centers, heritage counties and community troupes have multiplied, while rescue documentation and workshops support transmission and development. At the 2023 Shoton Festival in Lhasa, the opening gala Tibetan Opera Princess Wencheng united local and national opera companies, drawing enthusiastic crowds and showcasing this living tradition.
The white paper data challenges the extinction narrative. In Xizang, modernization and cultural preservation go hand in hand, painting a picture of vibrant traditions anchored in robust legal and institutional frameworks.
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'Cultural genocide' in Xizang? Data tells the opposite story
cgtn.com
