Story Abstract – Synopsis of a Sequential Art Tale of the Struggle of Tibet

The clash between China and Tibet ensued in centuries and centuries of war and blood shed. For years, Tibet endured oppression and many hardships as the Tibetan people continue to fight for their country’s independence. In this sequential art piece, the tale of Tibet and its people’s efforts is told through the eyes of a great leader and the people who are in the midst of it all.
The story begins at an elevated point in the current Tibetan situation. The event started on March 10, which was about the same time nearly over forty years ago that another riot rose against the Chinese rule. The uproar was lit aflame by monks in a monastery who wanted to bring back the Dalai Lama from exile. The tale is first told through the perspective of a young monk, Rabten Gyaltso, who accompanies the Dalai Lama in his sanctuary in India and in his travels. When Rabten first hears the news about this surprising occurrence, he immediately tries to find the Dalai Lama. He finds that the Dalai Lama is in the temple, but Rabten also hears him talking to someone. The Dalai Lama is actually in deep meditation and his spirit has ventured out of the confines of his body and talks to the spirit of Ghandi about the current plight that he faces. Rabten is shocked and embarrassed to see this. Once the Dalai Lama finishes his discussion with Ghandi, he and Rabten have a conversation of their own. Rabten is very wise for his young age, however he sees the protesting as justified and right. It is at this point that the Dalai Lama’s wisdom comes into play and decides to show Rabten the true nature of what is happening, by showing him excerpts of the pivotal moments in Tibetan History.
The Dalai Lama takes Rabten into a spiritual journey into the past, to a time where one may be able to see the true ramifications of a country torn by conflict. In the beginning of their journey the Dalai Lama briefly shows the life of Buddha through many different colorful visions, that display the teachings of Buddha himself. Then, their journey brings them forward into the 20^th century into the life of the Dalai Lama, looking over the beginnings of the making of a great spiritual leader. They are soon brought into 1950, the year when the Chinese People’s Liberation Army invaded Tibet. In that same year the Dalai Lama becomes the official spiritual and political leader of Tibet when he was merely fifteen years old. Their journey takes a turn when they look into the life of one Tibetan boy who is in the middle of this invasion. Lobsang Namkha was just nine years old when the Chinese raided and occupied his village, and he lost is father to a Chinese soldier when his father refused their demands. Eight years later in 1959, Lobsang is in love with Nima, a young village beauty admired by everyone. In that same year, there was a Tibetan uprising against the Chinese, because Tibetans couldn’t take the injustice any longer. Lobsang becomes a part of the protests, but along with that he, the Dalai Lama and Rabten witness the horrific atrocities and incidents that were brought upon the Tibetan people. The Chinese retaliated to the riots with a vengeance; monasteries were burned, women were raped, thousands of innocent men, women and children were massacred. In the midst of this the Dalai Lama was undergoing confusion, fright, and his spirit was weakened to oversee the Chinese as they raped his land and his people. He was barely twenty four when the uprising tookplace. In this time, he received one of his first visits from Ghandi who helped console the Dalai Lama about what was happening. The perspective then goes back to Lobsang, who then finds that Nima has been abused and murdered by a Chinese soldier. Out of anger and vengeance, Lobsang hastily attempts to kill a Chinese soldier but in turn injures his arm to the point where it must be amputated. After realizing what he has done, Lobsang tries to make amends and becomes a monk. However, within that same year of 1959, the Dalai Lama was forced into exile and nearly one hundred thousand of Tibetans were forced to migrate out of the country. The journey takes on a brief compilation of events focusing on the Dalai Lama’s own journey and his struggle to bring upon freedom, justice, and independence for his beloved country.

Their spiritual journey comes to an end and Rabten is incredibly enlightened from it. Although it has been said that the Dalai Lama is the one who has justified and overlooked these protests, it became clear to Rabten that rioting and violence are not always the effective way to gain freedom. Having had this sudden epiphany, Rabten returns to Tibet to hopefully find his family and aid in the current situation. However, when he comes back (he hasn’t been in Tibet since he was fifteen), he finds that his city is still filled with riots and uproar. Soon, he discovers that his head strong brother, Jigme, who is also a monk, was arrested along with many other people who were involved in the riots. Rabten travels around the capitol city of Lhasa to try to empathize with his fellow Tibetans, but still warn them that these protests are not safe or right to themselves. News then arrived to Rabten that a monastery was let afire and forty monks were burned alive inside the monastery. Rabten was incredibly distressed and outraged at what happened, and almost wanted to retaliate and bring upon more riots and protest. But then he remembered the spiritual journey that he and the Dalai Lama went through and he understood what he must do. He left Tibet, but he did not join the Dalai Lama again in India. Rabten set his own mission, very much similar to the Dalai Lama’s, and decided to provide the world with his own teachings, based on the teachings of Buddha and the Dalai Lama. In this way he would be able to enlighten others as well and spread the word of peace, love and forgiveness.