Voices from Tibet by Tsering Woeser and Wang Lixiong (translated by Violet Law) Hong Kong University Press 3 stars Amy Russell Over the years, Tsering Woeser and Wang Lixiong have produced an output that highlights their bravery, compassion and unwavering commitment to the preservation of Tibetan culture. Voices from Tibet exemplifies the couple's perseverance through assertive prose that highlights factual accuracy and legitimate reportage. A reliable source of information on Tibet, they have gone out there and done the legwork themselves, so far without facing prison sentences. The book delivers insights into the political, religious, economic and environmental impact of rising China on the Tibet Autonomous Region through a selection of 41 essays and reportage by leading authors on the subject. It presents a series of snapshots that illuminate some of the persecution of Tibetans by their dominant neighbour. Focusing on Tibet's culture, the various ways this manifests itself within the region and through its people, and the manner by which it is suppressed and stifled by Beijing, Voices from Tibet offers a real perspective on the struggles of many Tibetans as they try to hold on to their traditions and identity. The book's introduction by Robert Barnett (Columbia University) provides a good overview of Tibet's history, taking us on a journey through the authors' lives and their vocational development. Throughout the book, we encounter self-immolation, changing landscapes and cityscapes, the quashing of religious celebrations, the desecration of sacred sites, and the negative consequences of economic gain and modernisation. And then there are projections for Tibet's future: how the region's culture and identity might survive, or will be transformed, in the face of modernising China. But while the subject matter is grave, Voices from Tibet is somewhat lacking in depth. The book's five thematic sections come together as something more meaningful and contemplative but the individual chapters leave one feeling a little short-changed. Perhaps the writers' "less is more" approach is necessary in the face of possible persecution, but the book's short length and bite-sized chapters make it hard for one to feel absorbed. This could, however, be a translation problem: the translation does not always seem apt, and the book is not well edited. But to bear a grudge over these factors is to neglect a fundamental aspect of the book. It reveals the sympathetic voices of two intrepid writers who encapsulate the plight of the Tibetan people. As Woeser explains in the book's epilogue: "to write is to bear witness … to bear witness is to give voice". Through their tellings and retellings of acts of oppression, upheaval and disrespect in a region tormented by heavy-handed control tactics, Woeser and Wang represent the struggle for freedom, respect and justice.
