First Person: Yeshi Palden, Tibetan monk
There are several routes for escaping from Tibet, and one of them is a passage through Mount Kailash. There was lots of snowfall. I had limited food and clothing. Luckily, we all survived.’
Yeshi Palden escaped from the Kham region of Tibet in 1999. He was 21 and was trying to free himself from China’s persecution of his religious believes. Last year, Palden settled in Atlanta. (This interview was translated by fellow Tibetan monk Thupten Tendhar.)
I’m from the eastern part of Tibetan, a place called Kham. China invaded Tibet in 1959, so China already existed in Tibet before I was born. When I was little, I saw the Chinese torturing the monks, who were accused of cheating people with religion. They were handcuffed and made to stand two to three hours in public and humiliated.
I was from a nomadic background. I didn’t have access to education. I started to see people in monks’ robes, and they were practicing and performing the religious ceremonies. My parents and my family asked me if I wanted to join the monastery. They said that by living a monk’s life, I would be happier. There would be more opportunity for social service. I went to the local monastery, and I saw the monks in their robes. At very first sight, I was excited to become a monk. I stayed at the local monastery for about five years. But after joining, there wasn’t freedom for education or practicing dharma. That was the situation at the time.
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(Photo by Joeff Davis)