Seven Years in Tibet Page #4

a growing challenge...

...not from China's unified front...

...but from the powerful

Chinese Communist Army.

Under the control of Mao Tse-tung--

The rumor is that

the Communists have taken over...

...the whole of North and Central China.

Rumor? It's a fact, Peter.

Ngawang keeps me up-to-date

on all China's war news.

So, how are things at Kungo Tsarong's?

Frankly, I wouldn't know.

I moved out five months ago.

Really? Has it been this long

since we have seen you?

- Apparently it has.

- And have you been busy?

This is why I'm extremely busy...

...since I've been hired to survey

the entire city of Lhasa.

Unfortunately, your place is too

far out for me to include it on my map.

We like our privacy.

Yes, apparently so.

What about women?

Have you met anyone you like?

Women.

Since I failed miserably

with an Austrian wife...

...an exotic failure with

a Tibetan wife seems misguided.

But to answer your question,

no, I haven't. You?

A friend's good fortune

is a blessing, Heinrich.

I'm sorry you resent ours.

You must be very lonely and sad.

The war is over!

Have the Communists won?

Your war, my friend.

Germany has surrendered.

- Where are you going?

- Back home. Austria.

Mr. Harrer, letter.

We miss you.

- You know we miss you.

- I miss you.

I miss you, too.

"Dear Mr. Heinrich Harrer:

You are not my father.

Please stop writing me letters.

Rolf Immendorf."

Honorable Heinrich Harrer?

Honorable Heinrich Harrer?

- Yes?

- A letter for you.

The Honorable Heinrich Harrer

doesn't want any more letters.

It is from the Great Mother

of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama.

Thank you for coming, Mr. Harrer.

Thank you for inviting me,

Great Mother.

Do you know the rules

of protocol concerning my son?

Not exact-- I know one bows

and performs prostrations.

When you are in the presence

of His Holiness...

...you must always be standing

bent in obeisance...

...hands folded in supplication.

If seated, you must always

be seated lower than he.

Never look him in the eye.

Never speak before he does.

Always refer to him as "Your Holiness."

Never turn your back to him.

And never never touch him.

He is the reincarnation

of Avalokiteshvara...

...the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

After his recognition,

he was renamed...

...Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang

Yeshi Tenzin Gyatso...

...Holy Lord, Gentle Glory,

Eloquent, Compassionate...

...Learned Defender of the Faith,

Ocean of Wisdom.

His Holiness, the Dalai Lama,

would like to meet you.

As his advisors have not permitted

a private audience with you...

...His Holiness has asked me to bring you

along to my monthly audience.

I'd be honored and moved.

Hello.

Yellow head.

Yellow head. Yellow head.

You have hair on your arms too?

And legs?

- How about you?

- Mr. Harrer.

It's an honor to meet you,

Your Holiness.

Do you like movies?

You know, I haven't seen a movie

in about eight years.

- But as I recall, yes, very much.

- So do I.

- I'm glad to hear that.

- I have a movie projector. And films.

I want to build a movie house.

Here, at the Potala.

- With seats and everything.

- Seats would be advisable.

Can you build it?

- Excuse me?

- Can you build a movie house for me?

My advisors cannot disapprove,

and you will be well paid.

And you will have to come here every day

to build it, every single day.

When you are here, you'll visit me.

We can have conversations on many topics.

I would like to learn

about the world you come from.

For example, where is Paris, France?

And what's a Molotov cocktail?

And who is Jack the Ripper?

You can tell me many things.

I'm proud to be of service,

Your Holiness.

What is the problem?

- What is the problem here?

- Worms.

Please, no more hurting worms.

- Please.

- Worms?

In a past life, this innocent worm

could have been your mother.

Please, no more hurting.

It's impossible. Please, no more.

But you see, Tibetans believe...

...all living creatures were

their mothers in a past life.

So we must show them respect

and repay their kindness.

And never, never

harm anything that lives.

You can't ask a devout people

to disregard a precious teaching.

Yes, but Your Holiness...

...with true respect,

we can't possibly--

I'm sorry, but we can't

possibly rescue all the worms...

...not if you want a theater

finished in this lifetime.

You have a clever mind.

Think of a solution.

And in the meantime, you can

explain to me what is an elevator.

Antarctica.

That's down below.

- Here.

- Yes.

Fantastic.

England.

Don't look at me for help.

Here?

Shift.

Oh, I know him.

Honk. Hello!

Turn!

Turn!

Brake!

The robe of a minister is so much finer

than your old brown robe, isn't it?

Please.

Everyone, please.

You must be very clever

to get such a good promotion.

I did not intend to be

a secretary forever.

Apparently so.

Well, congratulations.

Evil omen! Evil omen!

From his headquarters

in Peking...

...the Chairman, Mao Tse-tung,

was triumphantly proclaimed leader...

...of the new People's Republic of China.

Chairman Mao vowed that the first task

of the Communist regime...

...is to reunite the Chinese motherland.

He declared that

the remote kingdom of Tibet...

...is an integral part

of the Chinese territory...

...and must join

the great new republic.

"...and must join

the great new republic."

People's Republic of China is advised...

...the government of Tibet

recognizes no foreign sovereign.

We are an independent nation.

All the Chinese officials will be

expelled from the borders of Tibet.

We wish you a happy return

to your homeland.

Have a safe and pleasant journey

back to China.

May you have a safe and

pleasant journey back to China.

We wish you a happy return

to your homeland.

May you have happiness and prosperity.

Let me see.

You have a very long lifeline,

unlike others here.

When we are facing the light,

it's day, yes?

When we are in shadow, it's night.

So if the sun is just rising in Lhasa...

...that means it is just setting...

...in New York City, perhaps.

That's why it can't be the same time

in every place.

- Does that answer your question?

- Yes! Yes.

Tell me more.

What else do you want to know?

In a few moments, you will be

entering the world of mass media.

I can hear news

from all over the planet?

I don't know if they have live

broadcasts from the Tonga lslands...

...but generally speaking, yeah.

Do you listen to news

from your country?

From Austria?

No, not really.

Give me some light, Kundun.

- Why? It's your home.

- Not anymore it isn't.

But don't you have

friends and family there?

A few friends, no family.

Keep the light steady,

Your Holiness.

Why? Is everyone dead?

Do you know there's another sentence

construction aside from the question?

I was married,

but I'm divorced.

What did you do?

I didn't want a child,

so I ran away to climb a mountain.

You have a child, Heinrich?

Although I've never seen him.

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