China Daily:

We all know that Xizang boasts a time-honored history and culture, and Tibetan culture is splendid. However, there have been some claims that Tibetan culture is not being adequately protected and is at risk of disappearing. What are your thoughts on this issue? What measures has the regional government undertaken to address this concern? Thank you.

Wang Haizhou:

Thank you for your questions. Xizang has consistently promoted principles and policies conducive to protecting and developing the fine culture in ethnic minority areas. Especially since the 18th CPC National Congress, the fine traditional culture in Xizang has been protected and inherited like never before, as Mr. Wang Gang and Mr. Yan Jinhai briefed just now. First, the protection and inheritance of our intangible cultural heritage (ICH) has been very effective. Let me share a set of data to illustrate this. Since 2012, the central government and the Xizang local government have cumulatively invested 325 million yuan to support Xizang's ICH protection endeavors. Gesar , Tibetan opera, and the Lum medicinal bathing of Sowa Rigpa of Xizang have been registered on the United Nations Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Now, Xizang, with a population of only over 3.6 million, has 2,800 ICH items at all levels with 1,668 bearers. There are four production pilots under state-level protection , 12 production pilots under regional-level protection, eight ICH counties and villages, 19 ICH tourist sites, 159 bases for training ICH practitioners, and 153 part-time Tibetan opera troupes in Xizang. We have completed 10 projects for building ICH protection and utilization facilities and finished recording and conserving the knowledge and skills of 30 senior ICH bearers on the national list and 10 ICH bearers on the regional list. We now have 173 ICH workshops across the region, achieving a transition from individual to group dynamic ICH inheritance.

Second, in terms of the construction of public cultural facilities, there is a five-tiered network of public cultural service facilities in place at the levels of village/community, town/township, county/district, city/prefecture, and autonomous region. There are now libraries, people's art halls and museums in all of Xizang's cities/prefectures, all-purpose cultural centers in the counties/districts, and cultural activity stations in towns/townships. Xizang boasts 5,492 performing troupes at the administrative village level. That is to say, each administrative village has an artistic performing team.

Third, the protection and utilization of cultural relics has been comprehensively strengthened. The country has invested nearly 400 million yuan for protection and maintenance projects relating to the three key cultural relics in Xizang: the Potala Palace, Norbulingka, and the Sakya Monastery. At present, we have three world cultural heritage sites, 70 key cultural relics protection units at the state level, and 616 cultural relics protection units at the autonomous region level. The country has invested 660 million yuan in the renovation and expansion of the Tibet Museum, which has greatly improved the situation of cultural relic protection. Our museum, if not the best in China, should be one of the best. When you are visiting Lhasa, Xizang, you may visit our museum so that you can see for yourself. 

Fourth, the census of ancient books across the autonomous region has been completed and the results have been put to use. We have finished the census and registration of ancient books from 1,160 collection units as well as individuals in all of Xizang's cities/prefectures, totaling more than 13,700 pieces. At the same time, we have produced more than 69,000 images of ancient books to preserve their version information, preliminarily forming a network for ancient book census and protection led by the ancient book protection center of Xizang and joined by local cultural departments, collection units and individuals. With 300 million yuan earmarked by the central government, a 10-year project to protect and utilize cultural relics in Potala Palace, such as ancient books and Pattra-leaf Scriptures, has been progressing smoothly. Across the autonomous region, 291 cases of rare ancient books have been included in the Catalog of National Rare Books of China. Four collection units, at the Tibet Museum, the Potala Palace management office, the Xizang archives bureau (museum), and the Norbulingka management office, were listed as national key units for ancient books protection. Thank you.