Seven Years in Tibet Page #3

...a place rich with all the strange

beauty of your nighttime dreams--

...then you know where I am.

In the country

where I am traveling, Tibet...

...people believe if they walk

long distances to holy places...

...it purifles the bad deeds

they've committed.

They believe

the more difficult the journey...

...the greater the depth of purification.

I've been walking from one faraway

place to the next for many years--

...as long as you have lived.

I have seen seasons change

across the high plateaus.

I have seen wild kiangs

migrate south in winter...

...and sweep back across the fields

when spring appears.

In this place,

where time stands still...

...it seems that everything is moving...

...including me.

I can't say I know where I'm going...

...nor whether my bad deeds

can be purified.

There are so many things

I have done which I regret.

But when I come to a full stop,

I hope you will understand...

...that the distance between us

is not as great as it seems.

With deep affection...

...your father, Heinrich Harrer.

Get up.

Peter!

Get up!

Oh! My God!

I'll give you these.

Yellow head!

- No! Wait! We have nothing!

- Give me money!

We have no money!

- Give me watch!

- We have nothing! We have nothing!

- Give me clothes!

- We have nothing for you!

Wait!

Wait!

Wait! Wait!

Where are you headed?

Where are you headed?

Where are you headed?

I have permit.

Lhasa. I have permit.

It is unseemly for the spiritual leader

of Tibet to spy on people.

Only a month ago, we were certain

of death at the hands of bandits.

And today, we have reached the gates

of the forbidden city of Lhasa.

It is as difficult a goal as Mecca...

...and precisely as attractive

because it is closed to all foreigners.

Even in our miserable condition...

...we feel the lure

of Tibet's holiest city...

...home of the Dalai Lama.

Only a few foreigners

had penetrated its mysteries.

Oh, my God!

- Is it over?

- No, it is not over.

You are invited to stay

for lunch, if you like.

We'd like that very much.

I am Tsarong. Welcome to my home.

I am Peter.

Lord Chamberlain...

...may I request an audience with

the regent and ministers of the cabinet?

It's about two foreigners

who came to Lhasa.

With respect, Rinpoche...

...if your intention is to stop the Chinese

from recruiting political allies...

...then demanding that they stop

trying to bribe monks...

...is not the most effective tactic.

I asked the opinion of the ministers,

not that of a mere secretary.

Of course. Forgive me.

You may leave now.

Start translating the letter as written.

Of course.

Do you realize how many men

could survive such an ordeal?

We should respect them.

If we return them to India,

they'll surely go back to prison.

But they have no purpose here,

Kungo Tsarong. No place to live.

I have invited them to stay

at my guest quarters...

...assuming you would grant them permission

to remain in Lhasa, of course.

Invited them to stay at your place?

But why?

Must one have reason

to help those in need?

Beast.

I think she said you stink.

You do not need

to introduce yourselves.

I know who you are.

I am Pema Lhaki.

Ngawang Jigme wishes to make a gift to you,

so please take your clothes off.

Let's get started.

I don't have all day.

Well, this is most kind

of Ngawang Jigme.

Who is he to be so thoughtful?

Secretary to the ministers

of the government.

He wished to make you

a gift of new clothes.

Please select your preferred

article of clothing.

You're a seamstress?

I am a tailor, sir,

the only tailor in Lhasa...

...who has been to Calcutta and

can reproduce these silly costumes.

Okay.

So, I pick?

Yes, choose whichever you like.

- And you can make any of these?

- Yes.

- Very good.

- Did you make this?

- Yes.

- Beautiful.

- Thank you.

- Do you like this?

Whichever you like.

I will have this handsome tweed jacket.

And this pair of sporting

woolen trousers, please.

- Okay. Good choice.

- Thanks.

And you, sir?

- Perhaps you could choose for me.

- Thank you.

Please, sir, take off your chu-pa.

I would like to measure.

Stand still, please.

This way, please.

- Please, stand still.

- Sorry.

- No moving, please.

- I'm sorry.

That way, you will never fall.

It's perfect.

Still, walking up mountains

is a fool's pleasure, Heinrich.

Not so foolish, really.

Look at this.

Go ahead.

That's after I climbed

the Eiger North Face.

That's Olympics.

Gold medal. Not important. This.

Then this is another great difference

between our civilization and yours.

You admire the man...

...who pushes his way to the top

in any walk of life...

...while we admire the man

who abandons his ego.

The average Tibetan wouldn't think

to thrust himself forward this way.

Gentlemen.

Mr. Aufschnaiter, Mr. Harrer.

- I'm sorry. Have we met?

- No, we have not.

I am Ngawang Jigme.

- Yes, of course.

- Forgive us. Forgive us.

Thank you for your generous gift.

It's wonderful. Thank you.

You are most welcome.

I am sure we will meet again.

Perhaps you could help us explain...

...why the ministers...

...demand that the Chinese government...

"...cease making generous

financial contributions...

...to Tibetan monasteries."

Do our gifts displease your government?

I cannot speak for the regent

nor the ministers, Excellence.

I am only a mere secretary.

Not for long, I presume.

Sit down.

Sit down.

A man of such obvious talent

cannot be satisfied...

...with just translating letters.

Your diplomatic skill...

...would be richly rewarded here.

Serving my country faithfully

is reward enough, Excellence.

I ask permission to take my leave.

- Hello, Heinrich.

- Hello.

It looks like we're both in need

of a good tailor today.

Yes, yes, there's a--

Please, take a seat.

Do you like these?

I'll buy them for you.

Thank you,

but I don't eat much meat.

- Don't eat meat?

- He says they are knives from West.

You put them on your feet to cut meat.

No, no.

No, no, no.

They are ice skates.

You put them on your feet...

...to skate...

to glide--

sort of dance on ice.

- Yeah.

- Why?

- Why not?

- It's another fool's pleasure.

Let's get them.

How mu--

No, for this?

Ten.

- Ten.

- Ten.

And for this?

Did you see?

Did you see that?

- Did you hurt yourself?

- No, thank you. I'm okay.

Here we go. Up.

- You okay? Did you bang your head?

- No, I'm having fun.

- Just hold on.

- Okay. Watch me!

- Do not look too much at the ground.

- All right.

- Look only into my eyes.

- Yes, all right.

- Okay? Look into my eyes.

- Peki.

- Can I help you?

- Yes, please.

- Here, take my hand.

- Are you happy?

- Very happy.

I try to picture you, Rolf...

...and this is what I see:

A young boy who is strong

and bright...

...a boy filled with curiosity

about life...

...a boy who isn't afraid

to learn from his mistakes.

Hello, married woman.

Hello, bachelor man.

Congratulations.

Well. Come in.

The Japanese army is facing

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