Beijing. In a book written a decade ago, Nepali scholar Tony Hagan mentioned that Mount Everest, known as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Chomolungma in China, is considered half-half by both countries.
In the book titled “Nepal’s Identity,” which was published in English, German, French, and Japanese by BP Koirala, Hagan wrote, “In the 1960s, Nepal and China reached an agreement on the border, according to which, Mount Everest is divided in half between both countries. The southern side of Mount Everest, including all the ice pinnacles, falls under Nepal’s territory.”
Tony Hagan’s perspective, presented a decade ago, remains unchanged, and even though Nepal and China reached a partial agreement on Mount Everest in the past, there is still no consensus among the general public in both countries. Nepalis believe that Mount Everest belongs entirely to Nepal, while the Chinese believe that it is entirely theirs.
In Nepal, Mount Everest, and in China, Chomolungma, is revered as the highest peak in the world, and this sentiment is echoed globally. An example of this is the current Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, First Lady Peng Liyuan. Peng Liyuan has sung a song about Mount Everest.
While China’s President Xi’s wife is not the only one who has sung about Mount Everest, she is a popular folk singer in China. This song adds to the cultural significance of Mount Everest in China.
In the book “China Beckoning” by foreign correspondent Chetanath Acharya, published in 2074 B.S. (2017), the mention of Peng Liyuan singing about Mount Everest is made. She had sung the song a few decades ago, and even now, this song can be found on Chinese and international social media platforms.
Lakshmi Lamsal, who wrote the book “Nihao Namaste” in 2075 B.S. (2018), became the first Chinese woman to graduate in music in the 1980s. In 1987, she married a Nepali, which led to her interest in Tibetan culture and Tibetan Buddhism. This connection inspired her to sing a song about Mount Everest, showcasing the rich Tibetan influences in the song.
In the 1980s, Lakshmi Lamsal became the first Chinese woman to graduate in music and later became a foreign correspondent for international radio CRI. Her book “Nihao Namaste” explores her experiences and perspectives on Nepal and Tibet.
At the age of 18, she joined the People’s Liberation Army of China and rose to the rank of Major General. Her marriage to a Nepali in 1987 exposed her to Tibetan culture and Tibetan Buddhism, which influenced her to sing a song about Mount Everest. The song captures the essence of Tibetan culture in its sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0EBEIbP-cQ&t=59s
- Mount Everest’s territorial dispute
- Sagarmatha and Chomolungma
- Nepal-China border agreement
- Tony Hagan’s perspective
- Mount Everest division
- Public sentiment in Nepal and China
- Cultural significance of Mount Everest
- First Lady Peng Liyuan’s song
- Lakshmi Lamsal and Tibetan culture
- “Nihao Namaste” book
- People’s Liberation Army service
- Major General Feng Lili
- Tibetan influences in music
- China-Nepal relations
- Himalayan territorial claims
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