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Tsering Döndrup: Rlun dmar ’ur ’ur (The Red Wind Howls)

In the West, most of us are well aware that the Chinese conquered Tibet and got rid of much of their religion, both in terms of artefacts, monasteries, etc as well of various Tibetan such as priests, lamas and so on. The excellent introduction explains what happened – the Chinese carving up of Tibet,the repression, the effect of Maoism and the Cultural Revolution and In particular , the Tibetan Uprising, referred to by the Tibetans as Harrowing Day in which thousands of Tibetans were killed and which was followed by brutal repression and then a three year famine.

This repression still continues. Very little has been written about it or, rather, published about it in China and Tibet (the introduction discusses what has been written) so it was very brave of Tsering Döndrup to write this book. It cost him his job and the book has not been published in Tibetan.

While, of course the book is clearly critical of the Chinese treatment of Tibet and Tibetans, it is certainly not entirely one-sided but mocks/criticises some Tibetans and the occasional Chinese official is mildly praised.

The book is not told in chronological order though we follow a particular event – the rounding up of various Tibetans, primarily those from the priest class, the rich, former officials and other class enemies and what happens when they are sent to a labour camp. However while we are following this event the story jumps back to past events and occasionally forwards to future ones.

Our main character is Alak Drong. He was a reincarnated lama. certified by a well-respected lama. He had been a poor shepherd and is suddenly given riches and power and he takes advantage of it. However he is far from a saint and is more like one of those priests you find in Western literature, who are more concerned with their physical than spiritual well-being. He enjoys good food and drink and the other trappings of wealth as people give him money. He plays poker. During the course of this book he is happy to inform on others if it will help reduce his sentence and does so more than once. He has been made to confess his class sins, i.e. exploiting the proletariat, and, unlike other holy people, he is prepared to do so if confession will reduce his sentence even if one of the punishments is to drink urine. He had already told his followers to accept the power of the Chinese. The Communist Party encompasses heaven and earth alike! We therefore have no choice but to accept the leadership of the Communist Party. He is made to travel round damning Buddhism and such ideas as reincarnation and the transmigration of souls. We also meet Dranak Geshe, who was Drong’s teacher and is a good and holy man and there is a clear comparison between the two, even though Dranak Geshe supports Drong. We also learn that to prove that he has seen the light Drong has to chase young women with a cadre as a witness. Wang Aiguo, the then Chinese leader, who will fall, come back and fall again, gives him a leadership role but it does not work out.

He and other class traitors are rounded up, squashed together on a lorry and driven to a labour camp. It is hot and they are given neither food nor drink. However most still look up to Drong, particularly the son of a rich man called Tsetra.

We follow events in the camp. Drong and Tsetra inform on each other. The punishment for breaking the rules is harsh. The food is of poor quality, particularly as they have to do hard labour for ten hours a day.

Drong is facing a ten year sentence but realises he can get it reduced by informing on people who are planning to escape, have religious paraphernalia or weapons or who spread Buddhist doctrine. But, of course, it is not quite as simple as that.

While Drong is certainly informing on his people, we learn that back home there are others worse, who are actively aiding the Chinese repress their own people and we learn of some of these.

In the camp things are not going well as many of the prisoners are dying of malnutrition and they even go on strike for better conditions, which, of course, does not turn out well.

Song Jiantao, the current camp commander, who will fall as do all the others, becomes even more ruthless. They have to work harder in the nearby forest, which is gradually disappearing.

Drong is finally released and can go back home but things are not much better there and there is famine. The Chinese send in the Communist Youth League to clear the land and plant crops. It is a disaster as it is again the following year. The land is only suitable for grazing. The soil and weather are not suitable for crops.

The latter part of the book tells us what happens when things have calmed down a bit. There is a certain amount of religious freedom. We see how the Tibetans adapt (or, in some cases, do not adapt) to the new order, Chinese authority figures rising and falling and, on some occasions karma getting those who betrayed their own people. There are still struggle sessions which we have had throughout the book. For most of hem it is just about getting on with life and its usual complications though with new technology coming in, including a cinema.

You can certainly see why the Chinese were not enthusiastic as, on the whole they do not come out well but quite a few Tibetans are criticised as well, particularly those that side with the Chinese or put their own interests first For us Westerners it is a fascinating account of what life has been for the Tibetans under the Chinese.

Publishing history

First published in 2009 (self-published)
First English translation in 2025 by Columbia University Press
Translated by Christopher Peacock