Ep. 25: Timothy Thurston on Tibetan Satire

Ep. 25: Timothy Thurston on Tibetan Satire

From China Books Podcast by China Books Review

October 7, 2025 · 35 min · Episode 25

About this episode

The episode discusses Tibetan satire as a form of subtle resistance against Beijing.

Tibetans inside China have found various ways to push back against Beijing and voice their dissatisfaction. A lesser-known form of subtle resistance is the art of “zurza,” or satirical repartee. The China Books Podcast is a companion of China Books Review, a project of Asia Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations and The Wire China. For any queries or comments, please write to info@chinabooksreview.com.

People in this episode

Guest: Timothy Thurston

Topics covered

  • Tibetan satire
  • resistance
  • Beijing
  • cultural expression
  • art
  • society

Keywords

  • Tibet
  • satire
  • zurza
  • resistance
  • Beijing
  • art
  • cultural expression

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: China Books Review, Asia Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations, The Wire China

Places: Tibet, China

More episodes of China Books Podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the China Books Podcast podcast page.