Tibetan legislators endorse "Serfs Emancipation Day"

WATCH VIDEO

Duiqoin ranked at a lower social class and led a harder life. Duiqoin made up 30 to 40 percent of serfs. They had no land or personal freedom, and the survival of each of them depended on estate-holder's manor.

"The 382 legislators attending the session unanimously voted  for the proposal," said Legqog, director of the Standing  Committee of the Tibetan Autonomous Regional People's Congress,  Jan. 19, 2009. Tibetan legislators endorsed a bill Monday to  designate March 28 as an annual Serfs Emancipation Day, to mark  the date on which about 1 million serfs in the region were freed  50 years ago. (Xinhua Photo)

Nangzan were hereditary household slaves, deprived of any means of production and personal freedom. They were called "livestock that can talk," and they were at the bottom of society. The manor-owners treated them as their private property; manor-owners could trade and transfer them, present them as gifts and use them for debts.

Adding to the misery of serfs was the severe legal system. The local governments could set up courts and prisons, and many upper-ranking lamas in monasteries could also build private tribunals and jails. Prisoners could have their hands chopped off, wrists cut, eyes gouged out, feet tied and tongues severed.