4 Rivers 6 Ranges

*Guest post by Olo Bayul, rapper and writer based in Boston*

Chushi Gangdruk (4 Rivers 6 Ranges) was a voluntary resistance army comprised mainly of Tibetans from the Kham region of Tibet. With assistance from the CIA, the army led an uprising against the invading People’s Liberation Army. June 16, 2014 marks the 56th Anniversary of the founding of Chushi Gangdruk. This video is a tribute to General Gompo Tashi Andrutsang and all the brave soldiers of Tibet who left fear behind and resisted Chinese rule courageously.

I wrote this song to honor their contributions. I wrote it to help remind each and every single one of us that a violent uprising did take place inside Tibet during and after the Chinese invasion, that Tibetans did rise up to protect the homeland. They didn’t just give up their rights to the Red Chinese. These resistance histories deserve to be told. I believe that their actions indirectly led to the Tibetan movement we are all part of today. As my friend Ugen said, “They fought and fell so that we could stand”.

Lyrics

1st Verse

4 Rivers yup, 6 Ranges, plenty heat

No tea in cups, just blood in the memory

Physically and mentally

Essentially exemplary

Never though of as a joke

But a model in my notes

Followed down the road,

Never hollow with their hopes

Rifles set, life’s a mess

But always in the mode

To protect and to serve

To collect what you earn

Freedom isn’t given

That’s the lesson that we learned

Heaven isn’t earth

They were ready for the birth

Liberation was a lie,

China was flirting with the word

So resistance, heavy!

Persistence, deadly!

Kham and Amdo with the vision of allegiance, ready!

Gliding through the sky, with the ammo and artillery

Fighting with our pride, training Rambos of the century

Landing was a specialty

Expanding our weaponry

Roger McCarthy of CIA

Handing down the lesson sheets

So don’t for a minute doubt the crazy truth of this

Chu-Shi Gang-Druk, 4 Rivers 6 Ranges!

2nd verse

From ’58 to the present day

Let me reiterate and set it straight

Men our age, every day

Taking risks for what they claim

No paper chase, no cake at stake

Paved the way for a better stage

Guns engaged, weapons sprayed

Sent from wakes to heaven gates

Passion was a strength and effort was the key

Slashes on the legs, no rolling on his knees

Gashes by the Reds yet the soldier holds and keeps

A boulder on his shoulder, but no folding in between

Cause they never quit

Even on the days they were pressured sick

Pressed and kicked

Their quest for freedom, stressed through allegiance

Blessed by the regions, kept them believing

In a chance to grow, legends of the land of snow

Blade leaking, safekeeping

Sewing every strand of hope

Their land, their homes

Their stand, their roles

To sacrifice, stab and slice

Cyanide capsules if captured by

A pair of Chinese eyes

So don’t for a minute doubt the crazy truth of this

Chu-Shi Gang-Druk, 4 Rivers 6 Ranges!