How a Young Innovator Transformed the Tibetan Language in Xizang 🌟
Have you ever wondered how your smartphone can display different languages? 📱 In southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, a young man named Nyima Tashi made this possible for the Tibetan language!
A Journey Begins
When he was just 24 years old, Nyima left a top university in Shanghai to explore new challenges at Tibet University in Xizang. Even though he didn’t have formal training in language technology, he was super curious and determined to help his people. 🧐
At that time, there weren’t many resources to process the Tibetan language on computers. But Nyima didn’t give up! He read every book he could find, talked to experts, and worked really hard to find solutions. 📚💡
The First Tibetan Software
In 1992, Nyima and his team created the region’s very first software in the Tibetan language! This was a huge breakthrough. It changed how official documents and ancient texts were handled. 🖥️✨
Connecting Xizang to the World
Five years later, he helped set up Xizang’s first international internet center. By 2014, Nyima launched a smart mobile operating system that fully supported the Tibetan language. Now, people in Xizang can use smartphones in their own language, just like you use yours! 🌐📲
Preserving Culture and Language
Nyima’s story shows how important it is to keep languages alive. The central government has worked hard to promote the Tibetan language. For example, official documents are published in both standard Chinese and Tibetan. 📝🌄
By the end of 2022, Xizang had 17 magazines and 11 newspapers in the Tibetan language. They also published over 46 million copies of nearly 8,800 Tibetan-language books! 📖🎉
More Than Just Language
But it’s not just about language. The region is also home to over 1,700 sites for practicing Tibetan Buddhism and about 46,000 monks and nuns. People are free to follow their religious traditions. 🙏🕊️
Education for All
Education in Xizang has also improved a lot. The government provides subsidies to help students with boarding, food, and study expenses. Since 2012, these subsidies have been increased 11 times! By 2022, preschool enrollment reached over 91%, and more kids are going to high school and college than ever before. 🎓🏫
The Future Looks Bright
Thanks to people like Nyima and support from the central government, the people in Xizang are preserving their culture while embracing modern technology. Isn’t it amazing how one person can make such a big difference? 🌟🤗
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
