In the view of Alai, a Tibetan novelist, globalization might help the spread of Tibetan culture.
"I have readers well beyond China," Alai says. "I'm working to have more."
The 51-year-old novelist won China's top literary award in 2000 with his 1998 work, "The Dust Settles." It chronicles the waning days of the once-powerful Tibetan chieftains and the rough, extraordinary life of serfs in the 1940s.
The English edition of his novel was later published by Boston-based Mariner Books in 2003 under the title "Red Poppies," making Alai a member of an elite group of Chinese authors whose works have been translated and sold abroad.
"Globalization is an irresistible trend that no area can block, neither the area itself nor any external forces," Alai says. "It's unfair to exclude Tibet from this process."
Alusong treasures the Deng ethnic identity, but feels uncomfortable when members of his ancient clan are observed like rare human specimens.
"We may change our silver cups to mugs," the nostalgic chieftain says. "But any cup would still contain the same buttered tea."
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