Tibet’s history is ancient, complex, and politically sensitive. It spans thousands of years, with periods of independence, foreign influence, and integration with imperial China. Below is a detailed timeline and explanation of Tibet’s history, including its status in relation to China, Nepal, and India.
๐ฐ️ Timeline of Tibet's History
Period
Description
Status
Before 7th century CE
Indigenous Bon religion thrives; tribal confederacies exist across the plateau
Pre-state tribal society
c. 618–842 CE
Tibetan Empire: Founded by Songtsen Gampo; expanded into Central Asia, parts of Nepal, and China
Independent empire
842–1247 CE
Post-empire fragmentation into regional kingdoms; Buddhism spreads
Politically fragmented, de facto independent
1247–1354
Mongol conquest; Tibet under Yuan Dynasty (Mongol Empire) suzerainty; Sakya lama governs under Mongol patronage
Under Mongol (Chinese Yuan) suzerainty
1354–1642
Rise of Phagmodrupa and later Tsangpa dynasties
Independent rule, minimal Chinese influence
1642–1720
Ganden Phodrang government under 5th Dalai Lama with help from Mongol allies (Gรผshi Khan)
Independent theocracy, Mongol protection
1720–1911
Qing dynasty sends Ambans (imperial residents); Tibet becomes Qing protectorate; some autonomy
Qing (Manchu China) suzerainty, semi-autonomous
1911–1951
Fall of Qing → Tibet expels Chinese officials; operates as a de facto independent state, maintains foreign relations (e.g., with Britain and India)
Independent (de facto)
1950–1951
PRC invades (Battle of Chamdo); 17-Point Agreement signed under pressure
Annexed by PRC (People's Republic of China)
1959
Tibetan uprising crushed; Dalai Lama flees to India
Under Chinese occupation, government-in-exile formed
1965–present
Tibet Autonomous Region established under PRC; heavy repression, cultural control
Part of China, disputed status internationally
๐ Key Phases Explained
๐ฏ 1. Tibetan Empire (7th–9th Century)
Founder: Songtsen Gampo (618–649 CE)
Expanded west into Nepal, south into parts of India, and east into China.
Married Chinese (Tang) and Nepalese princesses; fostered early Buddhism.
Independence: Strong central empire; rival to Tang China.
⚔️ 2. Fragmentation & Mongol Era (9th–14th Century)
After collapse of empire (~842), Tibet fragmented into local kingdoms.
In 1247, Tibet submitted to Mongol rule, later incorporated into Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368).
Tibetan lamas held religious authority; Mongols respected Tibetan Buddhism.
๐️ 3. Post-Mongol Local Rule (1354–1642)
Rise of indigenous Tibetan dynasties (Phagmodrupa, Rinpungpa, Tsangpa).
Tibet ruled itself without Chinese interference.
๐ 4. Theocracy Under the Dalai Lamas (1642–1720)
5th Dalai Lama, with Mongol military support, unifies Tibet under the Ganden Phodrang government.
Establishes Tibetan theocracy combining religion and politics.
๐ 5. Qing Dynasty Control (1720–1911)
Manchu Qing emperors assert control, station Ambans in Lhasa.
Chinese military interventions in 1720, 1792 (after Nepal-Tibet war).
However, Tibet retained substantial autonomy, especially in local affairs.
๐ฉ 6. De Facto Independence (1911–1951)
Qing fall → Tibet expels Chinese officials and declares independence.
Tibet functions independently, has army, currency, and foreign diplomacy (though not widely recognized).
British India signs treaties with Tibet (Simla Convention, 1914).
๐จ๐ณ 7. PRC Takeover (1950–present)
In 1950, PLA invades eastern Tibet.
In 1951, 17-Point Agreement (signed under duress) makes Tibet part of PRC.
1959 uprising leads to brutal crackdown; Dalai Lama flees to India.
Today, Tibet is administered as an Autonomous Region, but faces accusations of cultural genocide and repression.
๐ Tibet's Relations with Nepal and India Over Time
๐ณ๐ต Tibet-Nepal Relations
Ancient ties: Nepalese princess Bhrikuti married Songtsen Gampo; Nepal helped introduce Buddhism to Tibet.
Trade & Religion: Close economic ties; Nepalese merchants active in Lhasa; cross-border monasteries.
Wars: 18th-century wars between Tibet and Nepal led to Chinese Qing intervention (1792).
Post-1950s: Nepal initially hosted Tibetan refugees but increasingly came under Chinese pressure to limit Tibetan activism.
๐ฎ๐ณ Tibet-India Relations
Spiritual bond: Tibetans revered India as the land of the Buddha; major pilgrimages to Bodh Gaya.
British India: British intervened in Tibet (Younghusband Expedition, 1904), later negotiated border treaties.
Post-independence:
India initially accepted Tibet's de facto autonomy.
After PRC takeover, India hosted Dalai Lama and 100,000+ refugees.
1962 Sino-Indian War partly triggered by China’s occupation of Tibet and disputed borders.
India continues to host the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamshala.
๐ Summary: Tibet’s Historical Status
Period
Status
7th–9th century
Independent Empire
1247–1354
Mongol (Yuan Dynasty) suzerainty
1354–1642
Independent local rule
1642–1720
Independent theocracy (with Mongol alliance)
1720–1911
Qing suzerainty (semi-autonomous)
1911–1951
De facto independence
1951–present
Under PRC control (internationally disputed)
๐งญ Contemporary Context
The Central Tibetan Administration (government-in-exile) seeks genuine autonomy, not independence, under the Middle Way Approach.
Tibet remains a sensitive geopolitical flashpoint between China and India.
Its history is cited by supporters of Tibetan autonomy and Chinese nationalists alike to justify competing narratives.
Fewer Than 100 Companies Are Warming the Planet — And the Himalayas Are Paying the Price
Introduction: A Global Crisis With a Concentrated Source
The climate crisis feels like a collective burden — and it is. But not equally. A landmark 2017 study by the Carbon Majors Database revealed a striking truth: just 100 companies are responsible for over 70% of global industrial greenhouse gas emissions since 1988.
This changes everything. Climate change is not the diffuse result of billions of personal choices — it's overwhelmingly driven by the business models of a few fossil fuel giants, utilities, and state-owned entities. While their profits soar, the most fragile ecosystems — especially the Himalayas — bear the brunt of their emissions. And the stakes couldn't be higher: the Himalayas are the water tower of Asia, feeding rivers that serve over 2 billion people.
The Carbon Majors: Who’s Really Responsible?
According to data compiled by the Climate Accountability Institute, the following companies are among the top emitters responsible for cumulative emissions since 1988:
๐ฅ Top Private Fossil Fuel Companies:
Chevron
ExxonMobil
BP
Shell
TotalEnergies
ConocoPhillips
Peabody Energy
Lukoil
Arch Resources
Repsol
๐ญ Top State-Owned Fossil Fuel Entities:
Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia)
Gazprom (Russia)
National Iranian Oil Co.
Coal India
Pemex (Mexico)
CNPC (China)
Petrobras (Brazil)
Kuwait Petroleum Corp.
Petronas (Malaysia)
Sonatrach (Algeria)
The remaining dozens are other national oil and gas firms, cement producers, coal miners, and electricity generators — almost all concentrated in fossil-intensive industries.
๐ The Takeaway:
These companies knew the risks of climate change for decades.
Many actively lobbied against climate science and policy.
They continue to expand oil, gas, and coal operations even now.
The Himalayas: Ground Zero for Climate Impact
Nowhere is this negligence more devastating than the Himalayan region — home to the world’s third-largest ice mass after Antarctica and the Arctic.
Why Are the Himalayas So Vulnerable?
Warming Twice as Fast: The Himalayas are heating up twice as fast as the global average.
Glacier Melting: Over 30% of Himalayan glaciers are set to disappear by 2100 even if warming is kept under 1.5°C.
Risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs): Melting glaciers form unstable lakes that can burst, flooding valleys and destroying entire villages.
Disrupted Monsoon Patterns: Warming alters rainfall, threatening both agriculture and water supply.
Why It Matters: The Himalayas Feed the World
The Himalayas aren't just majestic peaks — they are the lifeblood of Asia.
๐ The Himalayan Watershed:
Feeds 10 major rivers: Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, Mekong, Yangtze, Yellow River, Salween, Sutlej, Amu Darya, and Karnali.
Provides water to 2 billion+ people across India, China, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, and beyond.
Powers hydroelectricity for dozens of cities.
Supports irrigation systems, drinking water, and sanitation.
If the glaciers vanish, these rivers may become seasonal or intermittent, leading to:
Droughts and famine
Mass migrations
Water wars between nations
Climate Justice: The Global North Profits, the Global South Pays
Many of the carbon majors are based in or serve wealthier nations. But their emissions devastate developing countries that contributed the least to the crisis:
Nepal, Bhutan, and northern India have minimal historical emissions.
Yet they face floods, landslides, droughts, and economic disruption.
These countries lack the resources for large-scale mitigation and adaptation.
This is a textbook case of climate injustice — one where the polluters are not the sufferers, and the sufferers never gave their consent.
Big Oil vs. the Himalayas: A Moral Reckoning
If Shell or Chevron drills another well, a glacier in Ladakh retreats.
If Aramco expands oil output, a village in Uttarakhand faces flood risk.
If Coal India ramps up production, Kathmandu chokes with toxic air.
There is no ethical justification left for continued fossil fuel expansion, especially when renewable alternatives are now cheaper, faster, and cleaner.
Call to Action: Averting a Himalayan Catastrophe
1. Hold the Carbon Majors Accountable
Climate litigation is rising. These companies must pay reparations for the damage they've caused.
Carbon taxes and liability frameworks must be globalized, not just national.
2. Protect Himalayan Ecosystems
Ban or heavily regulate high-altitude development.
Invest in early warning systems for floods and landslides.
Promote community-led adaptation efforts.
3. Push for Global Emissions Justice
The Global North must fund loss and damage mechanisms.
Phase out fossil subsidies and redirect funds to clean energy for the Global South.
Recognize water security as a geopolitical issue, not just environmental.
Conclusion: The Ice Is Melting — And So Is Time
Less than 100 companies — through willful negligence and profiteering — have put the future of billions at risk. Their emissions are eroding the Himalayas, river by river, glacier by glacier.
The fight for the Himalayas is not just about mountains. It’s about human dignity, justice, and survival. If we can’t stop a few dozen companies from destroying the planet’s most vital water source, then what exactly is civilization worth?
The time for polite negotiation is over. It’s time to name names, assign responsibility, and act — for the Himalayas, and for the billions who depend on their snow-fed grace.
India has a massive, massive unemployment problem. Even when there is some economic growth, the jobs are not being created. And China is one country that actually knows how to solve that problem. And it might even be eager to help.
That is why it is important to settle the border dispute with Pakistan. Because the same formula that will settle the dispute with Pakistan will also settle the long border dispute with China, the longest in the world.
The India-Pakistan border and the China-India border are unnecessarily militarized. Both need to be turned into trade membranes.
There is a region in Nepal called Karmali. It is right by Tibet in the west of Nepal. Karnali, about 500 years ago, used to be a prosperous empire, big enough to be called a civilization. Today Karnali is destitute. It has unimaginable poverty. It is because Karnali is like a house with all its windows closed. China has sealed the border with Tibet. That hampers trade or rather suffocates it.
Peace with Pakistan is important because peace with China is also important. Trade solves many problems. Peace is the greatest dividend of trade. Prosperity is secondary, but not minor.
The political solution is one country, two systems. That is what Beijing accepted when it reclaimed the territory of Hong Kong.
The protests are so large scale. They represent the sentiment of the people in Hong Kong.
This is not about changing the political system in China. This is about keeping the political system in Hong Kong. Beijing should not have problems with that.
More than 10 weeks of protests with the Hong Kong airport shut down --- that is enough. The message is loud and clear and it needs to be heard.
The agreement of one country, two systems was between Britain and Beijing. Britain has a moral responsibility to speak up.
This revolution is being webcast live. China should not think there is a military solution to this. There has not been a police solution. Obviously. What are you going to do that the Hong Kong police has not already done? Any attempt by the Chinese military to try to mow down the protesters out in the streets is going to infect the Chinese mainland. China could see large scale protests inside China itself. 1989 will have come to China.
Or, it could negotiate with the protesters. Accept their demands. They want the CEO of Hong Kong - or whatever her title is - out. Well, let her go. They want the extradition bill scrapped. Well, scrap it. They want the chief executive of Hong Kong to be directly elected by the people of Hong Kong. Well, do it already. They want all members of the Hong Kong legislature directly elected by the people. I say, why not? They want the one country, two systems to be permanent. Make it permanent.
Carrie Lam does not have the authority to accept or reject these demands. The Hong Kong protest leaders seek to negotiate with Xi Jinping.
Accept the demands or prepare for the collapse of the Chinese Communist Party inside China itself. Should that happen, finally the unification with Taiwan can happen. Taiwan is proof Chinese people can prosper without a communist party running the show. Maybe what China needs is to get rid of the communist party to avoid the middle-income trap. You don't want to get trapped.
The Chinese constitution actually has provisions for things like free speech and other parties besides the communist party. But the fact on the ground is otherwise.
A 25% tariff on 100% of Chinese exports to the United States will bring 1989 to China. Hong Kong is leading the way. If there is a military crackdown in Hong Kong, the rest of the world should follow the US lead and also slap tariffs on Chinese exports. You might only have to do it for a few short weeks.
The world can not watch idly by. No massacre can be allowed to happen. When the people revolt like they are revolting in Hong Kong, they are always right.
A 1989 will create a federal China. Tibet will become the Arunachal Pradesh of China.
Military intervention in Hong Kong will be the death knell for the Chinese Communist Party in China. 30 years after 1989, the winds are blowing again.
There are protests also in Moscow.
The Hong Kong protesters are not organized enough. Become one organization with an elected central committee and leadership. Elect one person to be your leader and spokesperson. Basically, form one political party.
So far the protest organizers have focused on organizing the protests themselves. And they have done a fabulous job. The scale of the protests is incomparable to anything in recent history anywhere. But the organization has to go one level up. It has to become political. Five million people need to form one democratic political organization. It can be done quickly through digital tools.
These protests are like New Year's Eve in Times Square, only much, much larger, and much more sustained. One year I stood for 10 hours near Times Square. This has been going on for 10 weeks.
Ordinary citizens in the 100 biggest cities of the world all need to gather in their own cities to express solidarity with the people of Hong Kong. The governments of the world need to speak up against any possible military interventions before they happen.
There are Chinese in Hong Kong. But then there are also Chinese in London, and New York City, and Sydney. They should form the nucleus around which the non-Chinese should also congregate. One solidarity protest gathering on a Saturday or Sunday will send a strong signal to the leaders of the world. The Chinese diaspora needs to wake up.
Freedom is truly an internal matter. It is a matter of the heart.
If in 1890 the British Empire recognized Tibet to have been Chinese territory and dealt with the Chinese state on all matters Tibet, perhaps it is not true that China invaded Tibet in the 1950s. That is the point China intended to prove through this standoff and it has done so. China did not back down. China proved its point. Done and over with.
Doka La border standoff: India, China announce end of two-month long impasse via carefully staged face-saver https://t.co/qk9eBCuGwe
