西方旅行指南中的西藏形象构建

Construction of Tibet's Image in Western Travel Guidebooks

文章以西方代表性旅行指南《孤独星球》和《目击者》为分析文本,分析了西藏旅行指南中的西藏形象,指出"神圣"西藏和"世俗"西藏构成了西藏形象的两个方面。前者将西藏描述为"神秘的佛教王国",具有极强的"香格里拉"神话特征;后者直接指向中央政府的西藏治理和西藏社会经济的发展,被认为是导致西藏"魅力"不断丧失的原因。由于"神圣"西藏具有很强的反世俗特征,因而与西藏治理和西藏发展具有强烈的对抗性,并对西藏旅游业的可持续发展带来不利影响。有鉴于此,文章提出了西藏建设世界旅游目的地在形象建设方面的一些建议。

In the West, Tibet is widely regarded as a Shangri-La. However, this has been criticized by some scholars who refer on the grounds that the mythic Shangri-La myth never actually existed in Tibet, but is only a misconception applied to Tibet via certain historical and practical factors. Few studies have explored this subject from the perspective of tourism, and even fewer through the image of Tibet as constructed by Western travel guidebooks. One purpose of this paper is to reveal how Tibet has been described in such literature; the other is to reveal the relationship between these images and the ＂Shangri-La＂ myth as treated in guidebooks.In this study, the Lonely Planet and DK Eyewitness Travel Guide have been chosen as the sample texts for content analysis. The results show that the image of Tibet in these guidebooks includes two aspects：the sacred Tibet and the secular Tibet. The former describes Tibet as a mystical Buddhist kingdom,while the latter shows an increasingly marginalized Tibet that is gradually losing its charm. The sacred Tibet is formed through four dimensions： physical landscapes, history and culture, Tibetan lifestyles,and the natural environment. First, guidebooks highlight the religious landscape, while ignoring much of Tibet＇s non- religious landscapes. Second, the history and culture of Tibet as described in the guidebooks consist exclusively of Tibetan Buddhism, which assumes this to be the extent of the Tibetan culture. Third, guidebooks cosider Buddhism the core of Tibetan people＇s lives. Finally, a considerable part of the natural environment is described as holy mountains and lakes. Through their descriptions of these four dimensions, guidebooks attempt to show that holiness exists everywhere and among the entire population of Tibet. This reveals the degree to which guidebooks describe Tibet in light of the Shangri-La myth, which they perpetuate, is the only value of the region. Compared with the Shangri-La myth, the secular Tibet is mentioned less frequently. It is described in three dimensions： the Central Government＇s administration, Tibet＇s modernization process, and the status of the Dalai Lama. Guidebooks view Tibet＇s development after liberation（1951） as a continuous process of secularization, threatening the Shangri-La myth and resulting in an ongoing loss of Tibet＇s charm. They describes the liberation of Tibet and the Central Government＇s administration as＂aggression＂of and＂systematic destruction＂to Tibet＇s traditional culture, while ignoring the Central Government＇s efforts to protect and develop this very subject. In guidebook descriptions of the modernization of Tibet, the benefits of modernization are neglected, while its problems are amplified or even fabricated. The attitudes of the Tibetan people toward modernization are one- sidedly described as doubtful and defensive. These guidebooks fuse together the geographical landscape, Tibetan Buddhism and Western spiritual needs for Western utopia.Essentially, they remain within the narrative style of Shangri- La, adopting a confrontational stance toward everything secular. This has obvious adverse effects. On the one hand, it reinforces the Western public＇s misunderstanding on the status of Tibet and the role of the Central Government, where the Shangri-La myth shares the same logic as＂the Tibet issue＂advocated by the West, especially in terms of anti-development and anti-government sentiment. On the other hand, it reduces the attractiveness of Tibet to Western tourists amidst the ongoing development of Tibet and decline of the Shangri-La myth.Therefore, the removal of the Shangri- La myth from images of Tibet as constructed by Western guidebooks is a critical yet challenging endeavor.