Virtual Tibet: Searching for Shangri-La from the Himalayas to Hollywood

by Orville Schell

Book Overview

The Dalai Lama meets The Player-from the Himalayas to Hollywood, a fantastic journey into the West's longstanding dream of Tibet. What has made remote, mountainous Tibet and its only real celebrity, the Dalai Lama, so abidingly fascinating to the West? From Marco Polo's vision of Tibet as a land of enchanters to James Hilton's dream of Shangri-la in Lost Horizon, why have Westerners projected their yearnings onto that inaccessible place as onto no...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0805043810
• ISBN13: 9780805043815
• Release Date: May 2000
• Publisher: Metropolitan Books
• Length: 340 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Virtual Faddism

Orville Schell's works have always been exquisite. Written in a crisp style, penetrating in analysis, his books have never failed to breathe life into their subjects and leave the reader more informed than before. Expecting the same tour de force as found in Mandate of Heaven and Discos and Democracy, I was not disappointed with Virtual Tibet: Searching for Shangri-La from the Himalayas to Hollywood. Schell tackles a topic that receives plenty of discussion and fanfare, but has experienced precious little objective study in recent years. Tibet has labored under the political and cultural repression of the People's Republic of China since 1951. Many believe that China is slowly committing cultural genocide through its repression of Tibetan religious and cultural customs and by encouraging vast numbers of Han Chinese to settle in Tibet. With the help of a charismatic Dalai Lama and throngs of Hollywood stars, the Tibetan issue has received a disproportionate amount of attention relative to its importance in world events. Whereas one struggles to find "Free East Timor" bumper stickers on cars, "Free Tibet" stickers are far more ubiquitous. The strong point of Schell's work is his analysis of Hollywood's fascination with Tibet. He interviews many of the most visible promoters of the Tibetan cause and also provides fly-on- the-wall accounts of numerous "Free Tibet" Hollywood functions and the making of the movies Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet. Through his interviews and observations, Schell largely confirms what I have suspected for years. Hollywood's promotion of the Tibetan cause has less to do with its relative merits than it does with the fact that it has become a fashionable issue in which to be associated. The Tibetan cause has become a virtual Rohrsach test in which Hollywood supporters can use to feel better about what ails them spiritually and politically. Schell's works demonstrate an uncanny ability of meeting all the right people and convincing them to reveal their true feelings. Instead of Communist Party officials or Chinese gangsters as in his previous works, Schell is somehow able to elicit revealing quotes from otherwise elusive individuals such as Steven Seagal and Brad Pitt. Although nobody has complained about being misquoted to my knowledge, I hope this reflects Schell's skill as an interviewer. It would be a shame if a writer and journalist of Schell's quality needed to embellish his subject's words for better copy. Schell succeeds in making the subject of Tibetan history more entertaining for the general reader without sacrificing content. Schell's Virtual Tibet is an informative and well-rounded work, lifting much of the mystique from an esoteric, yet prominent subject. While Schell sympathizes with their cause, he is able to remove the veil of motivation from Hollywood's Tibetan supporters. Many readers may have expected Schell to delve deeper into the issues surrounding China and Tibet, but this would h

A Sober Look at an Intoxicating Subject

Orville Schell has written a pretty good book. The basic premise of the book is that anything that Hollywood touches is going to suffer distortion. It's simply a primal fact of the beast. And what a beast it is! Equal parts whore, dreamer, cynical businesman, and hopeless idealist. Schell is very good at examining the strange interaction between Hollywood and the Tibetan exiles. And I think he does it in a not unkind manner.The present Dalai Lama is an enormously attractive figure. He's a wonderful spokesmen for Tibetan Buddhism. His spirituality, sincerity, intelligence, and integrity seem to me to be beyond reproach. However, there is more to Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan history than the present Dalai Lama. Regardless of what you think of the present gang in Beijing, what type of society was Tibet before the Chinese takeover? Schell describes it, more or less, as an oppressive feudalistic theocracy. Tibet as something short of Shangri-la. Schell depicts the old Tibet as being a dark, oppressive, and decidedly filthy place. We can condemn the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the suppression of the Tibetan people without creating fantasies of the old Tibet days. Schell is essentially calling for a realistic view of the historical events. By understanding a bit of the history of the area we may come to a more realistic idea of what needs to be done. The best political solution may be the type of compromise that Schell seems to suggest. This compromise seems to be along the lines of what the Dalai Lama has proposed in recent years.Religion and reason often do not share the same realm. This is a truism that seems to be as valid for some of the adherents of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the followers of Jimmy Swaggert and Jerry Falwell. Buddhism has a wonderful spirtual tradition--as does Christianity and other religions. However, upon what authority do people consider the Tibetan brand of Buddhism to be superior to the SE Asian, the Japanese, etc. versions of Buddhism? The 4 noble truths and the 8 fold path are the same for all the different flavors of Buddhism. The present Dalai Lama's character strikes me as impeccable. But what of the other Tibetan Buddhist religious figures that came to the West in recent decades to proclaim the dharma? It's my understanding that many of them fell victim to the temptations of our modern culture: money, sex, drugs, etc. It's our human nature--as Schell--points out to want to think that there is some magical place or idea that will remove all of our imperfections. I think he is right in saying that Tibet is another geographic and human place with it's own attendent vices and virtues. I am of the opinion that Buddhism, like the more thoughtful and sincere versions of Christianity, is a marvelous vehicle for spirtual growth. But that growth in any religious tradition is achieved only through strong effort and practice as well as sincere devotion to the teachings.

Tibet for the American Populace.

I read this, because I am an Asian Studies major and know who Prof. Schell is. I wrote a Masters Thesis for my MA from Seton Hall in 1982, called Chinese Communism and Its Impact on Tibet. I am basing this review on reading the book and some of the other comments I've seen in the reviews. It is true, we have always had an fascination with Tibet, because of Lost Horizon, Seven Years in Tibet, etc. I cannot see in the book where Prof. Schell played down Chinese heavyhandedness. He also states (rightly so) that no Western Govt. backs the idea of an independent Tibet. They do back the Tibetans not being maltreated. Face it, in the modern world, Tibet does not have the resources to survive as an independent country. If anything, Dr. Schell showed just how silly, many of the Hollywood folks jumping on this bandwagon are. This is just the latest fad for them. Movies about Tibet look great on the silver screen. The same cannot be said for Kosovo, or Sudan. I gave it four stars. Hollywood Tibet would have been a better title. Tinseltown Tibet? I am glad this was written to bring it to the American people. Another drawback with this book is, how many people reading it are just reading it for the stars listed and don't understand ALL the issues. I hope this will spur Americans to read more about China as well. I want to know how far the Hollywood circuit wants to go with this. Are they going to go to Tibet themselves? Be with anti-Chinese fighters. No folks, as much as I respect the Dalai Lama, his best hope for seeing his homeland again in his lifetime is to work out a deal with the Chinese. Religious freedom for dropping independence claims. Yes, there is no more Berlin Wall. Tibet cannot make it on its own. Read the book, and as an American, gain your understanding. Want to help Tibet. Help to educate Hollywood folks in both sides of this issue. Prof. Schell shows, it is more complicated than many would like to think.

A timely entry

"Virtual Tibet" is a sorely needed entry in American publication.As a Mongolian Chinese American, it has pained me to see my fellow Americans presented with much delusion about Tibet by Hollywood. For one, the Free Tibet movement dismisses the existence of millions of real Tibetan minority people in central China. I have been quite despondent while watching the "Free Tibet" movement paint China into a mono-ethnic nation, thereby erasing any ethnic identity from the real minorities in central China.Most of the American scholars focus on Tibet in studying this issue, but they totally ignore the real minorities in central China.For my minority Chinese heritage, I wish to say this to a reviewer who compared the Tibet myth to Dr. King's dream: As far as I'm concerned, the Dalai Lama is not Dr. Martin Luther King. Dr. King had a dream for America. He helped all African Americans to gain self respect. He never forgot African Americans are all over the U.S. I don't see the Dalai Lama ever speak about how his fellow Tibetans in central China. They are swept under the carpet as the Tibet movement tries to convince the West that "Tibet was invaded", that "the Tibetans are a race distinct from the Chinese".Ghandi wanted a whole India, not to split it.The Free Tibet movement calls for ethnic segregation for the Tibet region under euphoric terms. It has built a great myth that sugarcoated Ethnic Segregation into supposed "freedom".This movement is doomed because it does not have the support of real minorities in China. Just as most African Americans will not support a Black Nation, nor will most Europeans support an Aryan Nation, most minorities in China prefer a multiple ethnic nation.What really matters is how America will fare at the end. The "Free Tibet" movement can hurt our nation. In the past, the Chinese people held a loving attitude toward the U.S., due to our saving China from the Japanese invasion during WWII. Now their feelings are changing. There is a great love for multiple ethnic culture in China. When we engage in "Free Tibet", many Chinese people are angry at the U.S. for wanting to split China. In this new millennium when the Sino-American relationship is vital to world peace, Tibet has been a thorn in that relationship, and is an threat to world peace.America may suffer decline in this century if we took the wrong direction on this issue. What's at stake is not what happens to Tibet. The Tibetans in China will have the ultimate say. What's at stake is what will happen to America as a result of helping the Tibet movement. "Virtual Tibet" may be one of the most important books this year. It can help enlighten us how much of what we think of Tibet is but an illusion. I hope books like this will help call attention to a more realistic view on this issue.It is sad to see how this book is being panned by the pro-Tibet campaign people, to the point of using phrases such as "communist part

Tibet 101

This is a quick read highlighting Tibet's relationship to the outside world, especially through fallicious film accounts. It gives a good background of the country without getting too pedantic. A very good source for those seeking a good overview without th political and religious details.