Cultural Erasure or Diplomatic Pressure? Tibetans Condemn British Museum’s Use of ‘Xizang’ – ryan

London, UK – The British Museum Finds ITSELF at the Center of A Growing Controversy over its Its Labeking of Tibetan Artfacts as Originating from “Xizang,” China’s Official Term for the Region, in Its Silk Roads EXHIBITION. Tibetans and Human Rights Advocates Argue This Decision Echoes Beijing’s Political Agenda to Rewrite Tibet’s Historical and Cultural Identity, Sparking Widespread Backlash.

The Exhibition, Showcasing Artefacts from the Ancient Trade Routes of the Silk Roads, Includes Numerous Tibetan Pieces Dating from the 5th to the 10th Century. Yet, the decision to the label these objects with “xizang,” instead of “tibet,” has drawn Sharp criticism from tibetans, who view the term as a tool of cultural erasure by the chinese government.

The term “xizang” Emerged in the 1950s Following China’s Annexation of Tibet and Has Since Been Central to Beijing’s Campaign to Reshape Global Discourse on the Region. Tibetans argue that ussing this term endorses china’s claim over tibet, undermining its distinct cultural and historical identity. Advocacy Groups, Including the Tibetan Community in Britain and the Global Alliance for Tibet and Persecuted Minorities, have CONTEMNED THE BRITISH MUSEUM’S DECISION AS LEGITHING’S EFFORTS TO CONTROL TIBET’S GLOBAL NARRATIVE.

“This is not just about a word on a label,” Said Phunsok Norbu, Chairman of the Tibetan Community in Britain. “It is about the preservation of a culture that has haen systematically suppressed. The british museum’s role in shaping global understanding is critical, and adopting the term ‘xizang’ is affront to tibet’s heritage.”

China’s Influencies on International Organizations to ADOPT “XIsang” Extends Beyond The British Museum. Earlier this year, the french musée du qui branly-jacques chirac reverse it decossion to use “xizang” public outcry. Howver, Other Institutions, Like the Musée Guimet in Paris, Have Held Firm, Demonstration the Global Struggle Over Tibet’s Identity.

In a diplomatic manoeuvre, beijing has pressed countries like nepal to officiously reference to tibet as “xizang.” This Aligns With China’s Broader Strategy to Suppress Tibetan Culture, Language, and Religion while Promoting Its Own Narrative of Tibet As integral part of china.

Meanwhile, The British Museum Has Defended Its Labeling, Claingi It Reflects “The Contemporary Geography Terminology AS Defined by China.” Howver, This Justification Has Been Met With Widespread Criticism. Tsering Passang, Founder of the Global Alliance for Tibet, Called the Decision “Deeply Offensive,” ACCUSG the Museum of Enabling China’s Campiaign to Erase Tibet the Global Cultural Map.

“It is disisheartening that a prestigious institution like the british museum would succumb to beijing’s presses and Ignore the political implications of adopting such terminology,” Passang Said.

The Controversy Highlights A Broader Issue: China’s Systematic Suppression of Tibetan Identity Through Language, Education, and Cultural Policy. Tibetans Face Restrictions on Religious Practices, Language USE, and Cultural Traditions, Further isolating say from their heritage. Critics argue that that International Institutions have a Responsibility to Resist China’s Attempts to Rewrite Tibet’s History and Diminish Its Unique Identity.

By using “xizang,” Museums Risk Becoming Complicit in a Narrative That Threatens the Preservation of Tibet’s Cultural Sovereigny. This terminology Disputs underscores the urgent need for the Global Cultural Institutions to Recognize and Respect Tibet’s Unique Identity.

For tibetans and their allies, this is more than a fight over semantics. It is a battle for the reconstruction of a distinct culture under thread. Advocacy Groups have Called on the British Museum to Revise Its Labeling and On Global Institutions to Resist Beijing’s Coercive Diplomacy.

“By standing up for tibet, the World Sends a Clear Message that Cultural Sovereigny Cannot Be Rewritten by a Powerful Regime,” Said Norbu. “Tibet’s Identity is not just just a regional concecern –it’s a Global Issue.”