二、走上發展進步道路
II. Embarking on the Road to Development and Progress

西藏走上民族區域自治道路，經歷了和平解放、民主改革和自治區成立三個重要歷史發展階段。這一歷史發展過程，是人民翻身解放、實現當家作主的正確選擇，符合西藏各族人民的根本利益。
After three important historical stages - from its peaceful liberation and democratic reform to the establishment of the autonomous region - Tibet has taken the road of regional ethnic autonomy. This historic process was a correct choice the people made to realize liberation and be their own masters, and it was in the fundamental interest of all ethnic groups of Tibet.

——驅逐帝國主義勢力，實現和平解放
-- Driving out imperialist forces, and realizing peaceful liberation

1840年鴉片戰爭后，帝國主義侵華日甚一日，中國逐步淪為半殖民地半封建社會。中國的西藏地區也遭到了帝國主義的侵略。1888年和1904年，面對英國的侵略，西藏軍民進行了英勇的抵抗，但由于清朝政府的腐敗、國力的衰落和封建農奴制度的沒落，抵抗以失敗告終。英國通過強迫當時的清朝政府甚至繞開清朝政府直接脅迫西藏地方政府與其簽訂不平等條約，在西藏攫取了嚴重損害中國主權的一系列特權。經濟上開設商埠，強行通商，劃定江孜、亞東為商埠，常駐英國商務代表，設立固定的官方機構。軍事上駐扎軍隊，在江孜常駐一個連，在亞東常駐一個排。建立由英國人管理、經營并為掠奪服務的基礎設施，包括郵電設施和驛站等，長期為英、印人員和少數西藏分裂分子提供服務。
After the Opium War of 1840, imperialist forces intensified aggression on China, gradually reducing the country to a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society. China's Tibet region also suffered imperialist aggression. In face of the British invasions of 1888 and 1904, Tibetan military and civilians put up a heroic resistance, but it failed due to the corrupt Qing government and declining national strength, and feudal serfdom. Britain coerced the Qing government, even bypassing it and directly forcing the local government of Tibet to sign unequal treaties, thus grabbing a series of privileges in Tibet that seriously damaged the sovereignty of China. Economically, it forcibly opened trading ports there, making Gyantse and Yadong two ports where permanent British trade representatives resided and official institutions were set up. Militarily, it stationed troops, one company in Gyantse and a platoon in Yadong. In addition, it built such infrastructure as posts, telecommunications, and courier stations managed and run by the British that served Britain's pillaging, and provided long-term service for British and Indian officers and a few Tibetan separatists.

擺脫帝國主義侵略，是西藏各族人民和上層愛國人士的迫切愿望。1949年10月1日新中國成立，對西藏人民產生巨大鼓舞，他們熱切盼望中央人民政府早日解放西藏，驅逐帝國主義勢力。十世班禪于中華人民共和國成立當日，致電毛澤東主席和朱德總司令，表示熱忱擁護中央人民政府，請求人民解放軍早日解放西藏。1949年12月，遭受親英勢力迫害而逃往內地的原西藏攝政熱振活佛的近侍堪布益西楚臣，到青海西寧向人民解放軍控訴帝國主義破壞西藏內部團結的罪行，要求迅速解放西藏。著名藏傳佛教大師喜饒嘉措在西安發表談話，譴責帝國主義策劃拉薩當局進行所謂“獨立”的陰謀。
It was the urgent desire of all ethnic groups in Tibet and of upper-class patriots to free Tibet from imperialist aggression. The founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949 was a great inspiration for the people of Tibet. They keenly expected the Central People's Government of China to liberate Tibet and drive out imperialist powers at the earliest opportunity. On October 1, 1949, the very day the People's Republic was founded, the 10th Panchen Erdeni telegraphed Chairman Mao Zedong and Commander-in-Chief Zhu De, expressing his support for the Central People's Government and urging the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) to liberate Tibet as soon as possible. In December 1949, Reting Yeshe Tsultrim, aide to the Fifth Regent Reting Rinpoche who suffered persecution from pro-British forces, arrived in Xining, Qinghai Province, to report to the PLA on imperialist attempts to destroy Tibet's internal unity, urging the PLA to liberate Tibet without delay. Sherab Gyatso, a famous master of Tibetan Buddhism, delivered a talk in Xi'an, denouncing the imperialists for hatching a plot through which Lhasa authorities would seek "independence."

在中央政府和西藏人民的共同努力下，1951年5月23日簽訂了《中央人民政府和西藏地方政府關于和平解放西藏辦法的協議》（簡稱“十七條協議”）。“十七條協議”第一條便是：“西藏人民團結起來，驅逐帝國主義侵略勢力出西藏，西藏人民回到中華人民共和國祖國大家庭中來。”在“十七條協議”中，西藏地方政府也承諾，“積極協助人民解放軍進入西藏，鞏固國防。”5月25日中央人民政府人民革命軍事委員會主席毛澤東發布進軍訓令，全面拉開進軍西藏序幕。西藏各族人民衷心擁護、熱烈歡迎人民解放軍進藏，支持幫助進藏部隊。
Through the efforts of the Central People's Government and of the people of Tibet, the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet (the "17-Article Agreement") was signed on May 23, 1951. The first article stipulated, "The people of Tibet should unite and drive out imperialist aggressive forces; they will return to the family of the People's Republic of China." In the agreement, the local government of Tibet promised to "actively assist the PLA in entering Tibet and consolidating national defense." On May 25, Chairman Mao Zedong of the People's Revolutionary Military Committee of the Central People's Government issued an order, so marking the PLA's entry into Tibet. All ethnic groups of Tibet expressed heartfelt support for and a warm welcome to the PLA, and helped the troops enter Tibet.

中國人民解放軍進軍西藏，驅逐帝國主義勢力出西藏，廢除帝國主義強加給西藏人民的不平等條約，是實現包括藏族人民在內的中華民族解放和獨立的重大歷史事件，自此徹底改變了西藏的歷史命運，為實現西藏各族人民翻身當家作主提供了根本保障。
The PLA troops' entry to Tibet to drive out imperialist forces and abolish unequal treaties that imperialist forces had imposed on the people of Tibet was a major historical event signifying that the Chinese nation, including the Tibetan group, had realized liberation and independence. It utterly changed the history and destiny of Tibet, and provided its various ethnic groups with a fundamental guarantee of being liberated and becoming masters.

——廢除封建農奴制，實現人民翻身作主
-- Abolishing feudal serfdom, and the people becoming masters

20世紀50年代中葉，西藏政教合一的封建農奴制度走到了盡頭。1959年3月10日，西藏反動上層為永保政教合一的封建農奴制度不變，公然撕毀“十七條協議”，在拉薩地區發起全面武裝叛亂。22日，中共中央發出《關于在西藏平息叛亂中實行民主改革的若干政策問題的指示（草案）》，要求在平息叛亂的戰斗中，必須同時堅決地放手發動群眾，實行民主改革。28日，周恩來總理發布國務院命令，決定解散西藏地方政府，由西藏自治區籌備委員會行使西藏地方政府職權，由十世班禪額爾德尼代理西藏自治區籌備委員會主任委員職務。與此同時，中央人民政府提出“邊平叛邊改革”的方針，領導西藏人民掀起了波瀾壯闊的民主改革運動。通過民主改革，徹底摧毀了政教合一的封建農奴制度，實現了人民翻身解放，為建立民族區域自治制度，創造了重要社會歷史條件。
In the mid-1950s, feudal serfdom under theocracy came to an end. To preserve serfdom, the reactionary forces from the upper class of Tibet tore up the "17-Article Agreement" and staged an all-out armed rebellion in Lhasa on March 10, 1959. On March 22, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) issued the Instructions on Several Policy Issues about Carrying out Democratic Reform in Suppressing the Rebellion in Tibet (draft), demanding that troops mobilize the people to carry out democratic reform amid the battles to suppress the rebellion. On March 28, Premier Zhou Enlai promulgated a State Council decree, dissolving the local government of Tibet and ordering that local government power be taken over by the Preparatory Committee of Tibet Autonomous Region, with the 10th Panchen Erdeni acting as its chairman. In the meantime, the Central People's Government implemented a policy of "suppressing the rebellion while conducting reform," and led the Tibetan people in a surging tide of democratic reform. The reform wrecked the feudal serfdom under theocracy, liberating the people and making them their own masters, so creating important social and historical conditions for the establishment of regional ethnic autonomy.

廢除封建農奴制度，建立起人民政權，為在西藏實行民族區域自治，提供了制度條件。到1960年底，全區成立鄉級政權1009個，區級政權283個；78個縣（包括縣級區）和8個專區（市）也成立了人民政權。與此同時，有4400多名翻身農奴和奴隸出身的基層干部成長起來。鄉級干部全是藏族，區級干部90%以上是藏族，并且有300多名藏族干部擔任了縣以上領導職務。
Abolishing the feudal serfdom and establishing the people's regime created institutional conditions for regional ethnic autonomy in Tibet. By the end of 1960, Tibet had established 1,009 organs of state power at the township level, 283 at the district level, 78 at the county level (including county-level districts), and eight at the prefecture (city) level. Meanwhile, more than 4,400 liberated serfs and slaves had become government officials at various levels. All township-level government officials were from the Tibetan group, 90 percent of district-level government officials were Tibetan, and more than 300 Tibetans held leading posts at or above the county level.

1961年4月，西藏各地鄉一級基層普選開始，百萬翻身農奴開始行使從來沒有過的民主權利。1965年8月，西藏鄉縣選舉工作完成，有1359個鄉、鎮進行了基層選舉，有567個鄉、鎮召開了人民代表會議代行人民代表大會職權，西藏大約92%的地方建立了以翻身農奴和奴隸為主的鄉人民政權，54個縣召開了第一屆人民代表會議，選出了正副縣長，建立了縣人民委員會，并選出了人民代表大會代表。
In April 1961, general elections at the township level were held all over Tibet. Hundreds of thousands of liberated serfs and slaves exercised the democratic rights that they had never enjoyed. In August 1965, elections at the township and county levels were completed in Tibet. Altogether 1,359 townships and towns conducted elections at the basic level, and 567 townships and towns held their people's congresses to exercise their functions and power. The people's democratic organs of state power at the township level were established in 92 percent of the Region, the majority of participants being liberated serfs and slaves. In addition, 54 counties held their first session of people's congresses to elect the county magistrates and deputy magistrates, established people's committees and elected deputies to the people's congresses.

廢除農奴主的經濟特權，人民成為生產資料的主人，極大地解放了生產力，保障了西藏人民的生存權利，為實行民族區域自治，奠定了物質基礎。封建農奴制度不僅侵犯人權，摧殘人性，而且嚴重阻礙社會生產力發展，人民連基本的溫飽都沒有保障。民主改革中，約2萬朗生安了家，得到安家糧504萬斤。民主改革解放和發展了西藏的社會生產力，西藏勞動人民再不受農奴主的沉重差稅和高利貸剝削，勞動果實全部留歸自己，生產積極性空前高漲。
Abolishing economic privileges of serf owners enabled the people to become owners of the means of production, greatly liberated the productive forces, and protected Tibetan people's right to subsistence, laying the physical foundation for the practice of regional ethnic autonomy. The feudal serfdom not only infringed upon human rights and destroyed human qualities, but also effectively put a brake on development of social productivity and left people's basic need for clothing and food unguaranteed. During the democratic reform, about 20,000 "nangzan" settled, and were allotted 2,520,000 kilograms of grain. The democratic reform liberated and developed Tibet's social productivity; as a result, the working people of Tibet were freed from heavy corvee, taxes, and usurious exploitation, and were able to keep all the fruits of their hard work. Their enthusiasm for production ran unprecedentedly high.

廢除農奴主的宗教特權，打碎了精神枷鎖，為實行民族區域自治，提供了思想文化條件。在“政教合一”的制度下，宗教直接掌握在農奴主手中，被異化為實施統治壓迫人民的工具。三大領主為了使封建特權神圣化，從精神上奴役人民，凡是與其意志相違背的任何新思想、新文化和科技知識，都被視為異端邪說，禁錮人們的思想，阻礙教育的普及和科學文化的發展。民主改革后，西藏廢除一切封建特權，實行宗教信仰自由政策，實行政教分離，宗教不得干預政治、經濟、文化和社會生活，人民群眾從政教合一的精神枷鎖中解放出來。
Abolishing religious privileges of serf owners shattered the people's spiritual shackles, providing ideological and cultural conditions for the implementation of regional ethnic autonomy in Tibet. Under theocracy, religion was directly controlled by serf owners and used as a tool for ruling and oppressing the people. To sanctify feudal privileges and enslave the people spiritually, the three major estate-holders regarded any new idea, new culture or scientific knowledge that was contrary to their will as heresy, imprisoning people's thinking and hindering the spread of education and scientific and cultural development. Through the democratic reform, Tibet abolished all feudal privileges, implemented the policy of freedom of religious belief, and separated religion from government, so preventing religion from interfering in its politics, economy, culture and social life. The people were thus freed from the spiritual shackles of theocracy.

——成立自治區，走上社會主義道路
-- Establishing Tibet Autonomous Region, and taking the socialist road

實行民族區域自治制度，是西藏廣大人民的共同愿望。“十七條協議”中規定：“根據中國人民政治協商會議共同綱領的民族政策，在中央人民政府統一領導之下，西藏人民有實行民族區域自治的權利。”1954年第一屆全國人民代表大會閉幕后，中央政府領導人毛澤東接見十四世達賴和十世班禪，并告訴他們，“今后西藏不成立軍政委員會，而直接成立西藏自治區籌備委員會，為實行民族區域自治做準備。”兩人均表示同意。之后，根據憲法中關于實行民族區域自治制度的規定，中央著手西藏自治區成立事宜。1954年11月，中央提出了成立西藏自治區籌備委員會的意見。1955年3月，國務院第七次全體會議專題研究了成立西藏自治區籌備委員會和西藏建設的有關問題。此后，中央對西藏自治區籌備委員會的成立進行了具體指導。1956年4月22日，西藏自治區籌備委員會成立大會在新落成的拉薩大禮堂隆重舉行，包括西藏各地區、各民族、各階層、各教派和各群眾團體在內的300多名代表參加或列席了大會，這是西藏歷史上第一次有如此廣泛代表性的人士歡聚一堂，民主協商、共議大事。十四世達賴為西藏自治區籌備委員會主任委員，十世班禪為西藏自治區籌備委員會第一副主任委員。西藏自治區籌備委員會是一個具有政權性質的協商辦事機構，是西藏實行民族區域自治的重要步驟。西藏自治區籌備委員會的成立，使自治區成立工作得到積極推進，但1959年武裝叛亂的發生，嚴重影響了自治區成立工作的進行。平息叛亂后，自治區成立工作得到順利進行。
It was a common wish of the people of Tibet to exercise regional ethnic autonomy. The "17-Article Agreement" stipulated, "According to the ethnic policy in the Common Program of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), under the unified leadership of the Central People's Government, the Tibetan people shall have the right to exercise regional ethnic autonomy." In 1954, after the First National People's Congress closed, Mao Zedong, top leader of the Central People's Government, met with the 14th Dalai Lama and the 10th Panchen Erdeni. Mao told them, "Tibet will not have a military and political committee; instead, the Preparatory Committee of Tibet Autonomous Region will be established to prepare for the exercise of regional ethnic autonomy." The two agreed. Later, according to stipulations in the Constitution about the practice of regional ethnic autonomy, the central government started work on the establishment of Tibet Autonomous Region. In November 1954, the central government proposed to establish the Preparatory Committee of Tibet Autonomous Region. At its Seventh Plenary Meeting held in March 1955, the State Council specifically studied and discussed the matter and issues relating to Tibet's construction. Following the meeting, the central government gave specific instructions on the matter. On April 22, 1956, the founding conference of the Preparatory Committee of Tibet Autonomous Region was held in the newly built Great Hall of Lhasa. Over 300 delegates and non-voting delegates from all ethnic groups, social strata, religions, and social groups throughout Tibet attended the conference. This was the first time in the history of Tibet that people of broad representation gathered for democratic consultation and discussion. The 14th Dalai Lama became chairman of the Preparatory Committee, while the 10th Panchen Erdeni became first deputy chairman. The Preparatory Committee was a consultative administrative body as an organ of political power, an important stepping stone for the exercise of regional ethnic autonomy in Tibet. Its establishment pushed forward the establishment of Tibet Autonomous Region. However, the armed rebellion in 1959 seriously affected the work of its establishment. After the rebellion was quelled, the establishment was carried out smoothly.

1965年9月1日，西藏自治區第一屆人民代表大會第一次會議在拉薩開幕。西藏自治區第一屆人民代表大會選舉產生了西藏自治區機關及其領導人，阿沛·阿旺晉美當選為自治區人民委員會主席，一大批翻身農奴擔任了自治區各級政權機關的領導職務。西藏自治區的成立，標志著西藏建立了人民民主政權，開始全面實行民族區域自治制度。自此，西藏人民享有了自主管理本地區事務的權利，走上了發展進步的社會主義道路。
On September 1, 1965, the First Session of the First People's Congress of Tibet Autonomous Region was inaugurated in Lhasa, and the organs and leaders of the Region were elected, with Ngapoi Ngawang Jigme as the chairman of the People's Committee. A large number of liberated serfs held leading posts in organs of political power at different levels of the Region. The establishment of Tibet Autonomous Region signified that Tibet had set up the people's democratic government and begun to exercise thoroughgoing regional ethnic autonomy. Since then, the people of Tibet have enjoyed the right to handle local affairs themselves, and embarked on the socialist road to development and progress.