藏语言文字得到有效保护。西藏自治区分别于1987年、1988年、2002年通过立法,将学习、使用和发展藏语言文字工作纳入法制化轨道。教育系统推行以藏语文授课为主的双语教学体系,所有农牧区和部分城镇小学实行藏汉语文同步教学,主要课程用藏语授课。中学阶段也同时用藏语文和汉语文授课,并在内地西藏班中学开设藏语文课。在普通高等学校招生入学考试中可以使用藏语文答卷。藏文字符计算机编码通过国家标准和国际标准,藏文编辑系统、激光照排系统、电子出版系统得到广泛应用。藏语文在政治生活中得到广泛应用。各级人民代表大会通过的决议、法规,西藏各级人民政府及所属部门发布的正式文件和公告都使用藏、汉两种文字。在司法诉讼程序中,对藏族诉讼参与人都使用藏语文审理案件,法律文书也使用藏文。国家在保护和发展藏语言文字的同时,也在包括西藏自治区在内的全国各地公民中推广、学习和使用国家通用语言文字,促进各民族、各地区经济文化交流。
优秀传统文化得到保护和传承。西藏自治区制定《西藏自治区文物保护管理条例》、《西藏自治区人民政府关于加强文物保护的布告》等,加强文物保护。现有各类文物点4277处,国家重点文物保护单位55处,自治区级文物保护单位391处,市县级文物保护单位978处,国家历史文化名城3座。布达拉宫、罗布林卡、大昭寺被列入世界文化遗产名录,拉萨、日喀则、江孜被列为国家级历史文化名城,西藏博物馆被列为国家一级博物馆,西藏档案馆收藏有300多万件重要历史档案。现有国家级非物质文化遗产名录76处,自治区级323项,地市级76项,县级814项。国家级非遗代表性传承人68名,自治区级350名,民间藏戏队117支。格萨尔、藏戏被列入人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录。现代公共文化日益普及,广播电视综合覆盖率分别达到94.38%、95.51%。西藏所有行政村都有农家书屋、所有藏传佛教寺庙都有寺庙书屋。2011年,西藏设立文化产业发展专项资金,扶持西藏文化产业发展。
Tibet has succeeded in preserving the spoken and written Tibetan language. The region enacted three provisions in 1987, 1988 and 2002, respectively, to provide a solid legal base for the study, use and development of the Tibetan language and script. Bilingual education, with Tibetan as the principal language, is widespread in Tibet. Primary schools in all farming and pastoral areas and some urban areas use both Tibetan and Chinese in teaching, but mostly Tibetan for the major courses. Middle schools also use both languages, and Tibetan classes in middle schools in inland areas also have Tibetan language course. In the national college entrance exams, it is permissible to answer questions using Tibetan script. Computer coding of Tibetan characters has reached national and international standards. Editing, laser phototypesetting and electronic publishing in Tibetan are extensively adopted. Tibetan is widely used in political life. Resolutions, laws and regulations adopted at people's congresses at all levels, and official documents and declarations published by people's governments at various levels and their subsidiary departments in Tibet are published in both Tibetan and Chinese. In judicial proceedings, Tibetan is used to try cases involving litigants from the Tibetan group and for the relevant legal documents. While preserving and developing the Tibetan language, the state also popularizes standard Chinese throughout the country, including Tibet, so as to promote economic and cultural exchanges between ethnic groups and regions.
The outstanding traditional Tibetan culture has been preserved and handed down. Tibet has issued the Regulations of the Tibet Autonomous Region on the Protection of Cultural Relics, and issued the Notice of the Tibet Autonomous Region People's Government on Strengthening the Protection of Cultural Relics, in addition to the enactment of various other relevant laws and regulations. Currently, Tibet has 4,277 cultural relic sites, including 55 key cultural heritage sites under state protection, 391 under regional protection, and 978 under city- or county-level protection, as well as three state-level historical and cultural cities (Lhasa, Shigatse and Gyangtse). The Potala Palace, the Norbulingka and Jokhang Temple are on the World Heritage List. Tibet Museum is a national A-class museum. The Tibet Archives boasts a collection of more than 3 million documents of historic importance. Tibet has 76 items listed as state-class intangible cultural heritage items, 323 as regional ones, 76 as city-level ones, and 814 as county-level ones, in addition to 68 representative trustees of such cultural items at the national level and 350 at the regional level. There are 117 Tibetan opera troupes. Tibetan opera and the Gesar epic are included in UNESCO's Masterpieces of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Modern public cultural services also extend across an ever-widening area; radio and TV coverage has reached 94.38 percent and 95.51 percent, respectively. Every administrative village or Buddhist temple in Tibet now boasts a library appropriate to its needs. In 2011, Tibet set up a special fund to support the development of cultural industries.