Tibet

Situated atop a vast plateau in the Himalayas (him-ah-LAY-uz), the world's tallest mountain range, Tibet is one of the most isolated lands on Earth. Even the name of Tibet's first known king, Srong-brt-san-sgam-po (srawng-burt-SAHNG-SKAHM-poh; ruled 629-50), illustrates how unfamiliar its language and culture are to Westerners. Srong (to simplify his name) ordered the creation of a Tibetan written language and extended his rule into neighboring Nepal (neh-PAHL), as well as parts of India and China.

But the Tibetans would turn out to be a nation of priests, not warriors: Srong also introduced Buddhism and built huge temples and monasteries in and around his capital at Lhasa (LAHS-uh). Though influenced by the Mahayana school, Tibetan Buddhism incorporated elements of a much older native belief system, a religion of gods and demons that included elements of spirit worship and shamanism (SHAH-mun-izm). The religion spread to neighboring mountain lands, reaching as far away as Siberia.

Other distant converts included the Mongols, who in the 1200s succeeded where the Chinese had often failed, bringing Tibet under their political influence. The Tibetans remained linked with the

Mongols long after the decline of Mongol power, and only in the 1700s did China succeed in taking at least a measure of control over the area.

In the mid-twentieth century, China's Communist government annexed the country following a brutal campaign against the peaceful Buddhist monks of Tibet. During the 1990s, the Dalai Lama (DAHL-ee LAH-muh), political leader of Tibet, emerged as a celebrity in the West, where Tibetan political freedom became a popular cause.

Reviewing, and implementing policy. The review board was allowed to criticize the emperor's decisions, and the policy-making branch exercised further checks on imperial authority by making suggestions as well. In a land where strong emperors enjoyed nearabsolute power, it was highly unusual to see a regime exercise such a great degree of openness.

In the area of policy implementation, or carrying out the work of the government, the T'ang system had few rivals. Along the highways and waterways of the empire, the government placed monitoring stations to oversee taxation, review local grievances, police commercial activities, and even provide accommodations for travelers. Overseeing this smoothrunning machine was one of the most talented and highly trained groups of civil servants China had ever seen. Even after T'ang power receded, its administrative system would prevail for several centuries.