Given the worldwide media attention given to Tibet at present, I thought this very curious philatelic article on Tibet (originally published in The Postage Stamp October 9, 1909) might be of interest:

The Imperial Chinese Government is on the eve of establishing a postal service in Tibet, and maintaining post houses on three roads, having a centre in Lhasa, the nominal capital. Bearing in mind the recent issue of commemoratives in newly enlightened China, we must not be surprised to hear of an issue of stamps especially for that ruin of a country – Tibet. We might suggest a few good illustrations that might be appropriate to the country and people of Tibet.

For instance, Messrs. Pears might be invited to allow the use of their famous picture – “Since when I have used no other” to depict the effigy of the Grand Lama – since the laws of the Tibetan Priesthood forbid photographs of themselves being taken. Of course, it would not do to refer to such a worldly and wicked article as soap in the holy land of Tibet. Then one value might depict a picture of the famous city, in which there are no women, nor has the step of a woman ever trod (vide Tibetan Legends). The colours of this stamp might be purple, yellow and green.