Examining the Strategic Commodification of Nature and Culture for Development: A Case Study of Baiyu County on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

In the modern era, both Tibetan communities and the Chinese government employ strategies to commodify natural and cultural heritages for economic development, raising concerns about the preservation of the very core of Tibetan values. This study, using ethnographic methods, investigates the trade of thangkas and fungi in Baiyu County in the Kham region of Tibet. Interviews with a wide range of individuals, from senior Buddhists to government officials, indicate that both Tibetan culture and Buddhist belief have no power to overhaul market structures; rather, they function as flexible conduits to navigate the challenging realities of the market for Tibetans. In addition, a content analysis of policy documents about Baiyu County’s development plan since 2000 highlights a prioritization of public infrastructure construction, county branding initiatives, and natural resource exploitation, with minimal attention given to the revival of religious traditions and practices.