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New names for Tibetan children reflect happier times
( 2002-07-26 10:09 ) (8 )

Dainba Dagyai, 40, gave his newborn third daughter the name Gesang Medog, which means the flower of good days in the Tibetan language.

However, his name, which his parents hoped would bring him good luck according to their religion, was chosen by a living Buddha.

"Both my parents are devout believers in Buddhism," Dainba Dagyai said. "My name was given to me by a living Buddha in a local temple in exchange for 100 eggs and a leg of mutton."

For thousands of years, ethnic Tibetans considered it an honor if a living Buddha chose a name for their children. Tibetans who could not afford this would name their children after the day the child was born, such as "Dawa" + Monday, and "Migmar" + Tuesday.

"Although I have had good luck, I still hope my daughter enjoys a happier life than my generation," said Dainba Dagyai, who sells religious articles on Bargor Street in downtown Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China.

Due to a lack of medical services, the infant mortality rate was very high and average life expectancy was only 35.5 years old in the region before the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951. Many parents chose to name their children "Cering", meaning longevity, whether the baby was a boy or a girl. Some even gave the names "Gyigyai" (dog's dung) and Pag'gyag (pig's dung) to their babies in the hope of driving away devils.

Nowadays the average life-span in Tibet is 67 years, statistics show. Of the region's total population of 2.6 million, more than 200,000 are 60 years old and above. Tibet now has 116 centenarians, one of the highest ratios of centenarians in China.

Thanks to their region's fast economic development, rapid social progress and flourishing cultural affairs, well-to-do Tibetans today have begun giving their children names which express their hopes for a happier life. "Degyi Medog" - the flower of happiness, and "Banjor" - prosperity are examples.

Tibetans have also kept up to date with the times. As humanity enters the knowledge-based economy era, many names like "Yoindain Norbu" + treasure of knowledge, and "Yoindain Jigme" + knowledge and courage - frequently occur on school rolls.

Although a name is only a symbol for a person, the change in children's names reflects dramatic social changes in Tibet. These days more and more Tibetans want to give an appropriate name to their child, and the use of family names which indicate the social status of a family, is emerging among ordinary Tibetans.

Doje Zhamdu, 39, named his son Doje Bandain, which means "giant of wisdom" . He said by giving his son that name, he wanted the family name "Doje" to be continued and to make clear how important wisdom was for modern people.

Gesang, a research fellow with Tibet's Academy of Social Sciences, calls this a "surname phenomenon" among Tibetans. He said the fact that ordinary Tibetans have begun to name their children independently and with their own surnames was not only a result of absorbing other advanced cultures, but also a sign of Tibet's progress as a civilized society.

People care about where they come from, their bloodline and what family they belong to only after they have personal freedom and independence, Gesang said.

In fact, there used to be surnames in old Tibet. Many officials, noble people, high-ranking monks and living Buddhas used to put the names of their manors before their own names to indicate their social status.

But this was not the case with ordinary people, Gesang pointed out. Ordinary Tibetans had very low social status and were deprived of their freedom by slave owners who treated them like animals and beat them arbitrarily.

Gesang said the appearance of surnames among ordinary people reflected the strong sense of personal independence of ethnic Tibetans. "They hope to use bloodlines to closely unite their families," Gesang said.