Seven Years in Tibet Essay Sample

Seven Old ages in Tibet is a movie based on a book that accounts the existent experiences of the Austrian mountain climber Heinrich Harrer in Tibet during seven old ages. From 1946 to 1952. As a pupil of intercultural communicating. the intent of this essay is to foreground the intercultural differences found in the movie. The narrative is about Heinrich and Peter. two Austrian mountain climbers who help each other for endurance in the wild lands they go through until they reach Tibet. There. intercultural communicating takes topographic point and intercultural differences are clearly seen. This piece of work will briefly indicate out four subjects: beliefs. gestures. protocol and intercultural matrimony. They are related to the five scenes of the film that will be addressed below. The first scene depicts some Tibetan pilgrims walking to the holy metropolis of Lhasa. the capital of Tibet. They believe if they walk long distances to holy topographic points it purifies the bad workss they committed and the more hard the journey the greater the deepness of purification.

A pilgrim’s journey to Lhasa is extremely valued for all Tibetans and a dream for many. The journey can be really long because it has to be from the pilgrim’s place small town ; the farther off. the longer the journey. It can take more than two months for many. During the journey. pilgrims clasp their custodies to forehead. to throat and to bosom and so bow down full-length on the land. This ritual is called “kowtow” and it is practiced to show their honest bosom to Buddha. The uninterrupted kotows hurt the pilgrimages’ brows and the cicatrix is considered a hoarded wealth as it is a symbol of piousness and forbearance. The whole journey is really hard and some Tibetans have died on the manner due to hapless nutrition supply and the labor of the route. ( Web. Tibet. intelligence. cn ) Heinrich makes us cognizant of his beliefs when he writes to his boy: “I can’t say I know where I’m traveling nor whether my bad workss can be purified. There are so many things I have done which I regret but when I come to a full halt. I hope you will understand. ” He refers to this Tibetan pattern as foreign and different for both. from Austria. But at the same clip he states that he portions with the pilgrims the want of been forgiven. The 2nd scene is when Heinrich somewhat boast his accomplishments as a top mountain climber.

To this the Tibetan adult female replied. “ [ … ] you admire the adult male who pushes his manner to the top in any walk of life while we admire the adult male who abandons his self-importance. ” Tibetan Buddhism stresses the single attempt to extinguish craving and fond regard since they’re the beginnings of enduring. ( Communication Between Cultures. 140 ) . To this extent it is understood why Tibetans are non encouraged to pursuit single and selfish ends. The 3rd scene carries gestures. One group of Tibetan villagers clapped their custodies every bit shortly as they saw the two aliens. Heinrich thought they were happy to see them since in Austria and in many states. including ours. people clap in signal of felicity. blessing or wages for a good public presentation of for a good cause. However. Tibetan bang custodies to drive out evil forces. The 4th scene is about protocol. What people have to make or state in certain events. The female parent of Dalai Lama explains to Heinrich the regulations of protocol refering Dalai Lama: “When you are in presence of his Holiness you must ever be standing set in bow. custodies folded in invocation. If seated. you must ever be seated lower than he.

Never look him in the oculus. ne’er speak before he does. Always refer to him as ‘Your Holiness. ’ Never turn your back to him and ne’er. ne’er touch him. ” This brief paragraph merely explained a large sum of inside informations about Tibetan civilization. It says that rubrics are of import ; they clarify the individual’s position right off. It’s a hierarchal society. Dalai Lama is the religious and temporal leader of Tibetan people. It is political relations and faith mixed. It besides tells us that oculus contact is considered to be ill-mannered and should be avoided. particularly between people from different position. On the other manus. Heinrich didn’t know any of this. Austrian society does non pattern Buddhism and it works in a different manner refering to hierarchal position. The 5th scene is the intercultural matrimony between Peter and a Tibetan adult female called Pema Lhaki. Peter seemed to encompass really good Tibetan civilization. He set up in Tibet. Ate Tibetan nutrient and lived in a low house made of stones in the center of the mountains.

He left behind moderns houses made of concrete and steel inside a neighborhood full of people that spoke German. He left behind his household. some friends and the dishes he was used to eat. That’s why intercultural matrimonies are likely to cover with jobs such as what to eat. where to populate. gender functions outlooks. emotional show. values. societal behaviour and so on. ( Communication Between Cultures. 237 ) . Peter chose to fall in and bask Tibetan civilization next to his married woman. This is reflected when he says a little supplication along with her before eating his repast. To reason. I would wish to state that intercultural differences are a hoarded wealth. But it is necessary to be aware and seek to understand. Heinrich and Peter learnt to love Tibetan civilization and were moved by its world. Heinrich ne’er forgot his seven old ages in Tibet and worked to convey the state of affairs in Tibet to international attending and in October 2002. the Dalai Lama presented him with the International Campaign for Tibet’s Light of Truth Award for his attempts. He besides founded the Heinrich Harrer Museum dedicated to Tibet in Austria.

Bibliography:

Book
Larry A. Samovar. R. E. ( 2009 ) . Communication Between Cultures. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Website
A Tibetan’s Pilgrim Journey to Faith. ( 2009 ) . Recuperado el 2012. de China Tibet News: hypertext transfer protocol: //english. chinatibetnews. com/TibetdDiscovery/Belief/2009-03/13/content_214893. htm