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SUMMARY:Protecting a Beyul: Harnessing the Power of Mountain Gods and Envi
 ronmental Law to Protect a Sacred Landscape - Bruce Huett\, Associate memb
 er Mongolia &amp\; Inner Asia Studies Unit\, University of Cambridge
DTSTART:20190312T130000Z
DTEND:20190312T140000Z
UID:TALK118018@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Lucy Goodman
DESCRIPTION:Buddhism is often considered as a religion in which there is a
  positive relationship with the natural world and “environment friendly
 ”. Many of Tibetan Buddhist rituals are focused on communicating with po
 werful “gods of the place” located in mountains\, lakes and other wate
 r sources. Hidden lands (Beyuls) are particularly sacred and also biodiver
 sity rich. In popular belief it is important that the gods are not upset a
 nd human actions do not disturb their environment\, such as carrying out t
 ransgressive activities in their “domain”.\n \nChina\, as a state\, is
  also espousing “green values” and conservation NGOs have developed ov
 er the last few years\, some of which are community based.\n \nHowever the
  situation becomes more charged when conservation interests are set agains
 t business interests and this paper explores a local initiative linked to 
 a monastery on the Eastern fringes of the Tibetan Plateau in China where a
  monk recruited the community to oppose controversial mining interests in 
 the area using ritual structures and practices to call on the mountain die
 ties for support.\n \nBased on interviews with key players this presentati
 on will describe how the local villagers were mobilised. This combined rit
 ual activities with interventions through local government frameworks and 
 publication of documents about the spiritual and ecological nature of the 
 area. It will also explain how the community used the Chinese Environmenta
 l Protection Laws and Chinese Constitution to argue their case successfull
 y.\n \nThe presentation will also place this activity in the context of si
 milar contested conservation related activities in other parts of Tibetan 
 areas in China.\n
LOCATION:Hardy Building 101 (first floor)\, Downing Site\, Cambridge
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