The mechanism for uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and the mechanism for maintaining the high gravitational potential of the plateau have been a focus of discussion for decades in the earth science community around the world. One theory based on gravity data, topographic data, and flexural modeling proposes that the Tibetan Plateau is partially supported by the lithosphere of the surrounding lowlands, including the Indian plate, the Tarim Basin, and the Sichuan Basin, in the form of regional compensation. We present two-dimensional (2-D) transects of the lowlands to the highlands around the plateau to review the lateral compensation and weakening...