TIBET, THE UNKNOWN

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 17

TIBET, THE UNKNOWN

OTAGO MISSIONARY’S IMPRESSIONS. A LAND OF PROMISE. Tibet, and the remotest western fastnesses of the great Chinese Republic, where he has laboured in the mission held for six years, appeal strongly to Mr Huston Edgar aa sources of world supplies of fat cattle and fine foods. Mr Edgar is a New Zealander, hailing from Tapanui. He is a son of Mr Adam Edgar, of Tapanui, and is at present attached to the China Inland Mission. Just now he is in Shanghai, having only recently returned from a long sojourn in Tibet, where he has been engaged on mission work and scientific study. Having nad his headquarters at Tachienlu for the past quarter of a century, Mr Edgar has had the time and opportunity to learn much of the resources of a country of which comparatively little is known to the outside world. Tachienlu is the commercial centre of Tibet, and upon it converge all roach from mountain fastnesses and fertile tea fields. THE TEA INDUSTRY. To the Tibetan, says Mr Edgar, this ranks second only to religion. Tea is produced in great quantities, and forms the magnet which draws Chinese domination and supervision to a country that would otherwise be left to its own devices Because of its possibilites in the tea line, Tibet is being developed along wholly, unnatural lines by Chinese interference. China, says Mr Edgar, is obsessed with the idea of agricultural development. The pastoral industry does not appeal to the Chinese mind. Any country that cannot be farmed is regarded as a mistake of Nature. As a result of this, China is pushing the tea industry in Tibet at the expense of the natural industries, from which world recognition could be achieved. % TIBET’S NATURAL PRODUCTS. The natural resources of Tibet, according to the missionary scientist, are surely pastoral. The country is capable of producing to good account wool, meat, dairy produce, and all the products of a cou primarily adopted to stock-raising. Since the Chinese market on the one hand and the Indian market on the other are not open to these products Tibet i 9 forced to conform to tne economic demands ot China. Mr Edgar maintains that there are thousands of acres of grazing land on the uplands of Tibet which are unequalled anywhere in the world. He, has seen a lot of Australian grazing country, and is positive that Australia’s sheep-raising districts suffer in comparison with those of Tibet. In Tibet China has a royal chance, if only she \ ould take her position of controlling neighbour and suzerain seriously. Tibet, says Mr Edgar, is capable of supplying in large quantities beef, mutton, and dairy produce for exP ° rt ' A FUTURE AHEAD. Despite the present unsatisfactory position in regard to the exploitation of the possibilities of Tibet, Mr Edg-r has an undying faith in the future of the country. In the course of time, he says, the c .onomic barriers at present existing between Tibet and the rest of the world will be broken down, and the dominance held Sy China through the medium of the tea industry will be subservient to the natural intelligence and trading instincts of the Tibetian, who holds *it in his power to supply the world with beef ; mutton, butter, and cheese, to say nothing of the innumerable accessories to stock-raising. LAMAISM. Speaking of Lamaism the popular notion of which is that it is a malignant factor in the community, Mr Edgar says that it is a national institution that has done and is doing a great deal of good for the country. It has had the effect of unifying the country and drawing the people away from their nomadic tendencies nearer the stationary mode of living which will result in a more prosperous people. The lamas of Tibet, according to this traveller who knows them well, have been grossly misrepresented. Lamaism has its commendable features as well as its failings. Mr Edgar considers that it is useless to decry the lama until something worth while has been found to take his place. RELIGION. The Tibetan has an instinctive appreciation of religious values which in part accounts for his receptivity to religious teachings whether familar or unknown. Mr Edgar has found, the people of this strange country most kindly hosts. He received the greatest courtesy from the lamas at all times. He considers, however, that until something with far-reaching effects, similar to those of the Christian religion can be coupled with Christianity, the Tibetan will be more or less inaccessible. Christianity offers Tibet, as yet, no substitute for the complicated system of jamaism around which all Tibetan communities revolve;