The National Library of China Sunday held a seminar to mark the 100th birthday of late Professor Yu Daoquan, the Chinese founder of Tibetology.

Professor Yu established the Tibetology Institute in the Central University for Nationalities and is the author of the dictionary of the Tibetan spoken language and several other books in the field.

Mastering Tibetan, Manchu and Mongolian as well as English and French, he directed the translation of an ancient Tibetan medical dictionary into Chinese.

The study of Tibet can actually be dated back to ancient times. Documents and materials on Tibetology left from the past are second only to those on the Han people in volume.

Starting with Professor Yu, Chinese scholars have used anthropology, archeology, sociology and other modern fields to study the history and current situation in Tibet.

(Xinhua News Agency October 28, 2001)