Seven Years in Tibet Page #5

All right. Let me show you

how this thing works.

- Give it all you've got.

- Yes, Mr. Harrer.

Happy Christmas.

Thank you.

- Thank you.

- Happy Christmas, Peter.

- What is this special occasion?

- This is Christmas.

And this is for you, my friend.

Go on.

"I found it in a shop

in the Barkhor.

It has traveled a long way

and finally come back home.

Thank you for your friendship.

Heinrich. "

It is incredible.

Thank you for saving my life.

...must be liberated

from religious oppressors.

Tibetans must be reunited...

...with their brothers and sisters...

- Turn that off.

...of the great family of new China.

- I'm very sorry.

Foreigners control

Tibet's corrupt government.

Our Tibetan comrades must be liberated

from foreign imperialists.

Tibet's million serfs must be freed.

How many foreigners are there in Tibet?

You, Heinrich.

Tibet will be liberated.

He asked for you, Mr. Harrer.

They were destroying the village

I was born in, Takster in Amdo.

It was terrible.

It was just a dream.

You had a bad dream. That's all.

But it was so real.

Where did it come from?

My mind could never imagine

such terrible things.

I can't sleep.

I'm afraid the dream will come back.

A couple of insomniacs.

Tell me a story, Heinrich.

Tell me a story

about climbing mountains.

That's one way to fall asleep.

Those stories bore even me.

Then tell me

what you love about it.

What--

The absolute simplicity.

That's what I love.

When you're climbing,

your mind is clear...

...freed of all confusions.

You have focus.

And suddenly

the light becomes sharper...

...sounds are richer...

...and you are filled with...

...the deep, powerful presence of life.

I've only felt that way one other time.

When?

In your presence, Kundun.

The Chinese have already secured

much of the northern border regions.

They have ransacked a village,

destroyed the monasteries...

...burnt scriptures

and defaced holy relics.

We've been told they've

even killed some monks--

- Which village?

- Takster in Amdo.

It's where His Holiness was born.

Go ahead.

When you were defense minister

to the previous Dalai Lama...

...then you wanted to

reorganize the army.

Can you do it now?

The People's Liberation Army

is one million troops strong.

We have 8,000 men

with 50 pieces of artillery...

...and a few hundred mortars

and machine guns.

The task is hopeless.

Then you refuse the appointment, do you?

No. I accept it with honor.

You two gentlemen know about wars.

What type of weapon

do you recommend?

It seems the Chinese troops are

advancing toward our northern borders.

Where's His Holiness?

The glory of a British coronation.

Nowhere in the world

is there anything half so wonderful.

Only once or twice in the life of each

one of us comes such a day as this...

...when we know that we are watching

history in the making...

...when we know that generations to come

will look back on this day...

...for May 12, 1937, will be

one of the dates in history...

...that schoolchildren will learn about

maybe a thousand years from now.

Every moment

the thrill of excitement--

Do you think someday people will

look at Tibet on the movie screen...

...and wonder what happened to us?

The coronation coach moves forward.

I don't know.

Don't you have all the answers, Heinrich?

No. I don't.

On the same field where Tibetans

traditionally gathered for picnics...

...ground was cleared

to build an airstrip...

...so that the plane carrying

three Chinese generals could land.

Nearby, the Tibetan army

practiced its maneuvers.

Some of the soldiers

wear ancient mesh armour.

They bring old muskets

and spears as artillery.

The spectacle of a peace-loving nation,

vainly attempting to create a military.

The fears of war on my friends' faces...

...strike a deeply buried personal chord.

Echoes of the aggressions

of my own country...

...the will to overpower weaker peoples...

...bring shame to me.

I shudder to recall how once long ago

I embraced the same beliefs...

...how at one time I was, in fact...

...no different from

these intolerant Chinese.

The Tibetans say an enemy

is the greatest teacher...

...because only an enemy can help

develop patience and compassion.

They believe with rock-like faith

that the power of their religion...

...will protect them

against these Chinese.

In preparation for the generals' visit...

...sacred ceremonies are performed

throughout Lhasa.

Sculptures of deities have been carved

with great care in butter.

As the sun melts them, they become

a reminder that nothing lasts.

The rising star of the cabinet,

Minister Ngawang Jigme...

...made an offering of his own

to greet the Chinese generals...

...and lead them through Lhasa.

Raising their flag is an honor

the Chinese don't deserve.

When you are not strong enough to fight,

you should embrace your enemy.

With both arms around you,

he cannot point a gun at you.

Nothing in politics

is a matter of honor, my friend.

History repeats itself,

even in paradise.

General, we shall have

our audience with His--

General, the monks have been making

this mandala of sand for many days.

It is a symbol of

enlightenment and peace.

General!

We do not sit lower than he does.

But, General,

it is our custom.

I can sit down there.

Your Holiness,

this is General Chang Jing Wu...

General Than Gua,

General Than Gua San.

They wish to have

an audience with you.

May you have happiness

and prosperity.

They are promising regional autonomy

and religious freedom...

...if Tibet accepts that China

be its political master.

Until I attain my majority, the

regent is the political leader of Tibet.

You should have requested

an audience with him...

...to discuss these important matters

of the world.

My experience of such things is limited.

I am a simple Buddhist monk.

All I know is the scripture

and the words of Lord Buddha.

He said, "All beings tremble

before danger and death.

Life is dear to all.

When a man considers this,

he does not kill or cause to kill."

You must understand.

These words are ingrained

in the heart of every Tibetan.

It is why we are a peaceful people

who reject violence on principle.

I pray you will see this is

our greatest strength...

...not our weakness.

I thank you for your visit.

An offering to the Enlightened Ones.

Religion is poison.

The Chinese have attacked

the Tibetan frontier near Den-Go.

No!

"Today at the dawn, 84,000 troops

of the 1st and 2nd Field Armies...

...under the overall command

of General Chang Jing Wu...

...attacked the Tibetan frontier

near Den-Go.

The Tibetan army believes

an attack on Chamdo is imminent.

Ngawang Jigme,

our newly appointed governor...

...is preparing to send troops

toward the Chinese column...

...in order to stop their progression."

As you know Ngawang Jigme,

Chamdo is the gateway to Tibet.

If Chamdo falls, the whole Tibet will fall.

If I did not know that, I would not

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